The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-05-31
THE QUAKER's TWO WIVES.

WltnStsinuiug the reputation OF his sect 4
for meekness, gentleness and magma
nimity, he was an arbitrary old fellow, /
who led his wife most unhappy life !
She was patient, quiet woman, who I
submitted meekly to her tyrannical lord,
and strove to slip through the world as
unostentatiously as possible. Friend /
Wing was possessed of goodly share
of this worlds goods. He was an un-
failing attendant at meeting Sundays
and Thurdays he was always with his
family at the sanctuary. For what pur-
pose he went there was best known to
himself; very likely to spend the quiet
hour in connecting new schemes for the
annoyance and humiliation of his wife
but to her the plain old house, with its
uncushioned seats, bare, implanted floor
and great square stove, was very para
dise-the one safe refuge from the per-
secutions which were fast wearing out
her life.
Fat horses and substantial vehicles
had Wing in plenty; judge, then, of her
establishment and despair when, one
pleasant first-day morning in the sixth
month, he made his appearance at the
door with yoke of oxen attached to
the family trundle-bed, and so complete
was her subsection that she actually
rode to meeting (about mile) with her
children on the absurd vehicle, while
her husband strobe by the side with his
long whip, driving the oxen.
On one occasion they had been spend
ing the long winter evening at a neigh
boris. When the kitchen clock struck
9 the baby was carefully wrapped up
and given to Friend Wing to carry
home, his wife passing on before him in
the narrow snow-path. But when they
reached home there was no baby, and
in reply to the mothers anxious in
quiries he informed her she would find
it about half mile back in snow-drift
by the side of the road, which she did
AT last the plying angels set her free.
In due course of time Friend Rogers
married again, and Immediately COM
menced the course of training to which
he had subjected his former slave. 1t
| did not take long to demonstrate that
the present Mrs. Rogers was constructed
of different material from the meek and
gentle first. After a brief season of
grave and stately visiting the pair came
! home to renew the interrupted house.
keeping. Monday morning he aroused
his new wife early while it was yet dark
to get up and attend to the washing, re-
marking, 81 always have the washing
done second day"
1t was double awakeningto the wife,
not only from morning nap, but also
to the knowledge that here was the
opening of a struggle with her lord,
with whose character she was imper-
fectly acquainted. She did not rise i'm
mediately, but when she did her first act
was to remove the wash-boiler from the
stove with the remark that she did not
propose to wash to-day. Her husband
looked surprised, but bided his time.
The next day he deliberately turned
his large herd of cows into the rank
meadows, just ready for the scythe, and
hurrying to the house called to his wife:
"My dear, the cows are all in the
meadow; thee must go and drive them
out" She took down her bingham sun
bonnet from its nail in the corner, and,
without hesitation, started for the field.
In a short time she returned, and, as she
replaced her sun-bonnet, she said " My
dear, the cows are all in the corn. l
think thee had better drive them out"
He waited for no second bidding. 1t
would not take long for forty COWS to
destroy his corn crop, and he made good
speed But this was not the end of it.
Though a wealthy man, as Vermont
farmers go, he was very penurious; his
house was poorly furnished; especially
did it lack crockery. His wife soon de-
cided that she must have dishes. She did
not mean to be eXtravagant, but dishes
she must have. Like a dutiful wife, she
went to her husband with her modest
request, only to be refused. The dishes
were good enough for Becky, and they
were good enough for her; at least she
make them do, for he should get no
more.
But she had no idea of making them
do She went to the village store, made
her selection Ga modest, inexpensive
set, ordered them sent home and re-
quested the merchant to charge them to
her husband. OF course the merchant
was happy to get his name upon his
books, and the dishes came home. They
were spread out on the kitchen table
when Friend Rogers came in. "Isn't
it nice set, my dear, and cheap, too"
He looked in utter amazement. Was
there woman in the world who dared
to thwart him, and that woman his wife
He raised the side of the table and tip
ped it over, and without speaking left
IIlo uOuSc.
Smilingly she went about the clearing
away, and when the men came to sup
per there was no shadow of cloud on
the domestic horizon. But the next
day when Friend Wing came in from
the field he beheld a very large set of
fine white stone-ware on the kitchen ta-
table. All, this wife of his had not yet
learned her lesson. 1t was pity to de-
strOy so much property, but he must
teach her submission. She stood there
calmly and remarked. 81 hope thee will
like these better; the others did not seem
to please thee" With heavy blow of
his foot he upset the table, and started
out of the house.
Here the matter rested for nearly a
week, long enough for the merchant to
order and receive full set of costly
china, which in due time was transfer