Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-06-22
TOO MUCH OF A TONGUE.
HOW SCOLDiNC WOMEN WERE
TREATED YEARS AGO.
The Scold's Birdie Gavo u Harsh Pun
ishmcnt, hut the Ducking stool
Was Worsc-A Won IN Who
Would Not Yield

Noh'u Not tiNius
When our grandm Others talked toe
much our grnndfathers, or, more
properly speaking, tho grandfathers
of our contemporaries had way OF
dealing with them which otfoctually
silcnced their clatter,
Some ono says; "'rhere is but one
scold in the world and every man
thinks he has her, IN adago that no
doubt originated in the days OF our
grandlathers ana expressed their
opinion of tho feminine ability to
make life burden for every Bone
diet who did not exactly conform.
even in the minutest particular, 10
what his wifo doomed he should be,
says the 81. Louis Globo- Democrat
Nowadays, of course, IL is not To
be supposed that married people
quarrel, Tho roiinement of the ago
IL against II, and whom man Is
soolded by his wife thore Is naught
for him TO do but To grin and bear It,,
But in former days IL was not so
" h'h " NNliulli Vl' VI NNI RIullu-
mothers perhaps, became SO liberal
In the use Of her tongue M 10 render
herself conspicuous in tho ghbor-
hood where she lived all her husband,
II she had husband, or her afflicted
neighbors, II sho woro u widow or
spinstcr did was 10 proceed to the
nearest magistrate and make charges
against hor as Il common scold v
A day was appointed for the trial,
evidence was produced, and II
doemod conclusive tho magistrate
directed that she should be bridled
and escorted through tho town,
Tho scold's Bride was always kept
either In tho town hall or ins tho
church, and was an instrument we'll
adapted To tame the spirit OF oven
the most able and successful shrow.
IL consisted Of an iron band passing
over the head from ear TO ear, from
the oxtrcmities OF which another
band from one TO two inches Wide
passed across tho faco between tho
noso and chin
In front plate, projecting inward
from the face-band entered tho
mouth and pressed down tho tongue
pf tho sufferer thus olloctually pre-
venting any cutlery From tho OK
tromitics Of tho faco-band another
thin iron somi-circlo passed. around
the head at tho back secured on one
side by n hinge, on the other by u
hasp and staple. Tho back band was
thrown open by means OF tho hinge,
tho bride placed upon the head Of
Lhe shrewish unfortunate; tho hinged
section was then closed and fastened
with n paddock. of which tho magis-
trate bore the key.
Tho scold was then tied by tho
wrists TO the tail Of n cart and es-
,ortod through the streets proceeded
by crier announcing hor name,
)llense and punishment and followed
by mob of idlers such Ms can always
be- collected To Witness II scene OF this
Kind One dose Of such medicine, IL
night be supposed, would overcome
sho temper OF any shrow, but In case
/ proved inadequate there was an.
)thor remedy still more severe which
vas rarely known TO fail,
After the scold's bride had proved
Is inelllcioncy TO suppress the clamor
If the scold and she was brought up
again before II magistrate. recourse
was had us II last resort, to tho
ducking-stool,
The ducking-stool was large
,hair without legs, which was fas.
jened ut the end Of II long pole bal
lnced Mt the top of u post close by
The waters Of stream or pond. The
polo was arranged upon pivot 80
oosoly fastened that it permitted OF u
considerable vertical rs we'll as hori-
lontal motion.
The scold was securely strapped in
tho chair, II half-dozen pairs of strong
hands, generally those OF tho wit
ncsses in the case, seized tho other
md OF the polo and revolved the I'M
fortunate scold until she was directly
over the water, when she was souscd
sufficient number Of times to kill
tho ardor and impetuosity OF her
tongue.
Generally she was duckcd until
sho gave promise OF permanent ro-
formation, and made oath upon tho
bible or psalm book, brought from
the nearest church for that purpose,
that she would scold no more. but in
stances have been known OF invoter-
ate shrcws refusing TO promise any
thing Of the kind, and in one case, in
the south OF England 102 years ago,
an unlucky woman was ducked TWEEN
ty-seven times before she was sub
dued, while year or two before that
another unfortunate was actually
drowned, tho determination OF those
inficting the punishment to subdue
her being oquallcd by her resolution
not TO yield