Litchfield enquirer., 1860-08-30

quarrel, Lnelf WordS are no less cutting, an( the wounds inflicted are no less grievous than those which are exchanged betweel disputants of lower grade. So, in thi case, the wife insisted upon the folly of thu request, and the husband declared that i was not now matter of folly or wisdom but test of her affection for him. But sh would not yield.
 And now the loving bride sat working with unnecessary diligence, her face turned away from her husband, while the fond Al fred seized newspaper-that refuge for per plexed husbands; but, after a few moments he glanced over at his wife, who refused t, meet his eye; then, clearing his throat, and advancing step or two he said, "Hav, you thought better of it, my Emma? vii you give over this perverseness? Emma threw down her work in passion "How! perverseness! You know I canno endure that word; and I am not perverse but it is you who are so in this matter, tt insist so obstinately on this piece of folly"
 "But Emma, understand me-" said Al fred; |" it is not that the thing of itself IS o any importance, except to show me that yol cannot refuse anything ask you; canno bear the thought that you can say 'no' tt any request of minew
 "Soh! l am never to say mo to you, returned the now excited wife, "always syes yes, yes.' An! all men are alike; you dc not want loving companion, sympathiz ing friend; you require that wife should be slave. And thus the suhjugation is tt begin with an act of blind obedience; but will never be slave, not l! l will never yield my rights either to threats or brute force"
 And he shall be thy ruler," "where is that said?" interposed the husband very gently.
 (" am right then!" cried Emma; "you would be the ruler, and am to be the slave; you are to command and I to obey. Oh, l acknowledge your rule in all fitting things, but never when your commands are unreas- onable."
 "These are grave expressions to apply to a mere joke"--
 "Oh!" interrupted Emma, now fairly in tears, "you have made bitter earnest out of ftp
 What could the husband do? This was probably the first time that his bride had called tears to her aid in an argument witl him. He could only hasten to her side and entrcat her not to weep; but the reply was, " l cannot hcip it; you force these tears from mcw
 "What a monster have I suddenly be. come! Poor miserable woman, that destiny should have linked you to such an inhuman wre,ch?"
 This piece of irony made matters worse.
 "T''"t is right," said the insutcd wife; "now add scorn to your cruelty; who wonld have guessed this but an hour ago? who was so light hearted and thought my. sell s" happy-but now-"
 "Bnt now," continued Alfred, finishing the sentence fer her, " there is ho wife to bc found so unhappy as yourself"
 Emma's tears flowed on, until her husband became uneasy on another account than the mere dislike to witness her suffering; he be- gan to Say to himself: "What will the old people think? and they will be here immedi- attly. Emma, wife, darling, come, let us be friends; it is foolish thus to spoil so lovely a morning."
 TEis address succeeded in inducing the lovely wceper to withdraw the handkerchief from her face, and softly to ask: Do you think so! then why were you so hard upon mel"
 Well, now you see, come to you to sue for peace" pleaded Alfred; and taking his wife in his arms he whispered, Now you will say those few words for love of mel"
 Poor husband! never was he more mista. ken than in supposing his gentle wife had yielded; for she tore herself from his en,- brace, more angry than ever, with the words, What, even now! still you ask this? you would begin the quarrel again?"
 " l have come to you dear wife, to soften you with kind words when you were angry; now it is for you to yield something"
 Emma seemed to struggle with herself; she longcd to be at peace with her husband, whom she fondly loved; she had only to whisper the words he asked her for, and all would be right between them; but pride came to the rescue. What! after all her determination, should she yield at last? So she wound up all her powers of resistance into one firm resolute "No! once for all Now
 Then the aggrieved husband broke out into the following speech: {" It is enough, then: you know that it would please mo that you should do this, and you will not do it. My request may be foolish; nevertheless, it is my request, and you will not fulfill it. It may be caprice on my part. but your love should accommodate itself to my caprice The words are nothing but the proof of your affection is much, and that proof you will not give me. I have entreated, reasoned commanded, tried every mode, but in vain; and you profess to love me, you cannot ill one little instance conquer caprice, not even to show kindness to your husband!- Never say again that you love mel" This compendium of accusations was ut. tered while the speaker was pacing up and down the pretty parlor in very excited state, and elicited from the accused, who leaned with her arms on the table, as if for support under her unwonted trials, the fol lowing reply:
 "What right have you to accuse me o perverseness or caprice? You acknowledge that it is a folly to ask me to say those words, and yet you persist. It would dc grade me knowingly to commit folly, and yet yon ask me thus deliberately to degrade myself Is this love? And then you see that your conduct pains me-" here the tears flowed plentifally again; "yet you continue cold and unmoved. On whose side. then, is the perverseness? where is the lack of affec tion?"
 How much more might have been said or