The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-01-10
Xantippe tifed-An Amusing Sketch.

In the sunny land Of ancient Greece
celebrated for poetry and song, lived s
spirited, irascible girl. Her only educa
ton consisted of a knowledge of thu
mysteries of Athenian housekeeping
and the arts and accomplishments ii Il
which her mother had been capable O.
Iimparting instruction. A youth will
ugly physiognomy, whose flat nose
thick lips, and prominent eyes, like 6
satyr's, were long the butt Of jest in all
Athens, presented himselfas suitor fol
the hand of the maiden. Possibly the
proyident father may have looked upon
the wisdom and learning of the youth.
full Socrates, and pictured his daughter
as the wife of q distinguished public
man. Certainly she would have the
prospect of comfortable home, all the
couveniences, probably some Of the lux
uries Of life, for the youth was sculptor
whose genius had already won some dis
tinction. So the heather wife, who
knew not that the wife must ever honor
and obey the husband, was welded to
this suitOr. She entered upon her duties
with all the enthusiasm and earneStness
of her nature, yet the twain seem to have
lived liz q state of doubtful connublal.
bliss. Naught save the discordant part Of
their experience has been handed down.
Socrates and then the world have i'm
mortalized Eantippe as a scolding wife.
Admitting the accusation, we ask you to
consider the true provocation. Notonly
was Socrates unattractive in feature, but
his style of dress was such as would dis
gust any woman of taste and spirit. He
wore the same old garment Summerand
Winter, and went barefooted, having
been known to possess but one pair OF
shoes in all his life. This conduct may
have given a false impression OF the do
mestic qualities of his wife. What
though her floors were as white as sand
could make them, and her chests filled
with snowy linen, the world would judge
of her lcatncss chiefly from the person
al appearance of her husband. The outer
robe for gentlemen and ladies was the
same. and the wife often wore the one
belonging to the husband. But Nan
tippe is accused of steadily refusing to
wear Socrates cloak. How could she do
otherwise under the circumstances?
With no wish to touch with implous
hand, or dctract one iota from the glory
which clusters around the name CT this
great philosopher, and remembering also
the times in which he lived, we must
saw that he who showed wisdom and
GOOD sense in everything else was very
careless and negligent in the treatment OF
his wife. Grote says that he was very
irregular in his hours, haunting every
sort of place where he could enjoy the
dcliolts of talk and argument. If he
went to merry-making, he was likely
enough to stay all night, and, without
any sleep, just to wash his face, 90 t!'e
lvceum or academy, and set in tor
another days talk. Meanwhile his wife
staid ut home with the children, nursing
her wrath to keep it warm. There Is
such q thing as righteous Indignation.
Under our civilized laws the lady might
almost have obtained Il divorce on plea
OF wi!ful dcsertion.
Socrates was greatly attracted by the
conversation of women of talent, and
courted their society for the higher cul-
tivation of his own mind. He was In.
structed in the art OF speaking by AS.
pasta. Was it not enough to make any
wife Jealous to know that she was neg.
lected and the company ofothers sought
Very likely she wished he had married
one of those showy women. Very like
| " she told him so. Besides this, Soc.
rates did not provide for his family. HI
left the employment Of his youth ano
gave up his time to conversing with al
who came to him, free of charge. Tho
result of this was that he lived on breac
and water. lt' - 10 +l'..''.-.
Socrates, when asked how much hi:
property would bring if sold, said that!
he could find a good purchaser all ~:
property, including his house, Wonlt
bring five mine, or so, and consldereS
himself rich enough. Now ii. thl'
amount had been put out at interest II
Athens it would have yielded an annpa
income of $12; q slender revenue upoo!
which to support wife and three chill
dren. Evidently he was not an enter
prising, efficient manager. This failln!
on the part of the husband has driver
many modern women into the lectur
field, which occupation, unfortunately
lXantlppe could only exercise upon Soc