Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-04-16
A STORY OF THREE WIVES.
IRON THE GERMAN.


summer, about two hours before noon, young
man and serving maiden, both faithful domes-
tics of the family in whose household they
had been brought, were with great care lay
ing the breakfast-table of their young master
and mistress, lately married. 1t was evidently
a labor of love with both of them; for, had
not Miss Emma herself taught Bettina to read
and write, while both teacher and taught
we're but children and had not the old
squire, Miss Emmas father, taken Hal, when
left an orphan, into his house, and made him
a first-rate serving man and were not he
and Betina (now betrothed) the trusty and
loving servants of their young mistress and
her bridegroom? So il was in every sense q
labor of love, as was evident by the affec
tionate looks exchanged by the two servants,
aud the playful skirmish of words that pass
ed between them. And they are arranging
the table with more than usual care; for the
old squire and his wife are coming to break
fast with their son and daughter for the first
time since the marriage of the latter.
At length the preparations are completed ;
Halls eyes scan the table up and down and
across with the keen gaze of major-domo,
and stops his tender and lively conversation
with his companion with the words, "Very
good; the table is set"
Bettina, in her turn, gave a glance of APP
proval, and confirmed it with the single word,
i'YesP'
''That is not enough" objected Hal; "you
must say as did, Bettina, every good; the
table is set.n
ssWhat for ?" asked the astonished maiden.
at is a custom in my part of the country,
returned Hal, "when one has completed any
appointed task, to say, by way of thanksgiv-
ing, every good" or sit is well, such or such
a business is DONE" or .sSuch an adventure
has come to happy end"
Bettina, however, in the levity of her
heart would not be persuaded that there was
anything but absurdity in uttering such words,
as applied to the transactions of every day.
Hal entreated her, for his sake at least, to
saw them. ''No." because he wished it
:" and / am sorry to say the young man
took his Bettina urgently by the wrist,
squeezing il with a most rough pressure, in
the endeavor to force her to comply, till she
broke away in petulant anger, and, stamping
her foot, declared that ''all was over between
themi"
As she rushed out of Halls presence, that
worthy gave utterance to the following senti-
ment: "Caprice, thy name is Woman En-
treaties, tears, force, all have been in vain.
might have beaten her to jelly, but she
would not yield?"
"Do not spoil Bettina's figure thus" said
a voice, as the opposite door opened, "let
her live to change her mind" So saying. the
young squire, Alfred, entered the room,
laughing heartily at the recollection of what
he had overheard while writing in his study,
which Joined the parlor; for the young couple,
in the heat of their argument, had raised
their voices higher than was prudent. Haps
confusion may be better imagined than des
cribed; but his young master cOndescended
to comfort him, and then gave directions, for
a bottle of claret, which must be put on the
table, as his father-in-law liked that accom-
paniment to his deieltler.
As Hal left the room to visit the celler, the
young bride Emma entered, and before long
her husband recounted to her, with much
merriment, the conversation he had heard
between their two servants.
"Bettina refused and Hal insisted, till a,
last they got into a regular quarrel; he tried
to force her to say the words, but to the last
she would not"
"And quite right I" was the unexpected
reply from the lovely bride lone might ask
which was the most obstinate of the twoi"
"0nly," said the husband, she requested
her to say it."
"But it was an absurd request"
"Tbink you il was worth while to persist
in an obstinate refusal of such trifle y
asked the husband.
"Just as little was it worth while for him
to persist in the request. / do not consider
Bettina to blame" returned the lady, with
a little warmth of manner, her foot impati-
emily tapping the footstool it rested on as she
sat at her work.
"Well," said the young squire, "do not let
as quarrel about it; if / were to ask you to
say anything, you would say it? l am con-
WINGED you would"
"And suppose would not ?" asked the
wife in return, after little laughing hesita-
ton.
"The case is not possible let US put it to
the proof" said Albert.
"No, no." exclaimed Emma eagerly; "pray
do nOtI"
81 beg you, Emma, just say once, to please
me, Very good, the table is set"
But alasl the consequences of this simple
request became even more serious than in the
case already described; for it is well known
that, when highly educated and polished
members of society condescend to quarrel,
their words are no less cutting, and the
wounds inflicted are no less grievous, than
those which are exchanged between disput-
ants of lower grade. So, in this case, the
wife insisted upon the folly of the request,
and the husband declared that it was not
now a matter of folly or wisdom, but a test
of her affection for him. But she would not
yield.
And now the loving bride sat working with
unnecessary diligence, Der face turned away
from her husband, while the fond Alfred
seized newspaper-that refuge for perplexed
husbands; bnt after a few moments, he
glanced over at his wife, who refused to meet
his eve; then, clearing his throat, and ad.
vancing a step or two he said, "Have you
thought better of it, my Emma will you give
over this perverseness ?"
Emma threw down her work in a passion.
How perversenessi You know cannot
endure that word and l am not peryerse ;
but it is you who are so in this matter, to in.
sist so obstinately on this piece of folly"
"But, Emma, understand me-" said Alfred;
" il is not that the thing of itself is of any
Importance, except to show me that you can
not refuse anything ask you; L cannot bear
the thought that you can say no" to any
request of mine y
"Soh / am never to say no to you," re-
turned the now excited wife, always "yes
yes. yes All all men are alike: you do
not want loving companion, a sympathizing
friend; you require that wife should be .
slave. And thus the subjugation is to begin
with an act of blind obedience; but l will
never be a slave, not ] / will never yield
my rights either to threats or to brute force
"' And he shall be thy ruler where is that
said?" interposed the husband very gently.
al am right theni" cried Emma "you
would be the ruler and / am to be the slave
you are to command and | to obey. Oh,