Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-09-20
MY FRIENDS HUSBAND.


but this article is about another woman's
husband. John and | have just return
ed from visit Ia some dear friends of
mine, and their experience Of life's lit
tie trials has been ri such kind, and
Yet 80 unlike one to the other, that /
have great desire to tell some one all
about il.
But why not iell every body?" said
John, when told him my desire. And
so | send this To the Christian Union,
with the hope that there may be some
among it, readers still young and clear
sighted enough 10 profit by a bad exam
pie do not mean that there is no pos
sibility OF improvement in those who
have reached middle life. Surely !
would not thus cut off my own posi-
bilities for daily growth in the knowledge
of good, but il remains true that If a
man or woman has lived TO the age Of
80 years in the unconscious indulgence
of petty seliishness, the probabilities are
against sufficient clcarness and range of
mental vision 10 take in ones entire self.
Or, il such vision is granted by divine
inspiration, the sight Of a soul enerusted
with neglected opportunities for daily
giving Of ones self away, after the pat
tern Of the Great Master, must be full
Of pain.
The friend of whom | wish TO speak,
like many another loving wife, palliates
all her husbands shortcomings with the
oft-repeated excuse, 40, it is Just his
way" an excuse against which | wish
vehemenilv To protest As if any one
had right to make himself disagreea-
BILE to all around him simply because he
was indulging in his own particular dis
arrecableness. and not aDother's.
But "his way in this case meant
nothing unpleasant in manner Ii was
simply that kind of selfishness which,
through inability or unwillingness 10 put
itself in the place of another, always
Judges from its own standpoint.
OF my friend herself, | will only say
that she has been married % years, and
that she went, at her marriage, from a
home in this city to a large farm in the
country Though her city home had
been humble one, Yet certain things
had seemed so much Il matter of course
and So entirely necessity that it never
occurred 10 her 20 doubt their continu-
ance after marriage.
Among these, l may mention her at
tendance at church, her ability, in a
small way. TO assist others, and, especi-
ally, her love Of cleanliness and order in
all her household arrangements. lhaye
often wondered if the grace that con-
quered resentment when she found that
il was ''too much trouble TO harness
h.. 10 oh,
Sunday mornings was not better gift
10 her than she could have obtained in
the public worship which she so much
enjoyed. The distance was so great rs 10
prevent her walking over the rough roads
except in the very best of weather, and
yet the desire to bring up her children
in the church often induced her to lead
the little ones the whole distance, though
the weary feet Of the mother would
gladly have found their rest at home. /
do not say thai her husband always re-
fused 10 accompany her. He did refuse
20 attend church, but the horses were at
her service when there happened 10 be
one gentle enough TO trust 10 her driv-
ng, or when the "hired man - could
spare his valuable time, or he himself
would drive ii he ..felt like it, but her
feelings were rarely consulted.
II was the same with regard 10 mon
ey. If II had happened TO be perfectly
convenient for him, he would have been
glad To supply her with all she could
spend. But he was what, in common
parlance, is called ''land poor His
large farm was far from bringing him in
a large income; and. in the constant en-
deayor to enrich the land. he found no
time 70 cultivate the mind or soul, and
neither time nor money TO give To those
who We're poorer than himself. That his
pigs should be the latest in the market,
he would spend all that was necessary:
hrrf Il, ms, his u-ife-S navy ,.nr,. soa,,,nd a