The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-10-14
A MODEL HUSBAND.
The Beautiful Story Of Robert Bur-
dette's Devotion to His Help
less Little Wife.

Livery DOuy uaS ueaTO Ol hODerI
Burdette, the funny editor of the
Burlington Hawkeye. His bub-
bling humor has frightened every
household in the land and made
more people laugh than a mathema-
tician would care to count in a year.
The following beautiful sketch of
his domestic life reveals the tender
side of his character aDd will be
read with sympathy and interest by
every woman in the country.
Miss Anna G. Starbuck, of Roch-
ester, writes to the Democrat and
Chronicle, of that city:
Since you have published the let
ter of Robert Burdette to the Phi
Kappa Psi, in which the beautiful
sanctuary of his home is given to
our fearful eyes, l shall not be in
vading the sacredness of his domes-
tic life if pay a slight tribute to
his heroic devotion to his little wife,
just as we would lay a modest sprig
Of mignonette at the shrine of some
hero, whose marble statue fills a
niche in historic halls. 1 have
talked with one who has been at
Nantucket, where the genial "Hawk-
eye" is spending his vacation, and
l learned that he who touches, as
with fairy's wand, the fountain of
mirth and laughter and cheer for
others, bears in his own heart the
constant pain-hardest of all to
bear-of seeing his nearest and
dearest a helpless invalid. And
yet with devotion such as few men
are capable of, his brave young
strength is freely, sweetlv, tenderly
given to her whom he has promised
though life to protect. OF him may
it truly be said: "Greater love
hath no man than this. that he lay
down his life for his friend" For
daily, hourly is this service of his
rendered. Mrs. Burdette is as help |
ess and dependent on her husband |
Is little child. Wherever he goes,
Jhe goes; she is his guardian angel,
Ind he hers in a literal sense.
About the streets of the island town
10 wheels her wicker chair so care
ully that not jostle pains the SEN
tive body or startles the nerves of
he invalid. Into the dining room
f the hotel he comes bearing his
ragile wife in his arms; every want,
very most trivial wish of hers is
TENDED to by him, and all "for
ove's sake" There is kind of pa
ence that submits with dumb res
ynation to whatever burden God
lay send; there is another kind
hat lifts it's head and sings Gods
I'VE the while, shedding human sun
ght over all, and healing it's own
cart at the same time that it heals
be hearts of others. From this
after patience bubbles up the
genius of Burdette's writ
ngs. 1t is said that he dashes off
is humorous sketches first to glad
EN- the heart of his wife and relieve
he lonely hours of her invalidism,
hen gives them to the public and
cts the whole literary world in
smiling mood. Let us reverently
Uncover our heads to him who has
% truly proven himself a hero. A
zero in living his life so unselfishly
or another. In these days of mat
imonial infelicitY how comforting
o come across such a noble excep-
ion as his. I claim that such only
ire worthy of the married state who
AN utter the VOW, "foT better, for
worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and in health" and fulfill it
% the letter; not from a feeling of
luty, but from heroic love, as does
lie to whom my pen has waited this
tribute. 1 feel that my
native island is honored by the
presence OF Robert Burdette and
lis sanity little wife; and as
laughter of old Nantucket, / send
ny greeting homeward, hoping that
very salt breeze that kisses the is
and shore may bring blessing and
health to him and his.