Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-01-20
BEATING HIS WIFE.

The story was all over town. Everybody
was talking about it. 1t was too bad, they
said. What was too bad? Why the new
minister had been beating his wife Was it
possible? Yes; there could be no doubt
about it. Mrs. S., who lives next door, heard q
shrek about ten o'clock last mig ght-a woman's
shriek-from a chamber in the parsonage.
She looked across. and through the curtain
she could see that man and woman were
running about the room in great excitement.
He was fourishing a stick and striking with
I it. The blows could be plainly heard. And
as he struck, she screamed
Mrs. S. could hardly sleep that night she
was so excited by what she had seen. She
was up early next morning. She hurried
through her breakfast, and then started out
to see the poor abused minister's wife, and
comfort her? Not bit Of it. She went to
elder AS, found the family at the table, and
told the news. Then she footed on to Elder
BIS and Deacon C's, and over half the town.
The half that she had not time to call on
soon heard it from the other half and before
noon there was great excitement in Ball
vile. .--.. 'ss,-
The church officers discussed the matter
with heavy hearts Such disgraceful conduct
could not be endured. Something must be
done. But what? Call at once on the min
lister and his wife and inquire into the mat.
ter? Oh, no; that would not be digniied
and official. Besides, there could be no
doubt about it. Did not Mrs. S. see the beat
ing with her own eyes? So they called a
meeting of the session, and summoned the
minister and his wife. He to answer to q
charge of unministerial conduct, and she to
testify in the case.
They came greatly puzzled and surprised
The case was gravely stated by the senior ell.
der, when the cul prit and witness burst into
laugh. Checking themselves, when they
saw how serious and sad the session looked,
they explained. =,
The minister's wife, though an excellent
woman who loved everybody, and especially
her husband, did not love rats. But the
house having been vacant for some time, the
rats had taken possession. When they went
to their chamber, a huge rodent ran under
the bed. The wife screamed. The husband
caught up stick and tried to kill the intru-
der. Every time he struck at and missed the
rat the lady screamed again. How could she
helpit? 1t was an exciting scene, and must
have looked very funny to their neighbors
who were watching through the curtained
window They laughed heartily when it was
all over and the rat dead; and they could not
help laughing whenever they thought about
it,
The session were in fix. They were down
on Mrs. S. for making fools of them. They
asked her, "Why didn't you 60 over to the
ministers and make sure about the matter
before you reported it?' And she retorted,
"Why didn't you 60 and inquire into it be-
fore you called meeting?" And all the
town that talked yesterday about how the
minister abused his wife, is talking to-day
about what an awful gossip Mrs. S. is, and
how she fooled the elders Of our church.
l am mortified and disgusted. Is there
any way to cure these mischief efmaking gos
sipsi Would it be right to hang them? 1t
seems to me that passage in the third chapter
of James about the tongue ought to. be print,
ed in big letters on card, and hung up in
all of our churches. Don't you think so?-
The Occident.