The San Francisco call., 1897-11-07

sufficient reason for his preference for the
society OF that uneducated, brilliant
woman who at one time by her sheer ma
tive wit controlled a vast portion of
the European political world. How
different were the circumstances in the |
case OF Nasmyth, the celebrated engi-
neer and inventor of the steam hammer,
who, in speaking OF his wife, said {:
'Forty-two years of married life finds US
the same devoted cronies that we were at
the beginning; and in that OF Charles
Darwin, who would probably never have
been able to make his important scientific
discoveries had he not possessed a wife
and children who saved him from trouble
and gave to him the leisure of happy
home.
OF the love letters of famous men our
author gives US several curious specimens.
nota bic one is that written by Lord
Byron and addressed to Lady Caroline
Lamb whose attentions bored him. To
her he writes:
am no longer your lover; and since you
| Oblige me to confess it by this unfeminine per-
secution, learn that am attached to another,
whose name it would, of course, be dishonest
to mention. l shall ever remember with
gratitude the many instances 1 have received
OF the prediction you have shown in my
favor. l shall ever continue your friend If
! your ladysh ip Will permit me so to style my
self, and as proof of my regard l offer you
this advice: Correct your vanity, which is
ridiculous; exert your absurd caprices on
| others and leave me in peace. Your obedient
servant, BYRON.
Another curious note is credited to the
late Right Hon. w. H. Smith, who would
frequently write to his wife from the
treasury bench in Parliament amid the
din OF debate or the languor of obstruc-
! tive talk.
OF the compliments both right and left
handed passed between man and wife
there are many examples In the love affairs
of distinguished personages. We have
space or but one. Lord Sherbrooke at the
time OF his marriage was not very
wealthy, and one day, it is said, he was
criticizing the Episcopalian marriage serv-
ice, and especially the part VIII ich reads,
with all my worldly goods l thee en-
dow" when l married" he remarked,
Il had nothing to give to my BRIDE"
'Yes, Robert" suggested Mrs. Lowe,
you had your magnificent intel lect."
My dear, did not endow you with
that"
The husband help the house wife; God
help the bachelor" So runs the old ORR
entail proverb. We were inclined to ac-
cept the statement with the respect usu
ally accorded to the aphorism halowed by
time till in readIug the index prefxed to
The Love Affairs of Some Famous Men"
We came to one chapter thus significantly
headed,
"HENPECKED,"
And with much curiosity we read it.
What record List, ye bachelors in
clined to weary Of the single state, and
take note of the following instances fur
nished by history:
Cecilia, the wife OF the great painter, Titan,
is said to have been a domneering, dirta-
torial woman, who insisted that her husband
should render an account TO her OF every item
OF his expenditure. The painter wss very
wealthy, but we are told that the poor man
was often put 10 the sorest straits 10 buy
glass of wine without letting his wife know
anything about the transaction.
In this noteworthy chapter is the germ
OF plan that might be utilized with ad-
vantage to-day, and that not hundred
miles from San Francisco:
The wife of Wycherley. the dramatist OF the
! RES toration," kept a tight hand on her hus-
band. She wished him always to be within
her reach and objected even to his visiting
| the tavern, which was exactly opposite their
| house. "whither, if Mr.. Wycherey at any time
went, he was obliged TO leave the window
open that his lady might see there was no
woman in his company"
To mention but couple of many other
unfortunates cited in the book before u.s.
there was Sir Richard Arkwright, the in
ventor of the spinning jenny, who sepa-
rated from his wife because she used to
| break models OF the machines he con-
| triyed and our own Abraham Lincoln
| whose wife could never keep servant for
more than a couple of months. An anus
ing anecd ote is told of him in this connec-
ton. A man had called to discuss with
| Mrs Lincoln her runceremonious dismissal
| of his niece. He was received with ges-
lures so violent and language so emphatic
that be was glad to beat hasty retreat
He went and told his story to the unfor-
tunate husband. Lincoln replied: 81 re-
| gret to hear this but let me ask you in all
candor, cannot you endure for few mo-
ments what has been my portion for the
last fifteen years ?" These words were ac-
panied with such look of distress that
the man was completely disarmed. He
expressed his deepest sympathy, and even
apologized for having approached the
President. EMANUEL ELIAS
VERSES WORTH READING.