Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-11-17
HOW CURE A SCOLD.
The Gentle Art of Duckins and Muzzlins
Shrews.

inc Oehtie Aft OF UuCkinS ana muZzlinS
Shrews.
Tit Bits
What our forefathers must have suf-
fered from the rigors of women's
tongues may be partly gauged by the
drastic measures they devised to tame
them-the ducking stools and muzzlcs,
of which several still survive in differ
ent parts of England, rusiing in dis
use.
1t is not many years since one of
these instruments of reform" was
discovered in the tower of old Hack
ney church. 1t was ducking Cor,
perhaps, more correctly, a " cucking")
stool, consisting of a stout framework
of iron hoops, with bottom OF iron
lattice work, on which the scolds of a
century or more ago took their seats
for their enforced baptism in river or
pond; probably in this case in Hack
ney brook. which used to flow within a
few yards of where Mare street now
stands.
Warwickshirc is especially rich in
these survivals of eighteenth century
home-rule" methods. There is one
at Kenilworth which did good service
to the husbands of Queen Elizabeth's
days; and another is to be found in the
crypt of Beauchamp church.
But though England in these days
of gallant husbands and amiable
wives has no use for such barbaric
methods, there is rumor that "duck-
ing" is to be revived in New Jersey,
where certain ladies' tongues refuse to
yield to moral suasion; and muzzles
are in constant use for refractory wo-
men in the provincial penitentiary at
Cologne. Not long ago girl who was
wearing one of these muzzles was
found dead, and the chief officials Of
the prison were charged with man
slaughter. 1t could not be proved,
however, that death was due to suffo-
cation from the muzzle, and the Off
cia.s were acquitted.
In the statute books of Virginia is
to De found this quaint and amusing
law:
Whereas many babbliny women
slander and scandalize their neigh
bors, for which their poor husbands
are often involved in chargeable and
vexatious suits and costs in great dam
ages: Be it enacted that in actions of
slander occasioned by the wife, after
judgment passed for the damages. the
woman shall be punished by ducking,
and if the SANDER be so enormous as
to be adjudged at greater damages
than 500 pounds OF tobacco"
Time was in England when the
milder method of fines was tried and
woman whose tongue was source
of vexation to her husband or neigh
bors was held before the magistrates,
and given the option of n fine or n
ducking. AS, however, the payment
of the fine usually fell to the lot of the
husband it is, perhaps, little wonder
that ducking was preferred by him !;
and If when the wife had an expert
ence of cold water she gave her hus-
band an experience of hot water, at
least it was preferable to paying a
heavy fine.
1t is interesting, at the end of the
nineteenth century, to conjure up n
picture of "ducking," as practiced
at the end of the eighteenth century.
When the "scold" had been proper
ly tried and convicted, she was Sssort-
ed by a crowd of her neighbof.g in
fact. by the whole village-to the
nearest pond; and the greener and
Sinner the pond the better. A long
plank was produced, at one end of
which was the "ducking STOOL" and
in this the screaming, struggling VIC
tim was securely pinioned.
The chair end of the plank was
then pushed far over the edge of the
pond, and at signal it was tilted
deep into the green ooze until the
scold was completely immersed.
When the dripping, half-drowned
woman was raised to the surface again,
to the jeers and laughter of the on
lockers, it can be imagined that her
tongue wagged to some purpose.
After second dose she emerged more
subdued and after a third or fourth
she was as penitent woman as the
village contained, and was allowed to
proceed home sadder and wiser wO-
man-until next time.
An alternative to the ducking stool
was the muzzle, or scold's bride" a
helmet which was padlocked on the
head, and which was provided with a
gag which insured silence as long as il
was in position. Another favorite
method of "taming a shrew" was to
carry her through the village seated
on a plank, to the accompaniment ol
all the old pans and kettles the village
could muster. How we'll for some oil
us that we were not born century
earlier!
Mamma" said little 4-year-olc
| Etbol NAV hova q piano of cak keV