The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-23

one mile less in a married than in a
single state Mrs. Wesley seems e
have accepted these conditions. but
shortly after their marriage her de-
mands became exacting and she tor
mented Wesley with her suspicious
spirit. Within four months after the
wedding Charles Wesley found his sis
ter-in-law in tears and heard from her
complaints of his brothers treatment
She travelled with her husband extern
sively during the first four years. but
was never able TO appreciate his work
or sympathize with il. She was nerv-
Gus. acrimonious. Of a sorrowful spirit
and almost insanely jealous. In 1855
she came ecross package of Wesleys
letters 20 Charles Perronet. These she
opened and when she found a few sim
pie lines addressed to Mrs. Lefevre
she flew into q passion. Referring 10
his wife's conduct Wesley. in Feb
ruary. l7S6. wrote 20 his friend Sarah
Ryan: Your last letter wac season
able indeeo. ! was growing faint In
my mind. The being constantly watch
ed over for evil; the having every
word spoke. every action I did. small
or great. watched with no friendly eye;
the hearing a thousand little tart. un-
KIND reflections in return for the kind
est words could devise.
Like drops of eating water in the mar
Bile,
At length have worn away my sinking
spirits down.
Yet could not say: Take thy plague
away from me, but only, let me be
purified. not consumed"
In January. 1858. Mrs. Wesley left
her husband, vowing she would never
return. Later, she seized Wesley's pa
epers and put them into the hands Of
his enemies. She interpolated words
TO make them bear a bad construc-
ton and published them in the papers.
In her fts of jealousy Mrs Wesley
would order a chaise and drive 100
miles to see who was with her hus-
band in his carriage when he entered
a town. John Hampson, in his life
of Wesley, says: II was once on the
point of committing murder I went
into room, in the North of Ireland,
where found Mrs. Wesley, foaming
with fury, her husband on the floor
She had been trailing him along by the
hair of his head, and was still hold
ing in her hand venerable locks which
she had plucked UP by the roots. |
felt as though / could have knocked
the soul out of her."
Mrs. Wesley often left her husband,
and then returned in answer TO his
entreaties. At last. in January. 177l,
she left purposing never to return.
Mr.. Wesley wrote in his journal: "She
is gone to Newcastle, l know not for
what reason, saying she would never
see my face again. Noa cam reliuui,
non dimissi, non revocabo." Il did not
forsake her; | did not dismiss her; I
VIII not recall herr Later, she seems
to have desired a reunion, and Wes-
ley wrote her under date of Sept. a.,
l771:
My Dear: 1 sincerely wish a re-
union, If ii could be on good terms
First, restore my papers: second,
promise to take no more. But, upon
reflection, l see l was too hasty, for
you have given copies OF my papers
and these you cannot recall. Likewise,
you have spoken all manner of evil
against me, particularly to my enemies.
All you can do now, IL you are ever
so willing, is to unsay what you have
said. For instance, you have said
over and over that I have lived in
adultery these twenty years. DO you
believe this. or do you not? If you
do, how can you live with such mon
ster? If you do not, give IL me under
your hand. Is not this the least that
you can do?
Mrs Wesley remained with her
daughter, Mrs. Smith. at Newcastle,
during the following year. when she
returned with her husband to Bristol
She was still with him in 1774. but
later they separated. Wesley records
on Oct. IA. 1871: 81 came to London
and was informed that my wife died
on Monday. That evening she WIS
buried. though l was not informed of
1t until a day or two afterward" The
stone erected over her grave describes
her as woman Of exemplary char
acter, tender parent and sincere
friend"