Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-04-07

TO correct this very fault In another, now
became its slave. The bonds were soon
broken; the first unkind words were
spoken, the words which are so easily re-
peated after they have once been uttered.
The first quarrel, that sad event In married
life, had taken place between us, and both
felt that, henceforth, that perfect love
which we had hitherto enjoyed could re-
turn no more. Could we ever divest our
selves of the memory of those cruel words
But we might be comparatively happy,
If this evil occurred no more;" so said my
weeping wife, when after passion of tears
she offered me her hand.
Things passed on smoothly for time !;
but the bonds were broken, and | ceased
to check the ebullitions of anger which the
slightest circumstances called forth. Be
fore the second year of my married life
had passed away became that worse of
all oppressors, a household tyrant At
any annoyance, no matter how slight--if
my meals were not ready at the appointed
hours, If a paper or book was mislaid,
would give~way to expressions of anger,
of which, afterward, really felt ashamed,
knowing how unworthy they were of a
man aud y t, when again angered, re-
peated them, and more violently than be-
fore.
My wife bore this with patience, but her
indulgence chafed me, and l sometimes
uttered taunts which no human being
could suffer in silence. Then came re-
ply; and when this reply did come, sad
scenes occurred. l would work myself
into an insane passion, and utter words
which in my cooler moments | shuddered
at, and which invariably drove her weep.
ing from the room. And yet soon after
would she come and beg TO be forgiven
for the very words which had forced her
to utter. The demon within me rejoiced
to see her pride thus humbled before mine,
! for never, no matter how much in fauit
| did l seek a reconciliation. My temper
became more and more violent, and at
length, in one of our frequent quarrels,
proposed separation. Had serpent
stung her, she would not have gazed on it
as she did on me. Never shall | forget her
look, so deadly pale, as she came near me
and placed her hand on my arm.
Philip" said she, "do you think l
could survive such an act? Do you think
l would cast stain upon my younger sis
ters Do you think | would send my
gray haired parents sorrowing to the grave
or bear the worlds sneering pity? Never |!
neverT she exclaimed. I will die first.
Persecute me, torture me, inflict every re-
finement of cruelty upon me, if you will,
but never will / consent to such a pro-
ceeding; never shall the world call me
other than your wife while we both shall
liveI You came to me when 1 was young
and happy; you took me from a home
where l had never known sorrow; you
have blighted the hopes OF my young
life, and now you seek to cast me away
like toy of which you are tired"
recoiled at myself; but remained un.
changed.
We had been married four years, and
Fanny had greatly altered in that time.
The gay, light. hearted girl had become
the calm, dignified woman. The world
looked upon US as examples of matrimo-
NAL happiness, for we were both too proud
to betray the truth.
OF late, Fanny's manners had changed !;
she ceased to reply to my fits of passion,
neither did she now come and seek to
effect a reconciliation with me. An icy
calm reigned between us. This existed
for some time; but, while | wished it
broken, my pride prevented me from
making the first advances. Fain would /
have had it dispelled by any means which
would not humiliate me; for with all my
unkindness, really loved my wife, re-
gretted the violence of my temper, and
lamented my want of self-control But
now-what should l do? My pride for
bade any advances on my side, and l
feared that none would come from hers.
AT length l saw that her pride was
aroused, and l dreaded that she would
obey its dictates, even though it broke her
heart, for knew she still loved me. Day
by day her cheeks grew paler, her form
thinner, and | saw she suffered; but my
tlendish pride would not succumb. Some
times, when II had almost conquered my
self, and had determined TO effect a recon
ciliation, when next We met, cold bow
from her, with her stately manner, would
again awake the demon within me, and my
good resolutions were broken.
Thus matters stood, when one day en-
tered the room where she was sitting, and
excited by wine, which had become fire.
quently the case, commenced upbraiding
her about some trifie. She answered not,
but continued her work-a piece of deli
cate embroidery. Enraged at her silence,
snatched it from her hands, threw it ON
the carpet, and placed my foot on it. The
blood rushed to her pale cheeks, her eyes
flashed with their former fire as she sprung
to her feet, and bade me restore it to her
$ Oh icicle," | replied, are you melted
at lastY Give it to you'll No, indeed. l
will teach you more respect for your hus-
band than you have lately shown. "See,"
l continued, as picked it up and tore it
to fragments" see, there is the frippery
which you think more worthy of your at
tention than your husband"
Anything is more worthy of it than
my husband at this moment, she replied
say you so9 say you so, madam"
exclaimed, grasping her by the arm, and
Kissing the words through my teeth A.;
: hot 30.
need-not refuse will have one; l will
live no longer with such wife. Do you
consent? Answer mel / cried.
AS you please" she replied nothing
can be worse than this"
Then you consent at last ?" exclaimed.
Well, this very day will commence ar
rangements."
when you please" she replied, and
she left the room.
| stood aghast at what | had done. l
had proposed a separation, and she had
consented. had said that ON that very
day would commence arrangements for
the purpose-and could break my word Z
Could | go to her, and beg her not to leave
me- and that when / myself had proposed
such stepY My pride again forbade me,
and obeyed its dictates but there still
remained secret hope within me that, on
cool reflection, she herself would refuse.
determined to consult lawyer in
whose SECRECY l could confide, and make
such arrangements as were absolutely
necessary Ibid SO, and patiently awaited
the result
My wife did not appear again during
that day. The next day found note on
the breakfast table. opened it, and
found that it contained proposal to the
effect that she should be permitted TO Join
some friends, who were about to visit
Italy, ostensibly on account of her health
that she should remain absent one year,
and If, at the expiration of that time, she
still lived, that permanent separation
might then be arranged; but at present
such thing should not be made public.
The note was written in calm, clear
manner; yet thought the desire TO avoid
publicly in the affair betrayed some token
of relenling. Ireplied TO 1t at once, saying
that SHOULD make no objection to such
an arrangement, or to any other that
| might suit her convenience. and with the