The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-09-26
Wifely Devotion.


Wifely Devotion.
1t is q common complaint NOWADAYS
on the part of the bachelor grumblers
about the evils of matrimony that the
wife of the period, so far from being n
helpmate, has really become an incum-
brance to her husband. Perhaps in these
days of luxury and idleness there may
be measure of truth in the complaint
Modern wives, speaking generally, have
no doubt fallen OF a little from the gen.
erous standard of that devoted and
vigorous matron, celebrated in medic
val story, who improved Oh pious Eneas
by bearing off to place of safety her
wounded husband, together with her
other household goods, out of the sack
of their native town. Yet if inadequacy
in this direction is to be Stunned, there
is such thing as going much too far in
the other, and certain Southern and
Western ladies seem bent on showing
that wife may on occasion be altogether
too helpful.
Such a case, for example, is that of
Mrs. Lucinda Kingan, nee Derry, of
Greenfield, Ind. Not long since, Mr..
Harrison Kingan, her husband, fell out
with Mr.. Samuel Derry, her brother,
about a certain gosling, of which the
ownership was claimed by both. In that
Arcadian region where the uncertainty
of life teaches economy of breath, hui
man eloquence is seldom wasted in argu-
ment when sticks or stones will do as
well. So, at an early stage of the dis
cussion, Mr.. Kingan enforced his views
with club, and raped the obstinate
Derry smartly over the head. To this
convincing piece of logic Mr.. Derry re-
sponded with brickbat, wherewith he
smote his brother-in-law in the midriff,
so that he fell. With varying fortunes
the dispute continued, until the inter-
vention of the fair Lucinda, with knife,
turned the scale, and settled the owner
ship of the gosling. AS it was neces.
sary, however, to stab Derry half doz
en- times or so before he could be made
to see the error of his ways, it is juust
possible that, being in Indiana, his
Honor, Coroner Lynch, may find il
proper to revise Mrs. Lucinda's notions
of wifely duty.
Hardly less excessive in her virtue is
Mrs. Alexander, of Homer, Banks
county, in Georgia, where, up to the
2Sth of last month, her husband kept 9
country school. On that day he found
it Necessary to correct one of his pupils
one Mr.. Moss-which he did, accord
ing to the custom of the country, will
knife. The disobedient and obduratt
Moss retorted with dagger, and Mrs
| Alexander, who acted as n sort of moni
tor in the school, "cut in" presently
with another knife, the result of this
brief interview being that master and
pupil fell MORALLY wounded and dieC
within three minutes of each other. The
great difficulty in Banks county now is
to settle whether Mr.. or Mrs. Alexander
exertions are to be credited with the
elimination of Moss, question, it viii
be seen, of more immediate interest tC
the widow than to anybody else.
The marital devotion of these two
ladies is, however, though great, quite
thrown in the shade by the cunning
achievement of Mrs. Jasper Watkins
of huntsville, KY Mrs. Kingan immo
lated her brother on the altar of wifely
affection, but the deed was done in the
heat of battle, and when her husband''
life was possibly endangered. Mrs
Watkins slew her brother-in-law rs h,
lay wounded and helpless in bed, with /
ng:frOid which marks her out for ,
high place in the new school of women
Mr.. Clay Watkins had long been at feu'
with his brother Jasper, with whom h,
had frequently exchanged shots in fra
ternal way, and had, therefore, no reason
to be surprised, however much he may
have been grieved and vexed, when
upon leaving their mothers house, or
the afternoon of the 9th of August, h,
received load of buckshot in the back
1t is not certainly known whether tn,
shot was fired by Jasper or his wife
though it came from the window of {
room where they were known to be at tn,
time. The wound was expected to prove
fatal, but as some doubts were enter
tanned of the result, and as an awkward
recovery might have bred renewed un
pleasantness and all sorts of family dit
ferences, Jasper and his wife resolved
i'll the interest of domestic harmony
I" to make assurance doubly sure, and
take bond of fate" So on Friday
morning, two days after, they paid {
visit of coincidence to Clay, with whom
says the local papar, Jasper got into
conversation and they conversed few
moments upon some subject" Mrs. Jas
per meantime sitting by the bedside
Presently conversation languished be-
tween the brothers, whereupon Mrs.
Jasper arose, drew revolver and "step
ping within two feet of Clay fred npor
him, the shot penetrating his heart ant
killing him Instantly"
1t is only necessary to say, in order tC
complete the portrait of this heroine
that she is but sweet sixteen, and hat
been married only week. A pleasant
diversion for the honeymoon truly =
NeaO York Times.
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