The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-06-07
NAGGING WOMEN.
What Petruchio, Solomon and Rip
Van Winkle Have Borne.


Even though young young women
/. are so unfortunate as to possess
shrewish temper they take care not
% display 1t too publicly, knowing
too we'll, It would brighten away any
admirers who may be attracted by
their beauty and acc accomplishments,
for It is a rare thing 10 find man
with the courage of Petruchio to at
tempt the cure of this evil habit Nor
Is il likely that bride Will fall into
the habit of nagging directly after
Ter marriage, since brides usually
| make themselves as agreeable as
possible, at least until the sentiment
ard romance of the honeymoon have
given place to the care of life and
| tie realty of commonplace exist
TO say just how the habit of scold-
! ing does begin At first, it is sell
! dom In earnest, of IL ii be It Is soon
| repented of and forgiven a. being on
| ~ one OF those little tiffs" which
| like summer shower, occasionally
summer bliss. These small fallings
out are so proverbial part of the
| first year of marriage, before the
newly wed couple have become init
mately acquainted with each others
character and disposition, that the
| famous glitch OF Dunmow" was in
stituted as a reward to be given to
the fortunate couple who could swear
-kneeling on the steps OF Dunmow
Church that during the first year
they had never had a disagreement.
Although the prize was Instituted In
the twelfth century, 1t is asserted
hat frequently years pass without
any claimants appearing, and when
in last December at the annual dis
tribution three couples appeared to
claim their fitch 1t was looked upon
as so unusual and SURPRISING that
the people of the parish expressed the
opinion that the millennium must
be about to begin.
Married people often confess that
the first year was the least happy
of their united life. So many pc
culiarites that are not much in evil
dence during courtship gradually
show themselves, ana only by mutual
forbearance and gentleness can these
things be overcome. Once these
have been adjusted the chances are
that the young people settle down
to a peaceful existence in which, IL
sorrows and trials come, they are
borne bravely and serve but to draw
them more closely together. But,
unfortunately, there are some women
who never learn forbearance, and
very fresh discovery that their hus-
band is less perfect than they fam
eiei him to be Is regarded by them
as a crime and made the occasion of
long snd bitter accusations. One
scene like this is sure to lead to an
other, and soon not day passes that
the unhappy wife does not berate
her husband about something or 9th
G.. That the most ardent affection
soon dies under such storms of tenn
per is little won Ter. and that men
can put up with 1t and not find eff
fectual means to silence the unrnly
tongue, IS marvel to everybody not
similarly afflicted.
From the feeling way In which
King Solomon alludes several times
TO "contenti1ns" or nagging women,
comparing them to continual
dropping on a very rainy day" 1t Is
plainly to be seen that In some OF
his numerous matrimonial ventures
h, had had tho misfortune to en-
counter that worst of earthly evils,
a nagging wife or perhaps several
of them poor man! That the sub
ject was often in his thoughts is
evident, for when he is not openly
complaining, as In the above quota
ton, he says: Better is dry NOR
sci with quietness than house full
OF sacrifices with strife" and again,
Il, Is better to dwell in a Wilderness
thar with a contentious and angry ]
woman" Many a man has uttered
q sign of understanding and sympa-
thy as he read or listened TO those
words, and not few have echoed
Rip Van Wrinkles sentiment regard
ing the silent apparition of the
Catskill Mountains that II they had
"A sister what fine wife she would
make. No doubt this very feeling
was at the bottom OF the sympathy
Everyone felt for the vagabond Rip
when, according to all justice, II
should have been width his ill-used
u.ffn Zaf,.iun