Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-01-10
TEMPTED.

lleve 1t.
One night iii my life stands out soli-
tary and alone-a night so fraught with
anguish that, even ut this distant stand
point, | grow faint with the remem-
hrance.
was trying to decide the great ques-
lion of my lite-not of love, or death,
or life, or the saving Of my soul, as you
may think, but whether could live my
life out with the man | called my hus-
band.
| had been good wife-my own
soul bore witness to this truth -forbear-
ing, loving, kind, faithful But he had
killed my love by piecemeal-fairly
starved it out.
On this night was driven to despera-
ton, and must decide upon my future
course.
had been loving wife when came
to dwell in John Testers home; but,
God help me! there was now almost
hate in my heart. Neglect, unkind-
ness and GOODNESS had done their work
had borne it for years; and now the
end had come.
All the long summer great fear had
lain heavy upon my heart-a fear that
would not let shape itself into words.
1t kept thrusting itself between me and
every glad thing until my head was
bowed in deep humiliation, and my
heart was so full of pain that | thought
it would break, and be set free. But
my heart did not break, and the inau-
dible voice kept whispering: "You do
not love your husband. More than this
--uou are fast learning to hate him"
On the day of which | am writing,
the desire to leave his house had grown
so upon me that | could not put it
away-only to go far away from him,
where | should not grow cold, and hard,
and sinful. The earth was wide, and
God was everywhere.
| looked around the cosy little par
Tor | had called home for ten long
years; upon the square-set figure of
my husband, and the angular proper
tons and unmeaning face of his
sister.
An orphan, and of most loving ma
ture, | could have loved John Lester
had he but let me-nay, had loved
him, and striven hard to overlook his
GOODNESS and coarseness. Jane Lester
was good woman, and her brother an
honest man. This was well, but L
God help me!-wented something more.
The woman's heart of me hungered
and thirsted for love-for little tender
ness, a few pet-names, caress some
times-what we wamen call little
pettlng."
Jane Lester-good woman though she
Was-was independent Of all this folly"
and would have sneered at the necessity
for it.
Could help it that God had made
me what | was-that | needed some
thing more than this coarse life they led
50 contentedly-this mere animal cat
ing, drinking and sleeping? | wanted Il
husbands love, and tenderness, and pro-
tecting care, which ! never had; |
never had been taken care of. | was
not unreasonable. | knew that the
days Of lovers fine speeches were over;
but wanted sometimes to hcal the
story put into words; was not content
TO take it all upon trust. Here Is where
the error is. Men forget, in their busy
life, the needs of the finer soul that
shares their home-iorget there is
something more needed than food and
raiment and shelter for the head Ones
wife is not always an angel, | am per
suaded; yet She is woman, and, be-
cause of it, peculiarly sensitive to suf-
fering Grant that she has some faults
nay, many faults-yet is her heart more
eNqusitely strung than mans, and
needs careful hand to sweep its chords.
It's obligatory upon q man, both by
human and divine law, that he support
his wife-that he provide. so far as his
means admit for her comfort 1t is
equally obligatory upon him that he
understand her finer nature. lie should
make it his business to know if the wo-
man he calls his wife, the woman who
has given up all for him, is happy, or
the reverse. A man gives up but little
when he marries. He retains the same
friends, the same pursuits, and bust
ness-that ready escape-valve-fills up
all the pauses in his life. A woman
gives up ali-parents, friends, home
for strangers love and care. She gives
her happiness into his keeping forever.
She gives scores Of lovers for the often
times frugal diet Of one heart, and, if it
tail her, then is she shipwrecked in
deed.
If men would but think of these
things, we are persuaded they would
right the wrong" Most of Us have
read the story Of the husband, who, in
moment of passion, exclaimed to his
wife, IF you are not satisfied with my
conduct, 90 and return to your friends
and happiness.
And will you give that back which !
brought to your asked the despairing
wife.
Yes he replied, ell your wealth
shall 20 to you; coyet it not
Alas She said, Il thought not OF
my spoke ofmy friends, ofmy
devoted love; can yougiye these back 70
me-"
'No!' said the man, as be flung him
self at her feet; mol | cannot restore
these, but / will do more--l will keep
them unsullied and unstained; | will
cherish them through my life ard until
death; and never again | will forget that
/ have suorr1 m ,,rafont and cherish her