Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-01-31

ed strangely with the loud, harsh ones hi.
voice had assumed in addressing his wife
"Did you wish to speak to me, mother? p
ayes, my son." Mrs. Jones replied
"Will you come into the library with me
for a moments" The habit of acquiescenct
in her wishes made him follow her.
After they lad seated themselves Mrs
Jones said:
81 never wish to interfere between hus.
band and wife, but am sure Arthur, you
are so fully convinced of my affection fol
you that you will, without anger, allow me
TO ask if you are in the habit of address
ing your wife as you did just nov?'
Arthur looked confused. He had all
look of a child-culprit at The mothers knee,
as he answered:
81 am afraid l have spoken pretty harsh
ly to her sometimes"
sand do you think yorself justified !"-
Mrs. Jones began.
"Maybe not, mother" her son interrupt
ed. "But just see here,'' be spoke with
the old boyish eagerness of selfconfidence,
"see, ma'am, what can fellow do when be
never has decent meal in his own house
and when be comes home tired TO death af-
ter bard days work, his wife creeps down
stairs, pale as ghost, with her hair tuck
ed behind her ears, and her morning wrap
per still on, and sits down without word
of interference or apology TO the half laid
table, and the half-dressed food that her
servants choose to prepare for us, and shuf-
fles off all responsibility by declaring that
she is so nervous" 7"
"God forgive yon, Arthur" said his
mother, slowly. "Tbis is worse even, than
l feared. In condemning Alice so utterly,
my son, has it never occurred 10 you that
you may be it the wrong?"
"But, in the name of all that is good"
Arthur exclaimed, "what has Alice to do,
or bear that should make her nervous?"
"a great deal, my son. In the first
place, she has never recovered from the tel
ror and fright of that dreadful accident
four years ago, when so many persons lost
their lives in that railroad collision; when
she saw the dead and the wounded all
around her; listened to their groans and
shrieks of agony; and endured an hours
suspense before you were extricated, alive,
and almost uDhurl, from the ruins of the
car in which you had been seated. Then
followed that long illness, then the birth
of little Alice, and, in quick succession, of
the two younger ones. She has three
children under four years of age, all sickly
irritable little creatures, requiring constant
care and patience, and awakening constant
anxiety. A strong woman, of the frmest
constitution, would droop under the great
and unceasing strain, both physical and
mental of four such years; and Alice was
always delicate. She is confined almost
entirely TO the nursery, for even if she were
willing to trust these pupy children to the
sole care of hireling. one girl could not
give them all the attention they require
Her infant is troublesome at night, and
since YOU have gone TO sleep in another
room, she takes little Johnny to her bed,
and, with the two, gets hardly any sleep.
All the care of the household devolves up.
on her. Tell me, my son, you who are
brave and honorable, when not self-deceiv-
ed, do you think your conduct just or kind,
or even what Alice would have a right to
expect if she were an upper servant and
not your wife, whom you have sworn to
love and cherish?" ...
Arthur was silent. If any other than
bis mother had addressed him in such
terms, be would have retorted angrily.-
But babitual respect kept him silent, and
the restraint helped him to control his an
ger, and TO consider the statements be had
heard. The first words he said were:.
"You really think, then, mother, that
Alice is ill-that what have been accus-
toned to sneer at, as mere nervousness is
caused by, or is actual disease?"
"Produced by great number of causes,
no doubt such as l have mentioned. The
whole system is weakened BY undue exer-
tion, long continued, by unfavorable condi-
tions of various kinds, and see no reason
why it may not be asserted that the evil
dent disorder of the nervous system is real
illness. If not" she added with pecu-
liar smile, "it is so nearly like it as to be
quite undistinguishable."
"Alice complained much of her heart,
of pains and palpitatious, and deathly sink
ings, year ago." Arthur said. 81 remem-
Der felt alarmed, for her feet and hauds
would grow cold, and she would seem like
one dying. But spoke to the doctor, and
be said there was no disease of the heart,
and that the sensations of which she COM
planned were merely nervous. Since then
l have laughed at her complaints, and some
times have been angry at inconvenient
times. And recently she says nothing
about them."
sand yet she was, as you say, like one
dying for two hours this very day. She
thought herself dying, and left loving
message for you. She told me that since
you LEFT her room on account of the baby,
you are so little together that you see no.
thing Of her sufferings. And she often
has these attacks when she is all alone at
night, and does not ring the bell because
you complained of being wakened.
sis this true mother? Good Heavens
what brute have been, and am! Let
me 60 and ask her pardon, at once. Poor
Alice, poor girl"