The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-07-30
How a Wife WhiiPper Was Not Cured,

The house across the way, from tn
hour its new tenants took possession, wa
draped in mystery. Not exactly mys
terry suggestive of grim spectres witt
forefnger drawn, pointing firmly at SOM
imaginary spot of gore, but certain
ndefna BILE overshadowing something
that bafiled all the efforts of the neigh
bors to fathom it.
Tantalizing, not to say suspicious, IN
novations, under the new regime, were
developed on the premises. An eigh
foot board fence was erected on three
sides of the lot, and lofty pile of cord
wood was built up in front of the kitch
Ell window. The prlor blinds were
never lifted, opened doors were rapidly
closed, and the penetrating eye of curl
osiCy ai.,v 5n ~, So
door step. The exact number of the
household that the four walls enclosed
was matter of doubt. The only visi
BILE occupant was slimly built, meek
looking little man, who never seemed tC
hold any communication with the social
world about him, who never at any rate
seemed DESTROYS of borrowing anything
although dozen neighbors had tack
hammers which they longed to loan him,
Those who took deep interest in the
matter, however, declared they had
caught II glimpse OF the family washing
on the line, though they had not seen the
person who hung it out and took it in,
and had detected among its various ar
ticles some which were, Enthusiastically,
of feminine apparel, and they would just
like to see the owner of them.
The whole community was wild at
such unheard of exclusiveness and burn
ing with desire to know the cause thereof.
One woman, on the opposite side of the
street, with the hope Of seeing those
blinds run up, had marred the contour
of her nose against the window pane for
one whole morning, but those blinds
hung as stiff and lifeless as though kept
down by weights. u.s..
Fer long time things took course
of conjecture and evil surmising. At
last the veil of mystery, to portion of
the nuig hboFs at least, WIS satisfactorily
rent. The report gained currency, one
day, that strange noises, intermlngled
with cries of anguish as those of q female
had been heard proceeding, the night be-
fore, from the house across the way.
That was enough. A solution was soon
found, and it was the women who hit
upon it. The man over the way abused
his wife. He was a little Blue Beard.
Meek looking little men always were
tyrannical husbands. That was why he
had fenced himself and his wife in! That
was why he wished to cut her off from
the ncighborly sympathy which was
ready to gush for her. Poor suffering
soul! ".
From that day the little wretch was
socially ostracised. Every household
female volcano, ready at any
to erupt fire, smoke and lava on
MS devoted head. When he CHANGED to
pass by their doors, the good housewives
would instinctiyely grasp their hat-irons,
mpelled by y pertinacions itching to hit
him just once, or else, leaning over their
front gates, they would peer into his
face with a vicious look in their eyes,
that would have made the most shame
less criminal sk4lk away with poignant
sense of his "o'er whelming load of
guilt"
He was prosecuted in every conceiv-
able way that halted short of openly
breaking the peace. The woman who
owned the house in which he lived raised
the rent or made it payable three months
in advance. Wifewhippers, she said,
where always men of guile and never to
be trusted. His name was held in such
odium that deretict husbands needed
only to be told of the existence of a
resemblance between themselves and the
man across the way to bring on an attack
of hydrophobia and inspire them with a
longing to break the dishes on the table.
All this must have some effect. In.
deed, it was observed by those who were
on the watch that, slim as the little man
was, he daily grew simmer. He began
to wear that haggard and Respondent
appearance which spring kitten as
sumes after few months residence in a
family where there are four or five
healthy and playful children. In going
to and coming from his domicile he
never loitered, and, as he darted past the
neighbors he would pull little well worn
cap snugly over his eyes, as if afraid they
might reflect the haunted look which he
knew to be there. This marked change
in his 'earing, the neighbors attributed
to their efforts to make things for him as
uncomfortable as possible. 1t never
struck them that there might be other
causes at work. .E.g.
The strange cries, however, still con-
tinued, and their recurrence was duly
telegraphed around the circuit. They
were Indignantly commented upon, and
denounced as scandalous. It was de-
oided thai something ought to be done
to prevent their repetition, and remedial
measures were even suggested and hall
carried out. Finally, one eventful even
ing, close On to the hour for retiring, 8
neighbor, with pale face, loose flowing
robes and streaming hair startled The
community with the intelligence thai
Vic lhah uSlOoo oiiO way WttS hllliHy uls
wife, or at least he was beating her mos
numerically.
The men agreed that this thing hac
been tolerated long enough. and that {
definite course of action ought immedi
ately to be pursued. 1t did not TAKE
long for the women themselves to decide
what it behooved them to do. The
thought of tar, feathers and an excur
sion on rail was spontaneous and in
Simultaneous, and braced with strong
sense Of western justice, and armed witt
the necessary accoutrements, six brave
men and six heroic women strobe forth
to assault the castle of Blue Beard.
Arrived at the scene of operations {
whispered consultation suggested the
rear door as the most available part IL
attack. Arrived there, smothered cries
as though proceeding from throat hall
strangled, were plainly distinguishable
And then voice in deep tones of re-