Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-08-06
The Divorced Story.

|
In that case what else would have been
it is difficult to say, but certainly, | could
have been no worse off than am at the pre-
sent time-the thirty first day of March, A.
d. 1853. might have sprung up as some
body else's property might have graced
garden possibly, as a cabbage-head-may
hap as a flower which Mrs. Tompktns might
have plucked to wear on her bosom, and then
thrown away-oh happy thought
But | am what am ; 1t is useless to re-
pine-uness to wish had never been born,
or myself dead. suppose | shall have to
live till die, unless ! commit suicide In
that case, | tremble to ask the question
what would become of me?
True, my body would go into the ground :;
but would certainly endeavor, in spirit, to
knock for admission at Heavens pearly doors
and | am sure Mrs. Tompkins Oate my
wife) would meet me there and prejudice the
keeper against me
NV name is John Tompkins, Esquire
Mrs. Tompkins used to be my wife-the law
yers tell me that she is not any longer, and
that she has re-assumed her maiden name Of
! SnOoks
Very fortunate, you say?
Indeed it is. But wouldn't care so much
if it wasn't for my little boy-the dearest,
sweetest, Tompkinest little fellow that ever
blessed your eyes. All, me when | think
of him, that heart of mine wakes big with
sorrow, and my breast hcayes high and low,
and the muscles of my face contract, and my
voice trembles if l speak, and something
chokes me-
Did you ever have little boy, who had a
little voice, and wore little shoes and a little
roundabout? the patter of whose little feet
was as musical as the fall of the summer rain
in the wood and on the roof, the light of
whose eye was great glimpse Of the beauti-
full, the tint of red on whose cheeks was as
delicate as if a master painter had dotted
them. whose hair was in ringlets every one
of which was all your life?
| did. His name was Edward. He called
me father! | loved him; my darling-lny
only boy!
1t always seemed strange to me that |, the
unfortunate, should be blessed with such a
boy. was afraid of him, jealous Of him
and his welfare; afraid, lest harm should
come to him, jealous of him and his welfare !;
afraid lest harm should come to him, and vice
should breathe upon his white soul. Jeal-
Gus, lest Death should claim him, or Time
draw away from me his love and confidence.
TO be father, and see child slowly sneak
ing away from you, and forming new ties, and
learning to forget you! If there is sharper
dagger at the heart than that, tell me, and
will use it to take away this life Of mine that
is so miserable
| wonder now if | ever wronged my boy,
by fearing tdat either SANDER or absence
would rob me of his love? do not know
Heis away with his mother; thelawyers gave
him to her. While l was asleep, he was ta-
! I 20. H.,
morning, it was in vain.
that Reason held its own, when knew that
he was gone.
lie looked so like his mother f! and Heaven
knows used to love her, if | know myself, |
do still She was beautiful. When first
saw her, L remember, could compare her to
nothing but angels, and hope the angels have
forgiven me for it. But beauty of face and
form is not to be compared to beauty of mind
no, no! | loved the woman, was proud as
we'll as glad to marry her. The outside OF
the article got when the bargain was COM
pleted, was magnificent, the inside, aios was
putrid with seltishness and waywardness, and
passion, all at the expense of that love which
should have been mine when called her wife
She was never cOntented. She indulged
much in the luxury of grief. She loved tc
: imagine herself abused; and would miscon
strue actions intended to be pleasant and graf
flying. Once, in playful mood she pullcC
my hair. In return, pleasantly pushed hel
off the sofa She fell on purpose she grOan
ed aloud, and called Inc brute She said
had killed her and she would never forgiv.
me for it
How surprised was, | will not undertak,
to say. ifI gould only have believed tina
she believed did it in an angry mood but
could not. | knew her character now per
fectly, and l shuddered.
Because | calico her a dear, she said | wa
making an animal of her Because said sh
was sweet, she thought would like to reduce
her to the level of sugar and mOlasses BE
cause l said she was handsome, she angril,
= inquired if | thought her piece of calico o
silk, and priced her value accordingly Be
cause | put my arm about her waist, sh
screamed and said was trying to SqueeZ
her to death! When L let her alone, | wa
an iceberg, and solemn, grim, ugly brute
When, to please her, | ventured to band
words, was rewarded for my temerity, wit
a broomstick whipping
What could a poor husband do '?
Once she tore her new bOnnt to pieces AM
then said did it At another time, she re
fused to buy anything to eat, or let me buy il
and then she said was trying to Starve he
to death Again, while aneighbor was look
ing on, she desired me to kick beggar- DO
off the stoop did so. Beggar- boy wcr
off bowling; neighhor locked ol. scowling
and Mrs. Tompkins, assuming look of ho1
or, and screwing tears into her eyes, seize
her bonnet, and rushed over to neighbor, I
have him sympathize with her, because st
had to live with such a brute as |
And so forth, and so on, indefinitely!
The fact is, mean woman is just the moa1
est thing in creation-just as good woman
pearl beyond price. She never tries in d.
ing mean she perseveres, and is just as tres
after an hours war of words, as when IL
war began She is ingenious in planning mear
and ways by which to worry her lcrd I
tires of the battle, she, pever His selfr
spect induces him to hold up flag of truce
she hasn't such an article. He thinks ofwh
IS. people will say, she doesn't care what th'
he say-wcli knowing that outsiders will syr
pathize with her, because she is a woman
- True is the Bible saying; "Retter dwell
peace On house-top, than with brawlil
woman in wide house." If the houseto
me- were as high as Mr.. Gilderoy's kite, or as u
comfortable as the peaks of Chimborazo, ST
should choose it. Seriously, l would rat
er walk the still chambers Of Death than
habit again dwelling on earth, in ipartn,ersf
with the late Mrs. Tompkins.
would compare good woman with t
angels, and PLACE upon her head crown
glory. would condemn mean woman
be kicked out of the haok-door of create
without shadow of a chance of getting ba
again.
1 said we were divorced. There was
great trial and the papers had much to
about it. Mrs. TompEins in her compiai
said was passionate !, also, that drank
and new cider, and smoked cigars, and CHI
ed tobacco, thereby impainng her health
we'll as my own! That ! had pulled her
once upon time, and, at another, use
switch in her behalf! That | had abused
boy (the darling that she should say tia
That | absolutely had refused to furnish