Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1857-07-21
aIsGIIIaakolIs
PoIitsness Betwsen Husband and wife.

ASSSHSSh anu AAGs
The transformation worked in a lover after
marriage has long been pet subject with sa-
tlits. Before the nuptiaI knot is tied the
suitor is all devotion. No business engage
ment is permitted to infringe on the evenings
cousecra;ed to his .tfancee. If she drops her
fan, misplaces a glove, or needs help in put
ting on her shawl, he is instantly at her side,
the most eager, the most patient, the most
delicate of all servants. She has only to ex-
press wish to visit some place of amusement,
when 10 he waits on her even before break
fast and though it rains as if edeluge had
come. But when the irrevocable VOWS are
said and the honeymoon comfortably over
change too often comes over the obsequious
cavalier. The latent seltishness of the male
animal begins to develop itself The wife
has to pick up her own fan, search for her
gloves, shawl herself unassisted, go to church
alone, get to concerts when she cam. Some
times the poor creature is happy to win even
a civil answer from her rude, dogmatic lord.
Men who would be civil to even strange
servant, of woman. think it quite natural to
be impolite to their wives.
Yet there is nothing 10y which even sell
fish man can more easily benefit himself than
by respectful, well bred and considerate at
tentiOn to her he has sworn to 'love and cher
ish. Sooner or later an iTnperious or exact
ing husband makes an Indifferent or careless
wife. Talk of love AS you may, eulogize the
forbearance of woman till the language of
praise is exhausted, and still the fact remains
that has not a monopoly of human
nature, feminine flesh and blood feels I'M justice
finally quite rs actually as ourselves. 1t may
require years to make a long suffering woman
as indignant rs man would become in a
month hut she will get indignant at last, her
affection will as inevtaSly, decline, and the
sweetest hoon of life wifi be lost to the hus-
band forever. For money, which is falsely
said to oc able to purchase love and love,
whether at the sick bed or by the household
hearth, does what no paid service will. As
the truest happiness which wel-reguIated
mind enjoys is in the family relation, there
can he no true domestic felicity where there
is injustice on one side aud its consequent
alienation on the other :...:@
1t may be said that If husband does love
his wife sincerely there is no necessity for these
little acts Of poIitenesa. -: They are tr'aes, we
are told. But life is made up of trihes. Did
the lover despise them. once because they we're
trifes Was not something of his earlier
success attributable to the assdu,ty and deli
cacy with which he piled his gratiied miss
with these trifes 2 Win she think the less of
her husband because he shows how thought.
ful he is OF her comfort, even in these trifes2
Believe US, if womahs affection is retained
undiminished, in spite of the rudeness of her
husband toward her, it would be vastly increas
ed if he exhibited little of the lovers cour-
tesv-ifhe was considerate in trifies. Itseems
the strangest and most incomprehensibIe thing
in the world, if we look at it dispassiouateIy
that selfish men think the only person they
can negl ct with impuhity are those ou whom
their happiness principally depends. They
are too stupidsy blind, TO use one Of their pet
phrases, to see that politeness to wives pay
For it is only of selfish husbands that
speak. Those who respect love and rever-
ence woman, as true womanbood ought to be
respected, loved and venerated, need no incen-
tives 10 be courteous and considerate to their
Wfyes.-BqIt. Sun.