The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1875-03-12
MArRrMoNIAL SLAVERY.
The following unique card appears
in the San Jose, (Cal.) Patriot.

"NOTICE.
"All persons are hereby warned
not to trust Mary E. Aborns (my
wife, as she has left my bed and
board without just cause or provoca-
ton, and will not pay any bills
contracted by her from and after
this date. join ABoREs.
"San Jose, Feb. 6, 1879"
Mrs. Aborns now comes to the
front and makes the following telling
statement in reply to the above
warning" by her non ,crediting
liege lord:
The above notice appears now
daily in the San Jose Daily Patriot.
Why am thus published to the
worlds And what human being on
earth has the right to do it'll Let
us look at the facts. have been
the wife of John Aborns for about
ten years and lived with him during
the whole of that time-the prime
of nv life. That makes $500 days.
During that time have cooked
about ten thousand meals Of victuals,
set the table as many times, and
cleared it off and washed the dishes.
During that ten years have spent
between ten and fifteen thousand
hours over hot cooking stove, both
in summer and winter. i have
cleaned up and swept his house for
him over ten thousand times. Du'
ring that ten years have borne tc
him six children, five of them now
living, the youngest two and and 9
half years old. Besides the pains
and anxisties incident to child birth
(which every mother knows, wha
steps, cares and troubles ito say
nothing of sickness and anxious
thoughts for my children) it has cos
me to bring them up, it is imPossi
bic for me to say every mothe
knows it better than she can tell it
In addition to that | have made al
their clothing (besides my owns ant
during that time | have also made
clothing and done sewing for other
for money, which went into thu
Community" funds; that is, as
understand it, all the property made
by the husband and wife is commu
nifty property, but in reality belong
to the husband, and is called in Law
community property" to take Of
the sharp edge of injustice. Nor
than that, during those ten years
have MIXED, on an average, thre
cows twice day, which will max
about seven thousand milkings,i be
sides taking care of the milk an
making butter from it. lhaye, dur
ing the whole of that time, attend
ed . the poultry, and often hay
assisted Mr. Aborns ia loading hay
sewing sacks, and even cleanin
out his stables. Now, have draw
the picture very mildly. | hav
made allowances for my sicknesse'
v hen | have help, something afte
the way farmer would hire hors
if his own was sick and unable t
work. | had nothing when | wen
there, and nothing at the end I
those ten years OF servitude. Ihav
lived, it is true, and was very mod
erately furnished with clothing
This is all for my labor. What ma
is there in the world that would d
the work | have done for the sam
compensation | make this state
ment not out of any feeling of re
venge to Mr.. Aborns, tor he ha
done only what hundreds of other
have done. 10 many respects he j
good man +; industrious, and
like hundreds-yea, thousands-o
others, honest width everybody ex
cept his own family. | choose t.
live with him no longer; my reason
are my own. And say again, wha
right has he to impair my credit b,
publishing me In the name Of al
that is just | solemnly protest agains