Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-08-18
Sf1istt1Iameuns &eadiug.
HOW TO SPOIL A HUSBAND.

his wife willie him be-" Like all proverbs,
it is true often enough to be taking to the
popular mind. A mans conduct, his morals,
his general thrift are determined by variety
of circumstances. But none among all the
influences that act upon him is to be compar-
ed with the influence of his wife. A man
mag be good in spite of foolish woman bu:
the chances in any case are against it. A man
may be bad, Notwithstanding the presence of
a discreet and excellent woman but unusual
temptation of great depravity will be re-
quired to effect such result. A woman's
influence is pervasive and continuous. Ris-
ing up, lying down, going out. or coming in,
she is with the husband. Others have to
gain access to him. She has a near place
and the first chance always ); the first in the
morning and the last at night. She touches
all the springs of life, through her children,
through her domestic arrangements, through
her personal attractions. She reaches his
pride, bis ambition, his temper, his love, and
his passions, as no other one may. The
stron gest natures can only partially maintain
an independence, and common natures not at
all. In this paper l shall look only on the
dark side of the picture, and sketch few of
the ways in which a wife can destroy her
husband. She can soon dispel the marriage
illusion that she was good, amiable, and an
gelc. After few days, let her manifest
sel6shness; study her own comfort and neg
lect his; meet his advances with rebuff, get
him angry and torment him till he is furious /;
convince him that She cares for him only
when she has some plan to carry; that he is
of value to her plans, but is used like prin.
ter's type, to be set up or distributed just to
suit her caprice. Let her see to it that the
house is uncomfortable. Scold him when be
leaves, and when he comes home, give him q
warm reception. Whenever anything goes
wrong, put the blame on him. Never give
up on any question, watch bis words and &C.
tions, and throw up to him every day, in the
most provoking manner, bis little mistakes.
This will form 6rstclass receipt for running
any common man. He will be sure to take hs
comfort somewhere away from home. IF
his home is dreary, the drinking shop is gay
and genial. If his wife peppers him, all the
more reason for spending as much time with
jolly fellows who tell good stories, drink in
good fellowship, and have rousiDg time gen.
orally =! Then, the wife will have a good
chance to excite sympathyin her behalf, as
poor neglected creature and the husband will
he duly regarded as a monster At this
stage of affairs she should treat him before
folks with studious kindness and with angelic
meekness !; the trouble will be amply repaid
by the liberty which she will have as soon as
they are by themselves If woman sets out,
she can make home little better than bell.
But women do not need to pursue such
vulgar path to ruin. A wife may love her
husband and her children, and may perform
her ordinary duties faithfully, and yet ruin
her husband by her foolish ambition. say
foolish ambition, for there is such a thing as
sensible, thrifty, and honorable ambition. 1t
is good thing to have an ambitious wife.
A man is quickened, stirred up, and kept
sharp. He is inspired to better. his condition
and to lift his children to level far above
that at which he started. ......
But, let woman's ambition turn on show
and seeming rather than on substance and re.
ality, and she will drive her husband to ruin,
unless he is made of uncommonly good stuff.
She wishes to equal the best She is ambi-
tious of clothes, of fine, but for him, ex.
travagant table. She envies every one more
prosperous than her husband s. She wishes
house little beyond his means she will
have clothes not consistent with his income !;
she demands expensive pleasures which suck
up his slender earnings; she runs him in
debt, keeps him feverish with anxiety, and
finally poisons his very honesty. Many a
man breaks down in reputation and becomes
Il castaway, under the stimulation of his
wife's dishonest ambition. For, to live be-
yond ones means is dishonest, and to desire
to do so is to desire dishonest thing.
Let woman scatter faster than her hus.
band can gather let her notions of duty send
her gaddng after every body's business but
her own let her religion be severe and cen
serious, and stand along the path of duty like
a thorn-locust hedge on garden walk, which
pricks and tears everybody that goes near it !;
let her secure the art of making home uncom-
Portable, and of tempting her husband to pre-.
fer any other place to it ; let her use her hus.
band as seamstresses do pin.cushions, to stick
pins in and, with ordinary luck, she will
ruin any commonly clever fellow in a few
years. Having driven him to drunkard's
grave, she can mufhe her martyred heart un-
der Understanding Grape, and walkin come
ly black, until some new victim helps her put
on again her wedding suit.
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