Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-08-25
How to Spoil a Husband.
BY HENRY WARD BEECHER

1t is an old proVerb that "a man Is
what his wife will let him be-" Like
/ all proverbs, il is true often enough
to be taking to the popular mind. A
mans conduct, his morals, his gener-
al thrift are determined by a variety
of circumstances. But none among
all of the influences that act upon
him is to he compared with the in
fiuence of his wife. A man may be
good in spite of a foolish woman but
the chances in any case are against it.
A man may be bad notwithstanding
the presence of a discreet and excel
lent woman; but unusual temptation
or great depravity will be required to
effect such result. A weman's in
fiuence is pervasive and continuous.
Rising up, lying down, going out, or
coming in, she is with the husband.
Others have to gain access to him.
She has a near place and the first
chance; always the first in the MORN
ing and the last at night. She touches
all the springs of life, through her
children, through her domestic ar
rangements, through her personal at
fractions. She reaches his pride, his
ambition, his temper his love, and
his passions, as no other one may.
The strongest natures can only parti-
ally maintain independence, and conf
mon natures not at all. In this state.
ment l shall only look on the dark
side of the picture, and sketch a few
of the ways in which q wife can de-
stroy her husband. She can soon dis
pei the marriage illHsion that she was
good, amiable, and angelic. After a
few days, let her manifest selfishness;
study her own comfort and neglect
his; meet his advances with rebuff;
get him angry and torment him till
he is furious; convince him that she
cares for him only, when she has
some plan to carry; that he is of val
ue to her plans, but is used like a
printers type, to be set up or distrib-
uted Just to suit her caprice. Let her
see to it that the house is uncomfort-
able. Scold him when he leaves, and
when he comes home, give him a !
warm reception. Whenever anything |
goes wrong, put the blame on him. !
Never give up on any question, watch
his word and actions, and Ghrow up |
to him every day, in the most pro-
voking manner, his little mistakes.
This will form a first class receipt for
running any common man. He will
be sure to take his comfort some
where away from home. II his home
Is dreary, the drinking-shop is gay
and genial. If his wife peppers him,
all the more reason for spending as
much time with jolly fellows who tell
good stories, drink in good fellow
ship, and have a rousing good time
Then, the wife will have
! good chance to excite sympathy in
her behalf, as a poor neglected crea-
Lure, and the husband will be duly
regarded as q monster! At this stage
Of affairs she should treat him before
folks with studious kindness and with
angelic meekness; the trouble will
be amply repaid by the liberty which
she will have as soon as they are by
themselves. If a woman sets out, she
can make home little better than a
hell. But women do not need to pur-
Iue such a vulgar path to ruin. A
wife may love her husband and her
children, and perform her ordinary
iuties faithfully, and yet ruin her
husband by her foolish ambition. /
,ay foolish ambition, for there is such
/ thing as Il sensible, thrifty, and hon
)rable ambition. 1t is a good thing
% have an ambitious wife. A man is
stirred up, and kept sharp.
ae is inspired to better his condition
md to lift his children to level far
lbove that which he started.
But let womans ambition turn on
how and seeming rather than on
substance and reality, and she will
lriYe her husband to ruin, unless he
s made of uncommon good stuff.
She wishes to equal the best. She is
ambitious of clothes, of fine, but for
linn extravagant, table. She envies
very one more prosperous than her
is. She wishes house
title beyond his means; she will
nave clothes not consistent with his
ncome; she demands expensive
pleasures which suck up his slender
.arnings; she brings him in debt,
Keeps him feverish with anxiety, and
inally poisons his very honesty.
Many a wife bEeaks down in reputa-
ion and becomes q castaway under
he stimulation of his wife'S dishonest
for to live beyond ones
means is dishonest, and to desire to
10 so is to desire dishonest thing.
Let a woman scatter faster than
Ter husband can gather; let her no.
ions of duty send her gadding after
business but her own
ct her religion be severe and censori-
,us, and stand along the path of duty
ike a thorn-locust hedge on a garden
walk, which pricks and tears every
)ody that goes near it; let her secure
he art of making home uncomfort-
Ible, and tempting her husband to
prefer any other place to it; let her
Ise her husband US seamstresses do
to stick pins in; and,
With ordinary luck, she will ruin any
clever fellow in a few
years. Having driven him to a
grave, she can muffie her
nartyred heart under funeral-smell-
ng Grape, and walk in comely black,
Until some new victim helps her put
N again her wedding suit.