Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-03
Why Jerry Jenkins Wife Left Home.
BY ROYAL DANIEL.

ERRY JENKINS was the second in
command. His shoulder straps didn't
mean anything. Before he got mar
- ried het~atched married men with his
weather eye and told himself how he
would walk erect and throw the gauntlet
to his wife and be the whole thing. After
he got a wife and saw how the ground
lay, he reproached himself for ever vast
ing hts time building air castles. So he
Just dropped into the wings Of the stage
and looked on at the leading lady in the
star role.
Jerry wasn't always an ill-tempered
man. In his youth. before the days Of mat
rimonial slavery came upon him, he knew
a thing or two and imagined he had an
opinion of his own. He fought through the
civil war and learned to dodge bullets
right along. AZ his trade as a blacksmith
he took pleasure in tackling the mule with
the longest ears and heaviest rear appen-
dages. He laughed at danger when serving
his turn as a volunteer fireman. One day
he tempted providence and got married
and then his courage began to dwindle
like the fire in the stove when you turn
the damper on.
Mrs. jenkins grew strong and waxed
mighty in the eyes of her fractional part.
She practiced the art Of being stern and
unrelenting and when she thought 1t was
about time to give Jerry a curtain lecture,
she sent the cook out for a walk drew the
curtains down and looked straight through
him. At first he bucked and paved the
dust and pulled hard on the rein; then he
felt the spurs and settled down to baking.
In his passion he would try to do every
thing at one time and when resignation
came he wouldn't do anything anytime.
These at home rehearsals began to tell
before the wife was fortnight welded
and her husband dropped a hint or two
about the place that he might some day
not be found at home and would go away
wearing his grip and best tile hat. 1t was
the worst thing he could have hit upon.
for Mrs. Jenkins at once became furious
and fred her heaviest guns brOadside.
She would have to take him In hand. she
said, and teach him how husband should
talk back at his fond little baby Of a wife.
Women were always weak and vacilating.
she declared, and Il was one Of the first
duties to enter a gymnasium and get exer-
else and then teach mon their proper
place. These oIninous sayings EmOte
nightly upon the ear Of the henpecked
one and he sobbed nights in his dreams.
It is possible that Mrs. Jenkins still
loved her thirty-seoond. but she loved Mrs
jenkins more and took no pains to keep Il
a secret. She declared &c was his duty to
kiss her every time he came home from
work and not the part OF a husband to
complain that she ate onions. He smoked,
didn't he7 She set up brass yard meas
ure for the golden rule and always held
It over Jerry's head If he didn't stop
thinking about his business and pet her
more, and II he didn't tell every woman
he met that his wife was mitch prettier
and far dearer than they, and II he didn't
quit looking pleasanter on the street than
he did at home, she promised every woe
full fate that history knows as the lot Of
the most unfortunate Of male creation.
IN vain aid Jerry jeopareize himself by
differing with her. He brought home big
books full OF advice Co the rouster-peeker,
but It wouldn't SO. She knew more than
the books. Nobody could tell her any
thing, and she boRsted, It was her great
est pleasure to tell other women how she
had old Jerry going. She couldn't tnder-
stand how they let their husbands have a
say about anything, And It was not long
before all the women OF the neighborhood
had taken a vow to be 60 indcpendsht as
Mrs Jenkins and TO rule with even a
sterner hand. Then the wives, having
plotted together at the whist club, swore
none would know q rival IN the art of
brow-beating their husbands, and they all
forthwith donned the feathers and used
up n bucket Of war paint.
Jerry was in the meantime getting very
desperate. He laid awake at nights plan
INNS Ills eHGAPGt OHe AHlEAlAIH ne E6aGHeA
his conclusion and went 70 his Office with
determination burning In his breast.
He was stoop-shouldered on revenge. He
made up his mind that he would stay at
home and nurse and do like his wife want
cd him, but he chucklea TO himself that
great would be the cost to her.
He bought him a cheap cornet and un-
dertook TO play It. He got connected with
a drum and began taking lessons every
night. He swung indian clubs all over
the house, He did fancy shots with pis
toll IN his bedroom, doing stunts at the
eyes OF his picture gallery OF people-in-
law on the wall He bought a pack of
fox hounds and starved them in the cellar,
He tortured the cat by Initiating its sweet
heart at midnight.
He read UP on histories OF rebellions and
acted the part OF rebel chief. He didn't
do a thing but mock Pandemontum and