Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-07-05
IN WOMEN'S Defence.
Bill Arp Writes Strongly and
Feelingly in her Behalf.
The Trials of Married Gfe--They fare ..Aw'
full to Contemplate Even With the
Best Of Husbands.

lol eillu Phiioocp,
thinking and writing about wo-
men-her unfair treatment and
hard lot when illmated by mar
rage, her unequal chance in the
race of life, etc. We are sure the
following will be read with in
terest. He writes:
"Before the war woman was
more honored, more respected
than she is now She stood side
by side with her husband as his
equalpartner in everything that
became a wife or mother. Mar
rage vows were serious and SOL
emn promises then and they were
generally observed, but now the
VOW, when recited by the minis
ter, seems a mere formality and
is soon forgotten. The ceremony,
the maids of honor, the trousseau,
the attendants and the fulsome
description in the mornings
: paper are of more consequence.
Fast women and faster men are
married nowadays, but not mated.
"Who giveth this woman aWay?'
said the preacher, and fast
young man in the gallery whis-
pered to his companion: 81 could,
but | won't" Before the war
maidenly modesty was at pre-
MUM, but now in society it is at
a discount. A girl must be fast
to attract attention and catch a
lover. The purity of both is
suspected-purity of thought and
person and hence divorces follow
right along in the wakeIof mar
riages. They have increased
largely in late years. A suit for
divorce was a rare thing in the
days'of our fathers. So was a
separation-so were suicides-so
was a case of lunacy. Some say
that these things were as common
as now, but we did not hear of
them, for there were few news
papers and no telegraph. This
is a great mistake. Since the
war divorces have doubled and
lunatics trebled according to our
white population and suicides
follow right along with them.
The race between crime and
morality is neck and neck, es-
pecially in our cities. How many
weeping women who have been
deserted by their husbands 4! How
many are supporting vagabonds
whom they call husband! How
many are enduring oppression
and cruelty that they dare not
disclose! Only few days ago a
man was tried in our court for
beating his wife. He pleaded
guilty, thinking to get off light
ly, and, when Intercepted by
the judge, said he only slapped
her twice. The pitiful wife was
there and the judge asked her if
he slapped her often. She reluct-
antly answered: Eyes sir, when
ever he gets mad" "Does he
ever beat you or kick you?' ask
ed the judge. eyes sir" she said.
Her answers satisfied his honor
that he was brute and he SEN
fenced him to the chain gang for
the full term. A trifing young
man married the daughter of one
of my tenants. After a few
months he told neighbor that
he couldn't do nothin at all with
her and was gwine to take her
back to the old man. Said he:
81 have whooped her and whoop-
ed her and it don't do her a bit
of good" That is the idea that
thousands of men have of the
marriage state. Dominion on
his part and slavery on hers.
Alas for the women-the cred
ulous, unsuspecting girls who
tied themselves in matrimonial
chains to such men. No wonder
we call them chains, for the wife
cannot break them when she
chooses, though the husband can
Will the time never come when
the breaking of the marriage VOW
by the man shall entail upon him
the same disgrace that follows
the unfaithful wife? When will
woman stand side by side with
1nan2 There was a time in the
blessed past when it was almost
universal for her to receive hon.
age and protection from husband
and father and brother and chill
bred. The idea of woman suf-
frage was then not entertained.
She had love and support and
protection and that was all she
wanted. But now a sal and Sc
rious change has come over the
condition of woman. There are
thousands who cannot marry and
have neither support nor protec-
ton and hence they have to be-
come bread winners and protect
themselves. They are in the
stores, the shops, the counting
rooms and school-houses all over
the land. They are doing the