WIVES WITH BAD-TEMPERED HUSBANDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 166, 7 August 1909, Page 4

WIVES WITH BAD-TEMPERED HUSBANDS

The writer recently had the good fortune lo meet a lady—unmarried--who had made a study of the marriage question, and had, incidentally, collectid together quite an interesting amount ol matter relative to "bad-tempered husbands" and the mean acts they are capable of committing when things do not go quite as they want them to.

"There is nothing worse in i-ns world," said the good lady, 'than a badtempered man married to a meek and loiigsunering wife, for in such u case lie will allow his spleen full vein, and then the mean things she does are astounding. 1 have made a collection of the acts of some of these men—if you can call them men—and 1 should like you to publish a selection as some slight warning to those foolish women who imagine marriage is the main reason for their presence here on earth. 1 liave never married, on principle, and 1 shall probably die an old maid, so it cannot be 6aid that I have any grievance against any one particular person, i merely give you the experiences oi others. BECAUSE DINNER WAS NOT BEADY.

"What would you think of a man who, because his dinner wasn't ready within a fraction of the appointed time, rushed upstairs with the carvug knife, ripped the lining out of his wife's new gown, and then left the diningtable implement sticking in the crown of her new Merry Widow? You con'! scarcely credit it? Yet I have eviden. here which proves that the act has 1" > committed by several husbands, a... with even less provocation than a la:. meal. . „, "Here is another example. The case came into the courts some time ago. This 'man' was married, to a charmint, hut seemingly weak, little woman, wao never made any complaint however badly she was treated. The husband made life a burden to her, but as she never protested he thought, I suppose, that she didn't suffer sufficiently. So one dav, when he found a hair in the soun or* fly on the butter-I forget wiiichhe sought to express his displeasure by taking a kitten on which the little woman had lavished what remained of Tier affection, tying a string to its neck, and suspending it from the chandelier. "The patient wife did not at tirs. realise what was happening but when the ball of fluff liegan to writhe in the throes of strangulation all her latent spirit was aroused, and in a frenzy ot long-suppressed revolt she first cut tho animal down and then threw everything at her husband that she could lay «»>• hands on. It didn't matter what waj the size of the thing she seized-it west with unerring aim and force at M" head of the man who "nad at last brought to life her torpid wrath. Soon ne lav bleeding and unconscious in the. midst of the debris. She never even waited to see whether he were alive or dead, but left the house there and then. Three months later she obtained her divorce.

A FATAL PRACTICAL JOKE. "Another example ot what a "attempered husband is capable of w.i« brought to my notice a tew week-s »«■"> by a friend, who knows that T take an interest fit such things. The man in this instance was a physician, nnd sinalimraded and jealous to a degree. He objected to his wife associating with anyone even of her own sex, and consequently she led an objectless and most monotonous life. The poor woman had one brother to whom she was passionately attached and who sympathised with her, but he, man-like, thought be might only make matters worse if he interfered.' and so said nothing. '•One day the doctor arrived home in a particularly ill frame of mind. and. us usual, vented his temper upon his wife. After dinner—during which hj" smashed three plates because they were chipped—he took his lint and departed. His wife, of rourse, remained at home, and about an hour later a telegram was brought to her. which, o'l 7- ning, she found contained the hor.n----r ' - news that her brother bad beev

• .--> over by an automobile and was dead. The poor woman dropped like .• stune. -n 1 when her husband returned to see the effect of bis little pleasantry be found her lying on the floor of the surgery. The ease never came int.i court, but the facts are well known and could cash- be authenticated.

, AN OLD HARIT. Had - tempered husbands froquen> »ci|iiir« the habit of throwing nrtii-i • at their wives—articles of a ligb - tore, perhaps, but which, nevcrt';.> ■ it is wisest to dodge. 1 have a <.-.. here of such a nature. The hushanda big, unwieldy brute—would frequently take up the nearest object that eamct> his hand and throw it at his wife, who, through long practice, usually 'ducked' just in time. She never retaliated intil one day a friend, who had possessed ~ husband with a similar peculiarity—aivl whom she had cured—advised her to smash two things to every one that her husband destroyed. "On the very next occasion she carried out this advice to the letter, a~iA sent nearly everything the room contained to smithereens. Later on the bill for the damage was sent in to the husband, who did a little thinking aid thni decided to quit. He called n truce, and has never since thrown as much as i feather duster at his better half. The plan adopted by this wise woman should be copied by every wife who is subjected to a similar prosecution."