Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-03-08

II rne midday meal is prepared, we viii
partake Of it. Euclid, too, will bear us
company.
Daphne smiled maliciously at the
thought that the philosopher and his
pupil were likely this day at least to go
hungry.
Xantjppe, however, blushed with
shame. She arose from her seat trem-
bling, and standing with downcast head
before her husband in faltering tones
explained why the midday meal was
not prepared
She had asked him hours ago for
money to buy food, but he had given
her none.
Euclid laughed jeeringly at her
words, but Socrates replied mildly:
Justice is one of the chieftest virtues
belonging to man. As / gave thee ne
money at thy request, the fault is mine.
The next time, however, my Xantippe,
when ] do not heed thy words, raise thy
voice and continue speaking until thou
succeedest in attracting my attention.
Let the evening meal, therefore, be pre-
pared earlier than usual. And now
fetch US vessel of wine, that we may
continue our discourse with minds and
bodies refreshed.
Xantippe's beautiful face cleared up
at Socrates quiet words. Thou seest,
she whispered when she and Daphne
were alone together again, "how kind
and just he is"
And she kept her husbands advice,
to raise her voice while speaking to him,
fixed firmly in her memory.
The next day, therefore, when Soc
rates turned deaf ear to her request
for money-he being at that time in
earnest conversation with Daphne's hus-
band, Antisthenes raised her voice,
as she had been hidden by him. and as
he still continued oblivious to her re-
quest she screamed, in voice so shrill
and loud that she herself was startled
at the sound of it, Socrates, give me
some money!
The philosopher, disturbed and anx-
ious to continue his discourse with his
friend, promptly complied with her de-
mand.
In very few days, however, Soc
rates ears became accustomed to his
wife's tones, shrill as they had grown.
And Xantippe, on her part, found it
impossi BILE accustomed as she was by
this time to the high key necessary to
make herself audible to her husband
to lower her voice when speaking to
others.
Daphne therefore remarked complain,
ingly to Xantippe's friends and ha
own: 'Xantippe's voice grows harsher
and shriller every day. Not content
with screaming at her philosopher, she
begins now to scream at us.
Xantippe soon found it necessary to
ask Socrates for money to buy new gar
ments. When she succeeded at last in
making her husband understand what
it was she required, he shook his head
doubtfully and answered:
I'm my eyes, my Xantippe, thou art
beautiful and lovely in thy present gar
ments-old and shabby though. they be.
Beware of vanity, which is also de-
mon"
Xantippe. however, was not satisfied
with this judgm ent of her husband, phi
losopher though he was, concerning the
garment she was wearing Daphne, too,
assured her that the robe was not fit to
be worn.
When, therefore, Xantippe for Il sec
ond time, with tears and shrill nd
ings, insisted on Socrates c, ing
with her desire, the philosopher. 20 be
rid of her, gave her three times as much
money as she had asked for. And Kan
tippe, overjoyed, was able to buy for
herself, besides the coveted garments, a
fillet of gold for her hair, and an arm
let in the shape of a serpent, of an Egyp-
tian who sold jewelry in the bazaar.
From that day Xantippe's voice grew
louder and louder, until her husband
grew to shudder at the very sound Of it.
And not only Daphne, but soon all
Athens-all Greece-all the world
proclaimed Xantippe a scold and a
shrew who, by her complaints and up
braidings, made the life of her philoso-
pher husband burden to him.
Poor Xantippe!-Tra From the
German For Short Stories.