The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-04-16
TALES OF THE BORDERS.
THE CONTRAST OF WIVES.
IT ALBxAmRa .E1aUEB.

1T ALBxADEa RERMUKB.
In the absence of the finely adjusted
balance Of power which ought to be found
in the state Of marriage, it becomes q nice
question, whether less evil results from ar
overstretched domination on the part Of the
husband, or from his due submission or sub
jugatiOn to an authority exercised by her,
and carried farther than is generally deemed
consistent with the delicacy Of her sex, OF
the situation in which she is placed. Con
nected with this question is that which com
prises the comparative evil srising from q
superabundance or deficiency Of the intellec
tual powers of the wife. We arc too well
aware Of the uselessness, as well as the i'm
practibility, of solving such speculative
questions, to say single word on either side
of the vexed argument to which they have
given rise; but we will be within our province,
and probably not beyond the wishes Of our
readers, five lay before them . case Cf real
life, involving a solution Of the qsestion in
one exemplary instance, where the grey
mare" is not only found to be the better
horse" but where, by her powers Of judi
cious leading, she saves not only herself
but her partner from the dangers Of q rough
road and a precipitous course. In those
good days Of old Scotland, when the cor
poration hall formed the theatre wherein
was enacted the great play (cOmedy, if you
please) of Burgh Ambition" the in
fiuence Of petticoat power extended its se-
cret workings behind the green curtain, and
often regulated all the actions Of the per
formers in q manner which was not only
totally concealed from the spectstors, bui
even from the moving puppets themselves
In one instance to which we have re
ferred-this secret authority transPired,
and in manner SO ludicrous that il deserves
to be recorded. The Incorporation Of Dyerc
and Scourers Of Pat the time which
we speaks considerably fraternity had q
deacon and bOxmaster the former named
Murdoch Waldi, and the latter Andrew
Todd Their names still figure in the old
books of the corporation, if these are mo-
gone astray and there is, or was, an en-
try in these same looks, connected with the
reign Of the two worthless, which, illustrative
and probative as it of our story, we shal
have occalion to lay before our readers
Well, to proceed in historical order, tn
worthy boxmaster had been maried for
number Of years. He might be about lift.
wears Of age, was of small statue, yer.
bland and affabIe in his manners, Of an cas-
dis osition, but withal, rs ambitious o
fame as any Of the aspirants for office in hi
corporation. Endowed by nature with yer
inadequate powers Of speech, which was a
fluent as q shallow mind could make it
be had, besides, a species Of hume
about him, which owed It's existence rathe
to the simplicity and bonAomme Of bis nj
ture, than to the more ordinary source of
perception Of the ludicroas. As almoi
every want is remedied by some equipoller
r1rogation which strangely often supple
it's place, Andrew Todd was sensible of b
want of mental powers and thus be e1
hibited that sense Of q s0ant of sense, whic
is often more valuable than sense itself, i
so far as the modesty with which it is al
companied leads the individual to seek th
assistance Of good advisers, by which SOM
times surpssses, in the race Of life, cOnceite
wiseacres. We do not say that be marie
Mrs Jean Todd merely because be saw SD
was endowed with greater powers than bin
self; but it is certain thae after he came
appreciate the extent of her understanding
he had the prudence to take every advar
tage Of her excellent sense and judgment, a
well as in the private affairs of his business
as in the public concerns Of the corporation
treasureship, with which he came, by be
means, to be invested. This was not onl
advantageous to bis pecuniary interests, bu
congenial to bis feelings, as getting quit,
} this way, Of the trouble Of thinking
most laborious operation to him, and gen
rally very i'll executed, if not altogetht
bungIed-he was left at liberty to indulg
bis speech and humor; two powers whic
had nothing more to do with judgment {
even common sense, than with the sublima
ed spirit Of genius itself.
His wife, Mrs. Jean, was, rs partly hin
ed, the very opposite Of her husband. 81
was laTSeS SeOus, BeuCy wVHolS - hS~
twice as big as ber mate. She had beel
early in life, considerably pitted with Il
smallpox enough of the traces of whit
were still left to give her that sturdy, hard
: aspect they generally impart; while
l. strong and somewhat rough voice agreeir
well with her other attributes, gave b
ideas and sentiments an apparent bread
and weight, which, added to their own ste
= ing qualities, could not fail 10 produce
u u considerable effect even on men Of stroI
minds, and to give her decided advantaI
= over her sex. Her original powers of mil
! were strengthened BY reading-an occuI
ton in which, as it required silence. her hu
y band very seldom engaged and. With Il
y women are able to accomplish, she nev
!; allowed this favoritc habit to interfere vi
. the regulation Of her domestic economy,
Of the actions of her husband. Bold Al
masculine, however, as she was, she was
kiudhearted woman; and having no fam
to her husband, she was q kindheart
woman and, having no family 10 her h'
band, she was q warm friend. ready
visor In al her female acuuaintances, AND