The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1864-03-17
ROSS & RossER, Publishers.
A NERVOUS WIFE,
AND
HOW SHE WAS CURED.
By T. 8. ARTHUR.

/
without knowledge of which a wife's du-
ties are always felt to be hard in the begin
ming. He was the envy of more than one
who had aspiFed to the possession of her
hand. knew him to be industrious, in
telligent, and kind hearted; and 1 felt sure
that be had taken life companion who
would be faithful and loving. The prom
ise was bright enough to warrant prophecy
of more than ordinary happiness.
They removed to another city. Ten
years. afterwards, in passing through that
city, l called upon Wilkins. who met me
with the old. frank cordiality. Eyes and
face were in glow of pleasure, when, still
grasping his hand, 1 inquired after his
wife. His countensnce changed instantly.
Poor Mary! he said. in a sad discouraged
way. She has no health.
I'm sorry, was my natural response.
Sickness, and the loss of two of our chill
dren, have so worn down body and mind,
that she is now but a shadow of her form er
self. Worst of ALL her nerves are complete
ly shattered. But you must see her. To
meet an old friend will DO her good. You
will take tea with us, aed spend the even
ing?
/ assehted, and then mado further iuqHi-
ries about his family and worldly condition.
His story was not a very bright one. The
birth of their first child was followed by
prostrating sickness, which brought the
young mother to the utmost verge of lie.
She has never had good health since,
said wilkins in a depressed voice. Nv
income was small; and we could not afford
the amount of household assistance, in the
beginning, that she really reqnirsd; and so
everything was against her restoration to
sound health. Children came rapidly,
bringing With them more exhaustiDg cares.
And the death Of two Of our little ones. to
which l have referred, seemed to complete
the work of ruin. She is now a hopeless
invalid, a poor, weak, nervous, unhappy
creature, a mere wreck of what ven saw ten
yoars ago. moving like a fearful ghost
thsough her daily round of duties, and only
kept alive by the constant and careful atten-
tons Of physician. don't think th doc
tor has been out of my house for two weeks
at time for six years. and I'm sure he has
received mere than fifteen hundred dollars
Of my money in that time. The fact is,
what, with doctors bills, nurses, m ed icines.
and the buEdred nameless expenses a sick
and nervous wife entails upon a man, my
fortunes have been marred. They keep me
poor
Wilkins spoke in fretful voice. 1t was
plain that he had grown impatient under
the trials to which the bad health of his
wife had exposed him.
/ called at his store again. towards even
ing, and went home with him. Had 1 met
Mrs. wilkins in tn street, would not have
recognized in her the happy bride who, ten
years before, blushing in beauty. had seen
giving her hand in life partnership, with
such loving confidence in the future. TO the
husband of her choice. Her countenauce
was and wasted, all the beautifully
rounded outline gone; her EYES deeply
sunksn, were languid almost to indifference;
her hair, once richly luxuriant had fallen
of, until scarce half Of it remained. and that
looked dry and crisp, with here and there
premature line of gray. She stopped
slightly, and her motions were lifeless.
A faint smile parted her lips as l grasped
her hand with all the warth of a genuine
friendly interest. But it faded almost as
soon as it was born. / tried to talk with
her in a cheerful strain, and did succeed in
awakening a brief interest in the olden
time. But the present was too painfully
real thing; it would not let her thoughts
iunulge in pleasant fsncies. l could not
help asking about herself and her children;
and shis turned the current of her feelings
into its woLted channel; and 1 listened to
her sad heart histories, and painful expert
ences in sickness, until my own feelings
were deeply Swallowed. 1 pitied her
What "a som bre, suffering life had been hers!
Into what a world Of misery. instead of bsp-
piHess. had marriage translated heri
As she talked, / observed her husband
carefully. 1t was plain that he had but
little sympathy with his wife's states OF
feeling. He was a sufferer with her. though
in a lighter degree; and, as hiJ sufferings
originated ia her, there was, plainly, GER
tain lack of kindly patience towards his
com panion. Several times he interrupted
| her, trying to draw the conversation into
another channel; and once or twice he
| threw 10 depreciating sentences, as if she
were exaggeratng the unhappy story of her
life.
l learned that Mrs. Wilkins rarely, if
ever, went out of her own house. Her du-
ties were very arduous, and her ability
from i'll health, small. Every day she
worked to bodily exhaustion, aud usually in
pain. There was no recreation Of any kind.
bodily or mental. it was living death
No wonder she was q drooring, wretched
nervous woman.
| On the next day, I called 10 see my friend
at his store, my mind made up to have a
| plain talk with him. referred to his wife,
expressing in regard 10 her earnest sym
psthy.
Poor Mary! be replied, her case is hope
less. and mine, too, l fear.
While there's life, there's hope, said
using the physicians half despairing axiom
He regarded me little curiously. ..
How often do you take her out riding?
inquired. .s
He shook his head. Can't afford carri-
age hire; much as can do to pay the doc
tor. No, no. neither of US has time or mon
ey to spend for riding out.
Change and fresh air ycu will find better
and cheaper medicines than doctors stuff
Do you take her to the sea-shore once a
year? or TO the springs, or the mountains?
You are jesting, he replied, with the air