Year: 1871

Man discovers he must sacrifice too
much of his liberty if he makes his wife
a real companion, and he speedily sinks
back into the habits of single blessedness,
and leaves her neglected at home. His
companions soon forget to regard him as
a married man at all his old corner at
the club is again filled, and he is as as.
siduous as ever at whist and billiards.
y ou hear in the morning that he reach
ed home at daylight; or perhaps he tells
of adventures which smack of the old
rowdy life which he once promised to ad-
jure. Young men with lofty idea of
what married life should be either de-
spise him, or learp to think that mar
riage is, after all, very much Of lottery,
IN which the blanks vastly out number
the prizes. Those who are hard upon
women insist that his life cannot be IA
comfortable one, or he would not spend
his leisures in the tavern while others
gifted with keen eyesig ight, merely pity
the poor creature who is pining in soli-
tude, and perhaps breaking her heart
CuriOusl y enough, the man who shirks
home duties, aud whose wife is mere
drudge or housekeeper, has always won,
derful things to say in praise of her. She
is paragon of wife, aud he is the best
of husbands she adores him, and will
not permit him to NOPE at home, but in
sists that he shall continue to seek the
society Of his Old friends Every story
he tells Of himself proves that he has no
idea of being faithful to his marriage
VOWS but he asserts roundly, and with
much apparent sincerity, that his faith in
her integrity is nnbouudcd Whatever
he may do, she remains true, and at what
ever hour of the night or morning he may
return home, he is sure to see the "faith-
full light" burning in his window. He
has apparently no idea that he is infict-
ing the keenest suffering upon her, or, if
the thought crosses his mind, he dismis-
ses it without a pang. Perhaps he is kind,
as far as mere words go, and does not for,
get the outward show of respect which
he owes her. a man must be low, in
deed, who can use hard words and be sys-
tematcally cruel to his wife. There are
rufiians, no doubt, who silence the com





with drunken oaths and brutal language,
but we will not sully our pages by further
allusion to such men. We are trying to
sketch man who does no more than tax
the patience and endurance OF his COM
panon, but perhaps we shall see that even
he, with the veneer and polish of gen
tleman upon him, may sometimes forget
the poor homage which is due to the
weakness of woman. Men who are
themselves sufficiently mindful of their
duties are often curious to know what
sorts of homes such men can have, aud
how far they are mindful Of their first
duty Of providing for the household cx
penses. Is there, for example. struggling
and poverty in the home while the head
is enjoying himself abroad lie dresses,
well, and even fashionably; /; has the poor,
neglected wife anything or wear becom-
ing her station, or is she obliged to be
contented with such scanty garments as
she can wiring from the meagre house
keeping Perhaps he keeps his address
a profound secret, and you know no one
who is on visiting terms with them or
vague rumors reach you OF the squalid
Of the once trim and neat wo.
man reduced to a careworn slattern, aud
all trace of style and station banished from
the den in which he now lives You have
seen him on rare occasions called from
the Office during business hours to speak
to some sad looking, sombre clad woman,
and the suspicion that she is the paragon
Of wife Of whom he boasts does not cross
your mind until some inquisitive body
hints the probability of the fact You
surmise a score of reasons for the visit
a child lying sick at home, and no cash
in the houses for necessares or he has
been out all night, and the poor timid
creature has ventured to town to assure
herself of his safety


Ealifnrnia TOHn