The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-08-14
The Gray Mare the Better Horse.

The Gray Mare the Better Horse.
This we'll known prorerbial saying originated
from the following circumstances: a gentle
man from certain county in England having
married a young lady of considerable fortune,
and at the same time possessed of many other
charms, he found not long after marriage that
she was of high, domineering temper, and al.
ways contending to be mistress both of him and
family; therefore he formed the resolution of
parting from her. Accordingly he waited upon
her father, and told him that he found his
daughter of such q temper that he was heartily
tired of her, and if he would take her home
again he would return every penny of her for
tune. The oldgentleman having inquired into
the cause of his complaint, asked him why he
should be more disquieted at it than any other
married man, since it was the common case
with them all, and consequently no more than
he might have expected when he entered into
the married state. The young gentlemen de-
sired to be excused if he said he was SO far
from giving his assent to this assertion that he
man, as his wife had spirit no way to be
quelled, and most certainly no man who had a
sense of right or wrong could ever submit to
be governed by his wife, ''Son," said the old
man, 'you are but little acquainted with the
world if you do not know that all women gov
ern their husbands, though not all indeed by
the same method; however, to end all disputes
between us, will put what have said upon
this proof, ifyou are willing to tryit Ihave five
horses in my stable; you shall harness these to
q cart, in which shall put basket containing
a hundred eggs and if, in passing through the
country, and making strict inquiry into the
truth or falsehood of my assertion, and leaving
horse at the house of every man who is mas
ter of his family himself and an egg where the
wife governs, you shall find your eggs gone be-
fore your horses, / hope that you will then
think your own case not uncommon, but will
be contented to 60 home and look upon your
own wife as no no worse than Ler neighbors.
If, on the other hand, your horses are gone first,
I will take my daughter home again and you
shall keep her fortune" This proposal was too
advantageous to be rejected. Our young mar
to get rid, rs he thought, of his horses and his
wife. At the first house he came to he heard a
woman with a shrill and angry voice call to
her husband to go to the door. Here he left
an egg, you may be sure, without making any
further inquiry. At the next house he met with
something of the same kind, and at every house
in short until his eggs were almost gone. when
he arrived at the seat of gentleman of family
and figure in the country. He knocked at the
door, and, inquiring for the master of the house,
was told BY q servant that his master was not
stirring, but if he pleased to walk in, his lady
was in the parlor. The lady with great COM
plaisance desired him to be'seated, and said if
his business was urgent she would wake her
husband, but had much rather not disturb him.
"Why, really, madam" said he, "my business
is only to ask a question, which you can solve
as we'll as your husband, if you will be ingenu-
ipty ndd
and it may be deemed impolite for any one,
much more stranger, to ask such question;
but as wager depends upon it, and it may be
some advantage to yourself to declare the truth
to me, I hope these considerations will plead
my excuse. 1t is, madam, my desire to be in
formed whether you govern your husband, or he
rules over YOU" "Indeed, sir" replied the lady,
"this question is somewhat odd; but as think
no one ought to be ashamed of doing their du-
ty I shall make no scruple to say that am al
WAYS proud to obey my husband in all things;
but if woman's own word is to be suspected
in such case, let him answer for me, for here
he comes" The gentleman at that time en-
tering the room, and after some apologies being
made acquainted with the business, confirmed
every word his obedient wife had reported in
her own favor upon which he was requested to
choose which horse in the team he liked best,
and to accept of it, present. A black geld
ing struck the fancy of the gentleman most, but
the lady desired he would choose the gray mare,
which she thought would be very fit for hef
side saddle; her husband gave substantial rea-
sous why the black horse would be the most
useful to them, but madam still persisted in her
claim to the gray mare. "What," said she,
"and you-wir" not take her then? But say
you shallS Ior, am sure the gray mare is much
the better horse" "Well, my DEAR" replied
the husband, "if it must be So" "You mnst
take nm egg," replied the gentleman carter,
"and. must take all my horses back again aud
endeavor to live happy with my wife"