Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-23
RIGHTEOUS DECISION,
which Deafes - Divorce 10 a woman
Who wanted Babes and a Husband
Who Didn't.

Judicial decisions are not always attractive
reading. The manner is too technical the
matter is too dry, for after-dinner perusal or
evening entertainment, but now and then
decision is 10 AIDE which ia refreshing reading
and 50 clear that the wayfaring man, though
fool, can understand it. To this class be-
longs the decision made few days ago by
Judge Tuley in the case OF Moore Us. Moore,
being suit for separate maintenance, and,
in case the testimony warranted it, for di-
vorce on the ground of cruelty. The suit
was brought by Alice Moore against her hus-
| band, Willis +. Moore, the parties having
been married In 1880. The testimony in
this case showed that there had been no
| cruelty, such as inhuman Treatment or
blows, but the wife, who was quick-tem-
| pered and nervous, cherished delusion that
| her husband did not wish her 10 have
children, and took means of = cruel char
acter 10 prevent ii. The husband, on the
other hand, had very practical ard irri-
Eating grievance. He, too, was nervous and
quick-iempered, and he resented the con-
slant and thoroughly unconventional manner
in which his wife's sisters not only ran into
his house at all hours and made free with it,
but also presumed to criticise him and his
management OF it, and thus further preiu-
diced him in his wife's eyes. These strained
relations naturally gave rise to continual
chickering's, wordy collisions, contradictions
and quarrels, and the atmosphere of the
household was not as quiet and as redolent
Of the perfume of orange-blossoms as it
should have been only two years after mar
riage. 1t is little remarkable that the
young wife should have considered her case
exceptional or as emitting her TO
A DECREE OF DIVORCE,
or even separate maintenance. II it did,
what would the courts do with the cases? II
the parties to a marriage could obtain a d.
vonce every time there was a household row.
no matter what its dimensions, who would
long remain married, for who can always be
ina cousenting mood in this contradictory
world? Who can always get along tven
with the loveliest of creatures or the most
ravishing diyiniiies without an amount of
selfsacri6ce and relinquishment akin TO that
which used TO be practiced by the auchoriies
in the caves of Arabia Petraa? The mis-
take made by the young wife WAS in sup
posing that che was suffering a phenomenal
wretchedness and In aking no account of
the sister'y thorns that continually asserted
themselves. In Cincinnati the other dsy
suit was brought by Mr.. Mclean, the daugh-
ter of prominent capitalist OF that city, for
divorce from her husband, a retired officer of
the United States army, incompatibilily of
temper being the cause Of the estraugeunent.
and yet they had been married twenty-6ys
years and were approaching old age. If
1t took them
QUARTER OF CENTURY
TO discover that their tempers were no. COM
patible, Is not Mrs. Moore little hasty. after
only two years of collisions, in deciding this
question? Might she not have waited a few
years longer and found plenty of company
In her misery? Had she done 30 che might
have been astonished at the prevalence Of the
complaint. The court patiently heard the
testimony in this case, and in Diminishing the
Oil Tor want OF equity took occasion to read
the following little homily, which ought to
be framed and hung up in every house:
In matters of the control OF the household some
oody must be the master. The laws gave the hus-
band mat night OF control. II the husband OBJ