Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-09-17


even more than risky. So soon as her
friend is engaged or married she takes
up quite sisterly tone toward the pre-
serve, assuming that his state makes
him something quite different from, the
ordinary man, and that henceforth be il
safe and she may be free. She gets into
the way, of ofccalllng him ".dear" and
odd" as the still more distinct assump.
ton of sisterliness and she generally
kisses him when she sees him. As she
kisses q brother, she says, if this unusual
though pleasant habit of hers is objected
to by the more conventional of het
friends, whom she calls ilI-natured and
suspicious. Besides, Z isI not the wife
standing by while this interesting little
ceremony is about2 And what harm can
there be in it if she sees it, and does not
object2 All very we'll but the wife is
otslways standing by, and the chances
are-human nature being but "a ricketty
concern at the best-that the .ceremony
which ia 80 innocent in her presence act
quires somewhat different tone and
flavor in her absence This, of course,
the poAcher viii not admit-indeed, pas
sionately denies; a. but then poachers
never do confess their trade, and their
snAres and traps are for anything but
unlawful game. sfi /
II the poacher. is of a defiant nature,
and fond Of showing her power, she does
not care to make friends with the wife /;
and then it is open war, and not
masked battery, with certain discontinue
to one or the other in the future. 1t Is
such an exquisite delight to some women
to make men regret on their sccount-to
make them mourn over the infatuation
which impelled them to act 80 rashly, 90
prematurely. II only they had waited
il only they had foreseen the possibilities
lying for them in that quiet country
house--which, by the way, they never
would have seen at all but for the very
accident of their marriage. But they al
ways forgot this point, and pick out the
circumstances they desire, without taking
into consideration the facts which led up
to them, and which they do not desire.
When woman of this kind receives the
uncomfortable confessions of husband
Just beginning to be dissatisfied with his
choice, ghen he tells her with With 9 dssrrss
eating sigh--kiadness warning with his
discomfort, and the remembrance Of his
cid dreams temperipg the harshness of
his waking reality--that his wife is all
very well, the best creature 10 the world,
be dares say. great deal too good for
him : but ohi 90 little suited to himi-
while such one as herself, for instance
(if hard hit, her very self, is just the
ideal for which his whole nature longs
the very woman cut out for him, aud the
one he ought to have married-she has
attained one Of the great ends of her am.
bition she has come between wife and
her preserves and has carried oil the best
OF the produce. ~ 7'.lN,te
10 country places where poacher girls
abound, they are mainly characterized
by great walking powers, passion for
riding, and an inexhaustable aptitude
for croquet. The wife, poor body, prob
ably held close prisoner at home by
some phase Of the great maternity ques.
ton, can do none these things, or, if
at all, only ftfully and imperfectly.
Whereupon the poacher oomesinA as a
healthy, breezy kind of succedaneunl,
and takes the bored husband for splen-
did spin, or famous walk--not on the
high road-or else goes with him for
spell of spooning or crcquet on the lawn;
where the pale and weary wife can watch
them wis!fnlly through the closed nursery
windows Perhaps the bored husband is a
retired "plunger," or young man
of more means and resources, who.
though he likes his wife we'll enough,
and the country too for the sake
of its sports, likes life and jolly society
better. So he takes TO the poacher
eagerly. IL his wife was brisker com
panion, be would not have taken to her
so warmly; bat, as things are, abe is
God-send unspeakshle b is delighted
with her splendid physical health, and
thinks the power Of walking twelve miles
at stretch the. graudest q woman can
have and he is fsttered by her Affection
ate attentions 70 bimself, For poachers
make the frst advance as q rIle-sis be
not married, and therefore safe2 He
calls her capital girl, with no nonsense
Ia her. and blazes out ii his wife is un-
wise enough to show any jealousy, if she
objects to such excessive intimacy, OF
wishes . that girl would not be always
running over as she does. /" ~. r 80