The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-03-14

Won. How am / to get rid of my huS-
band: Not harming him-IN not harm
him-only let me escape from nm. l VIII
do it. and I'm right; your wife says 50.
Roderick started.
"Yes. she is quite right" said silence,
not lifting her eyes, but speaking as her
husband knew she could speak sometimes,
with unmistakable decision.
"My wife is Il daring woman to say
such q thing"
Am II"
She looked up n minute with Il Quivering
lip. and did not attempt to put back her
hand. which he had let go. but folded her
fingers together. after a way she had. as
if to give herself strength. when she had
any difficult or painful thing to do.
''This is Il very strange advice for my
wifc-I hope a happy wifc-to give to
my sister. Your reasons:'
''Thcy are not easy to explain, but |
will try" She stopped, then with a firm.
clear voice went on again. IF Bella had
only herself to sacrifice she might do it.
though | am not sure. 1t is q sin against
heaven to condone sin. even in ones own
husband. But in this and similar cases
n woman does not sacrifice herself alone.
There are others upon whom the sins of
the father may descend. generation after
generation. She must think of them.
She is responsible to God for them. If !
were in Bclla's placc'-hcr voice sunk al
most to Il whisper; she turned deadly pale
and then flushed crimson all over her
facc-''if | were in your sisters place !
would die rather than be mother to Il
drunkard's children"
There was Il total silence. Bella. accuS-
toned to make self the standpoint of all
her opinions and acts. perhaps could
scarcely understand: but Roderick did.
Startled he might be. yet there was some
thing in his wife's stern righteousness
which he could not gainsay. AS he looked
on that small. sweet face, so sweet. yet
so strong. he saw in her for the first time
not merely his wife. but the woman, the
c~ojoint and yet separate existence, in
trusted by God and nature with far more
than her W petty life, inheriting-and
conscious that she inhcrited-the destiny
which came TO her from sacred Eve.
mother of all living"
Ma as he was. with Il mans natural
leaning to the masculine side. with Il
mans natural blindness to much that
women see by instinct. still his wifc's
words smote him with II certain respect,
even awe. That she had strength to say
them at all, she so timid, SO shy. so reti-
cent, proved how deeply she must have
thought and felt on the matter.
Dear" he said. holding out his hand,
"if all women were like you-cSpecially
if al sons had mothers like you-thcre
would be fewer bad men in this world"
81 a,,,-.,.,1 ,.-.I;,~. l,t l~. ,.I,1,
face frightened in recognition of what is
to women like her as sweet as being loved
-honorcd. And SO, without more argll-
mcnts. all three seemed tacitly 10 accept
the position which poor Bella had so
icrccly insisted upon-that for her, mar
ricd life. or rather that unholy travesty
Of marriage which had been her self-in-
Hictcd doom. was over and done forever.
Let her live as n widow" Silence
said. Her life is LOST know that-but
let the sacrifice end here. Let her not
submit to be the ruin of some other lives"
But she may be the ruin of her hus-
bands whom she took for better, for
worse How do YOU nSwcr that
Silence shrunk back, full of pain. oh,
It is difficult. So difficult, TO see the right:
worse. perhaps. 10 do it. Still. still No."
and again the strong. clear Abdicl look
came into her cycs-'nO. there can be
but one right and but one wrong alike for
men and for women. She must cave him.
Think, Rodcrick. if the case was reversed.
if you. or any other husband. were expect
ed to keep as mistress of your house. as
mother of your children, a drunken WON
an"
God forbid
'Then men ought to forbid it. too.
Drunkenness. dissolutencss, anything by
which Il man dcgrades himself and de
stroys his children. gives his wife the
right to save them and herself from him.
to cut adrift. like a burning ship, and be
free. Poverty, %contumcly. loncliness-lct
her endure all. Pity her lot, if you will.
but to ignore it, to accept il, and submit
to it, above all. to let the innocent suffer
from it-ncvcr! Bella tells me that the
law gives her possession of her child for
seven years. My advice is let her take
it in her arms and fly-anywherc. SO thar
her husband cannot get her back. or make
the law follow her. Nay, if | We're she, |
would defy tn" law: | would hide myself
ut the worlds end, change my name, earn
my bread rs Il common working woman.
but / would save my child and 20"
AS Silence stood, holding close to her
breast the poor hahc-she had fetched il.
and was walking up and down the room
with it. for no one else seemed to have
patience with the miserable. sickly. wall
inE crratur"-shc looked the very incarna-
tion of ~womanhood in its highrs, form
motherhood. absolutely calm. absolutely
fearless. aS mothers ought t. Inc.
l,odcrick. touched with many new
thoughts which come croWding Ia IL man
Wlcu he has ceased TO be merely a Young
man, absorbed in himself alone,au begun
to look into the far future, TIE future Of
| those who may yet bless or ,:uIG" him fer