SILENT WOMEN.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1001, 23 February 1883, Page 2

SILENT WOMEN.

A wife,who lives in the town of Harmony (?) has not'spoken to her husband for twenty-one years 1. In 1859 the has- ‘ band contradicted her harshly in the. presence of company, and she threatened that if he did’nt behave better towards her she would never speak to him again. He retorted that he wished she would’nt, and she has not since gpokon to him. They have continued to live together :' peaceably, and during the longmlence 1 have had several children;- 'Everything goes on at their house as usual with farmers. The husband is attentive, and converses with his wife through one of ; the children. For instance; he will ask a child, at ,the table, your mother have some more meat ?” Or at another ; time,; Is!' your mother going ?to town with me to-day ?” The’- family are ( weal thy F and ; respectable. 1 There has Been until recently a curious case of silence in Michigan, A Mrs Mills lost her health about thirty years ago; under the trials and privations of rude Western life. She finally took;to her bed and maintained such inexorable silence there that her family Were compelled to believe that she was insane. Her children greW 'np and were married and others took the household cares, while she continued silent in bed. .Not long ago a hired attendant persnming upon her inability to complain was gnilty of some special impudence.' Instantly she sprang ? out ; of bed, arid with flashing eyes gavethe offender a good scolding. .Then she. arose and recommericed her active exist-

ence, to husband and friends. She bas-snrely had a long rest from work?, and, Western;.life is pleasanter now Than.in 1840. These Singular instances in<-real life mrefanalogous, to one. equally, strange, ?which in romancej has -just been ...brought .before £he readingqmblic.Hesther.;De.thridge, a. character' in <Wilkie ..Collins’s novel, “ Maxi and Wife,”'lived, according to the .story, for y.eajrs under.a self-dmposcd silence— a made her--self perform for a fearful: crime.