Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-01-03
VALUE OF THREATS.
NOW DESIGNING PfasoNs TAKE A
MEAN ADVANTAGE

Wives Are ysssusntiy rsrserissd ~ Their
Hassa.ds. wAiis ssspsgs~ss sess ssA
waywsrd Brsthsrs Use rhsis fesitieas
70 Kxssrt Srensy.
The threat - . weapon Of social war.
fare has not yet been given Ito truly I'm
hortant place. The ssnest persons arc
Inclined to regard the threat ~ the out
como Of q vain and feeble mind and arc
prompted to laugh when the villain
cries "Bewarer' Much a. We may de-
spise the threat, yet Il 10 indubltable that
more people are influenced and made to
do what Il against their Wishes by this
means than by actual violence.
The threat wislder In naturally punily
proportioned, mentally and physically,
and exercises his power most efectually
In the woman's world. Women more
than men have reason to dread the
threat, for man can either ahord to run
its dangers or proceed to immediate
punishment. The woman IL defenseless,
and though she would frequently Ike
to proceed to extreme, yet TRADITIONAL
convention keeps her within bounds.
Threats are no varied that 1t would re-
ouire q large volume to describe them
oil, but we will speak Of the more COM
mon. =.
The dissatisfied son il well known to
society. He greedily seizes every occa.
sion to drag his name through the mire
and besmirch the family. He Is fire.
quently demonstrated with; prayers,
tears, exhortations are In vain. Then
comes the last injunction, "If you per-
sist I'm this last course will disinherit
YOU" "Go ahead" replies the young
reprobate; ''you cut Of my supplies, and
ri disgrace the whole family"
One threat Ia sufficient to procure the
means for his vile wants, and the house.
hold lives In sbject terror lest the
threat wielder put into execution his
promise Of further tortures. II Is not
only bad sons who exercise this baleful
system Of money getting; 1t Is as freely
employed by bad brothers and husbands.
The pleasant and affectionate brother
Is probably now reading the society col.
umns Of the daily and weekly papers
with the utmost care. His drunken
comrades once twitted him about his
"craze."
"Well," said the unblushing scoun.
drel, "d'ye see, ! have q sister who's no
end way up, and when find she's going
TO give party to the nobs drop her o
line and say I'm coming. II fetches the
stuff, Il does" This heartless scheme to
hlch from her money to cover her dis
grace found q peculiar charm for the be-
sotted minds Of his companions. The
threat was more potent than the per.
Torrance, for II the good lady had had
the moral courage to send for an officer
and declare the fellow lunatic she
would have been saved from his now
never ending persecution.
How many women suffer from the
threat Of their devoted husbands? And
how many wives slave themselves to
death through threats from their spouses!
The threat cannot be successfully
welded by men whose mentality lacks
intuition. To man whose intuitions
are good, and who reads human nature
easily. the threat Il powerful weapon.
Il really requires q man who can analyze
emotion and passion to reach the acme
of perfection as threat wielder. The
vulgar threatener loses his charm, but
the accomplished villain can 30 torture
his victim or victims that the pangs en-.
dured by the patrons Of the auto da fe
were exquisite pleasures In comparison.
Apparently the kindest and most sub
seryient husbands can, by judiciously
handling Of the .lireLt, drive their wives
almost to desperation at o social func'
ton, and none but them know OF the
secret punishment. To employ the
threat 80 that It posters every fiber
Of your victims body the tenderest
points In your opponents armor must he
known. That once being discovered II
Is marvellous what ramifcations the
threat can take. The merest glance can
become threat, and the person Is a
completely under the glamour OF this
delicate inquisition as the diminutivs
mouse In the claws Of powerful cat.
The most successful threat is not "a
the woman herself, for a woman's pa
thence and pluck under such circum.
stances can be provokingly humiliating,
and there IL no man who feels exactly u
hero when the person he has sworn to
honor and protect will regard him with
humid eyes and meekly say, "As you
like, dearest"
Women, as q general rule, love martyr
dom, and there are some 30 peculiarly
constituted as to derive the severest en-
joyment from the contemplation that
their liege lords were harboring In their
minds some hideous schemes Of venge'
ance against them. But where this
would fail the threat Of the amiable In.
diyidual to do something to himself
would be eminently successful. Women
above all things feel disgrace. and the
anguish ut the loss of an unamiable hus'
band by being hit over the head with n
bungstarter Is trivial when compared to
the sorrow for the manner OF his death.
1t would not be for the fight Of her hus'
bands soul the tears were shed. but for
the disgraceful circumstances attending
the departure. The fact that 1t was not
n respectable demise for which she coull
be properly consoled would he the only
bitter remembrance Of her sweet widow
hood.-San Francisco Chronicle.