Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-01-22
THE DESERTED WIVES.

IN tne Small village OF Ath0itOn, that
nestled at the foot of northern noun.
tain, there were two men who had de-
serted their wives-John Ford and New.
ell Foster And yet the village paper, the
weekly Enlightener, which paused in its
glorious career of enlightening the dark.
ness of the world to condemn, as a
righteous paper should, the crime of
John Ford-in fact, devoted a column and
hall to very large-worded editorial
denunciation of him-said not a word
about Foster.
sympathy without stint or measure,
and few dollars in money, were given
to Mrs. Ford, but not a pitying glance
was bent on Mrs. Foster. And vet [
think her condition incomparably the
worse of the two; for when John Ford
deserted his wife he took his body alone,
while Foster left his at home for his
wife to care for, to supply its needs, to
be constant anguish to her, reminding
her every moment of the bright days. be.
fore he had deserted her.
Some people have a wrong impression,
l think, in regard to these things. They
think 1t is necessary for man to run
away in order TO desert his wife. | do
not. Newell Foster had left his wife,
just as truly as if he had betaken him
self to Australia or Ethiopia or where not :;
and she was just as truly forlorn, desc.
late, broken-hearted woman as If she
were outwardly, as she was in the sight
of God, alone
Mrs. Foster knew this. All, yes! Let
her midnight tears bear witness to the
truth.
John Ford and his wife had terrible
quarrel before he ran away; LAWYERS and
Few meddlesome neighbors helping the
matter along. Mr.. Ford and his wife had
no quarrel. No officious friends had
told Mrs. Foster that "they wouldn't
stand 1t so" and ito stand up for her
rights" for Mrs. Foster never com.
pliined; and as for rights, don't think
Mrs. Foster thought she had any; at
least she did not after she had been mar.
ried few years In the case of Ford
woman was Connected; a woman whose
mission in the world seemed to be to
prove how low soul may plunge into
the depths of degradation, and how many
weak souls she can carry downward
with her. Newell Foster had been true
to the letter of his marriage VOWS. Since
he stood at the marriage altar, ten years
before, with the one woman he had
chosen out of the world, he had "f1r-
saken all Others" as he promised then
to do.
What then had brought this state of
things to pass with Mr. and Mrs. Foster?
Well, | think Foster was disappointed in
his wife. He thought he was marrying
an heiress; not that he married her en-.
tirely for her wealth; she had plenty of
other attractions for him in those far-off
days of their courtship. But Mr.. Foster
was shrewd, keen, business man, who
looked out for the main chance, and it
was unpleasant to him, to say the least,
that his respected father-in-law failed
and hid himself from his hungry credit
ors in the grave, leaving his only child
no heritage but dishonored name. This
was one thing And, for another, she
had borne him no children. And then
she disappointed him in many WAYS.
Her health was not good. She had been
very bright and blooming girl when he
married her; but ten years of married
life, with Newell Foster for husband,
had very thoroughly weeded the roses
out OF her cheeks and the brightness and
elasticity out of her spirits. She was
now pale, spiritless household drudge,
still worshiping, unhappily, the man who
had taken her from her happy, girlhood
home and then deserted her. 1t was this
love that still remained so warm and
true in her heart that made the very
sting of her grief. If she could have
been so indignant with him that she could
have resented in spirit the constant
Sights he put-uPon her, the daily hun.il-
iation of his Indifference, the harsh
words, and looks, the hardships of labor
and endurance, she could have borne Il
better. But she loved him, and love al
ways makes woman slave. A slavery
sweeter than freedom, as many happy
Wi rKrkn he 4,
mutual and tender and generous. But
in the case of Mrs. Foster it was fail
ure. so far as happiness was concerned
Mrs Ford's husband had left her with
six little children, needy and destitute.
There were plenty among those who had
known her in more prosperous days to
recommend the Orphan Asylum or the
Poor House. But there was one pale
woman, who opened her arms, longing to |
clasp the weakest and youngest and |
most helpless in them. Foster did not |
object when his wife proposed to adopt |
little Winnie Ford for their own child |
OF course, his wife would take the care |
of it. He would have a separate room
during its babyhood, he couldn't be
But the child was sweet and |
wonderfully brightlooking She might
grow up to be an honor to him, and he
would never have any children of his
own.
So little Winnie Ford Foster came to
live with them, and the mother-love that
had never been satisfied found expires.
sion. No mother could be tenderer in
care and watching to her own child than
was Mrs. Foster TO the little one Provi.
dence hal thus given TO her arms 1t
was, perhaps, two years after this, for
Winnie was most beautiful and en-
gaging child, just running around and
beginning to say a few words, when Mr..
Foster resolved to emigrate 10 Califor,
MIA. He thought he could do better
here. OF course his wife made no objec.
ion to anything he proposed; II she had
/ would not have changed matters at
all. So one September day they set out,
poor Mrs. Ford, who was having a hard
ime to keep her children's bodies and
tseW Hawai- 10 1N1N' ,y d