The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-10-05
Wives who are Not Wives.

here are, sad sighs and plenty TO
be seen at any time under the sun, but
none sadder. l think, than that Of
virtuous wife undergoing the neglect
af an alienated husband. Such sights
arc not at all rare. Any one who uses
his eyes in whatever society he moves,
high, middle or low, will find them
painfully y frequent. There are many
happy MISUNDERSTANDING indeed
over which love rules royalty and
absolutely until death forces the first
and final separation. There are mar
riages in which man and wife share q
mixed experience Of sympathy aud
antipatby, Of like and dislike indifer,
ence and ardor, but, as happiness goes
in, life, rub through comfortably
enough to the end. There are mar:
riagcs, too, which are wrecked BY the
wife being silly or bad, or the husband
vile oatbrutal. Phe world knows of.
these cases ; they get paraded in the
newspapers, and: end with explosions
in the divorce courts.
But besides all these, there are
thousands Of marriages which are
such only in name-thousands of
wives who arc not wives l cannot
imagine anything moro dreadful than
the situation Of noble, loving wo-
man, when she has, discovered that
somehow, and with no fault on her.
part which affection should not over
look, she has lost and cannot regain
the love of her husband. She loved
him from the first 90 exclusively; she
gave herself, all she was, and all she
hoped to be, so unreservedly to him at
the altar, and has since sheltered her
self in him SO completely that when
the all supporting stay of his love is
withdrawn, she has no refuge left this
side of heaven. She is 30 helpless in
the matter. Sbo wonders over and
over again why the charm of her love,
SO potent once, is so unavai!ing now.
She racks her memory to- find what
offense she. can have 1given. She de-
vises lures, to win him back. She
trusts her goodness. truth and, love,
and patience will at last avail, and he
will penitently return home more low
ipgjtban ever. She shows brave
and smiling face 10 the world, makes
no complaint, utters no cry, and goes
on>dying. quietly bleeding at the heart.
,.jWho does not know ono or more
such instances [ do not see what can
be done about them. No law made
already or to be made when woman
casts her ballot, will reach these cases.
No possible avenue of escape. can be
easy TO such wife She can 60 away
from her husband,' but not from the
misery he has caused her. Where, in
all the world, is solace for the unre-
Quilted affection, decided, despiscd,
trampIed under foot2
There is another road, steep Of de-.
scent and ending in infamy, but no
wife WHO ever loved hcr husband
enough to suffer when ho withdrew
his affection from her, enters upon
that. c., .'o..r 3::, ...s..
But what shall be thought of the
husband who, having won the love Of
o woman, and made her his own hon
orable in marriage, permits himself to
become Indifferent, then neglectful,
then harsh and hard, and taking care
to commit no offcnse which tie law
can punish or society can frown upon,
persistentty poisons her life and de-
stroys her happiness? Just this: lie
is a cowardly tyrant, destitute of the
generosity, honor and chivalry Of true
manhood I-Befcher. '.. |''' ''.