The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1874-08-27

The story which Theodore Tilton's
wife told before the Beecher investigat-
ing committee was most sad and pitiful
one. The New York Tribune epitomizes
it as follows:
HER STORY.
''I understood very we'll, said she
"that l was not to have the attention
that many wives have. His talent and
genius must not be narrowed down to
myself" She was nothing in her own
eyes but commonplace little woman,
and it was enough if a stray beam of the
glory which radiated from her hero's
presence fell across the humble figure
following reverently behind him. Ii he
left her unnoticed while he was making
fame, and filing his little world with
beautiful phrases, she accepted her lowly
lot in meek contentment. Ii he bade
her go with him into public places, she
obeyed without a word, and stood aloof
in the midst of the throng that she
might not disgrace him with her simple
manner and her homely speech. To
watch her lord and master shining in the
company of brilliant takers, and wits,
and essayists, and poets, was happiness
enough for her To make luxurious
and refined home for this gifted being
and his grand friends she was willing to
go cold and hungry. Whatever may
have been her faults, it is easy to see that
she had tender heart and sympathet-
ic nature. How many sad hours must
there have been as she looked back to
those early dayswhen the young reporter
knew no woman more accomplished than
his girlish wife, no pleasure more intoxi-
eating than her society, no glory greater
! D,.% II.
complained that he gradually forgot his
quiet little worshiper while he was busy
setting the world to rights and making
name for himself" She never blamed
him because he told her to keep away
from him when his fine company came,
or scolded about the uncongenial atmos-
phere of his home, where there was no
body but a simple wife and children to
minister to his ambitious spirit. This
was no common man. 1t was a creature
whose talent and genius" must not be
narrowed down" to the ordinary do
mestic duties, being destined for the
pride of the lyceum and the admiration
of advanced tea-tables, and privileged in
consequence to be moody, cruel, and dis
satisfied at home.
| Poor woman, how she nursed his van
ity and selfshnessl Little by little, he
|
He needed literary companionship, and
she was not literary. He yearned for
the society of bold thinkers, and radical
reformers of every eccentric variety, and
she was only an old-fashioned body who
cared more for the fireside, than the
crowded hail. and wanted somebody to
love her. Loud-voiced women came to
confront her at her own table. Blatant
prophetesses made her parlors hideous
The man who had taken her for better
or for worse began to discuss her failings
and to question her honor in the compa
ny of salacious social revolutionists
Anybody might have foreseen the end
The hero stalked through two cities, ex
hibiting his sores, and praying the world
to behold how he was dishonored, while
the wife ran heart-broken to the GENE
terry and threw herself upon the graves
of her children.
To learn the lesson of this dome tic
history it is needless to know who has
sinned or how much has been forgiven
The first fault is plain enough. There is
no such thing as social prosperity ano
happiness which does not rest upon the
purity and union of the family. What
shallow charlatans are those who seek tc
raise the condition of women by crush
ing their own wives while they turn neal
phrases in the newspapers and round SO
norous periods on the platform. Wha
poor fools are the vain and giddy orators
and essayists who look for the COLDER
age of a renovated society, whilesthey
waste their domestic fortunes and hout
the homely duties which lie at their very
| hand