Married Life; Its Shadows and Sunshine
Page 1
Married Life; Its Shadows and Sunshine
S. T. Arthur
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Title: Married Life; Its Shadows and Sunshine
Author: T. S. Arthur
Posting Date: August 30, 2009 [EBook #4626] Release Date: November, 2003 First Posted: February 20, 2002
Language: English
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Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines.
MARRIED LIFE:
ITS SHADOWS AND SUNSHINE
BY
T. S. ARTHUR.
PHILADELPHIA:
1852.
PREFACE.
THE highest, purest, best and holiest relation in life is that of marriage, which ought never to be regarded as a mere civil contract, entered into from worldly ends, but as an essential union of two minds, by which each gains a new power, and acquires! new capacities for enjoyment and usefulness. Much has been said and written about the equality of the sexes, and the rights of woman; but little of all that has been said or written on this subject is based upon a discriminating appreciation of the difference between man and woman; a difference provided by the Creator, who made them for each other, and stamped upon the spirit of each an irresistible tendency towards conjunction.
The many evils resulting from marriage do not arise from a failure in our sex to recognise the equality of man and woman, or the rights of the latter; but from hasty, ill-judged and discordant alliances, entered into in so many cases, from motives of a mere external nature, and with no perception of internal qualities tending to a true spiritual conjunction. Oppression and wrong cannot flow from true affection, for love seeks to bless its object.—If, therefore, man and woman are not happy in marriage, the fault lies in an improper union, and no remedy can be found in outward constraints or appliances. Let each, under such circumstances, remove from himself or herself a spirit of selfish opposition; let forbearance, gentleness, and a humane consideration, the one for the other, find its way into the heart, and soon a better and a brighter day will dawn upon them; for then will begin that true interior conjunction which only can be called marriage. Happily, we have the intellectual ability to see what is true, and the power to compel ourselves to do what reason shows us to be right. And here lies the power of all to rise above those ills of life which flow from causes in themselves. To aid in this work, so far as discordant marriage relations are concerned, and to bind in closer bonds those whose union is internal, is the present volume prepared. That it will tend to unite rather than separate, where discord unhappily exists, and to warn those about forming alliances against the wrong of improper ones, the author is well assured.
This book is the second in the series of “ARTHUR’S LIBRARY FOR THE HOUSEHOLD.” The third in the series will be “THE TWO WIVES; OR, LOST AND WON,” which is nearly ready for publication.
CONTENTS.
THREE WAYS OF MANAGING A HUSBAND. RULING A WIFE. THE INVALID WIFE. THE FIRST AND LAST QUARREL. GUESS WHO IT IS. MARRYING A TAILOR. THE MAIDEN’S CHOICE. THE FORTUNE-HUNTER. IS MARRIAGE A LOTTERY? THE UNLOVED ONE.
MARRIED LIFE.
THREE WAYS OF MANAGING A HUSBAND.
TO those who have never tried the experiment, the management of a husband may seem a very easy matter. I thought so once, but a few years’ hard experience has compelled me to change my mind. When I married Mr. John Smith, which was about ten years ago, I was not altogether blind to his faults and peculiarities; but then he had so many solid virtues, that these were viewed as minor considerations. Besides, I flattered myself that it would be the easiest thing in the world to correct what was not exactly to my taste. It is no matter of especial wonder that I should have erred in this, for Mr. John Smith, while a lover, really appeared to have no will of his own, and no thought of himself. It was only necessary for me to express a wish, and it was gratified.
I soon found, much to my disappointment, that there is a marked difference between a husband and a lover: it was at least so in the case of Mr. Smith, and observation, since I have had my eyes open, satisfies me that it is so in most cases. I must own, in justice to all parties, however, that this difference is made more apparent by a want of knowledge, on the other side, in regard to the difference between the relation of a wife and a sweetheart—between the wooed and the won.
There were a good many little things in Mr. Smith, which I had noticed before marriage, that I made up my mind to correct as soon as I had an opportunity to apply the proper means. He had a fashion of saying “Miss” for “Mrs.,” as “Miss Jones” and “Miss Peters” for “Mrs. Jones” and “Mrs. Peters.” This sounded exceedingly vulgar to my ears, and I waited almost impatiently for the time to come when I could use the prerogative of a wife for its correction. He had, an ungraceful way of lounging in his chair and half reclining on the sofa, even in company, that was terrible. It made me uneasy from head to foot. Then he said, “I shew it to him” for “I showed it to him,”—”of-_ten_” for “oft’n”—and “obleeged” for “obliged.”
Besides these, there were sundry other things that worried me not a little. But I consoled myself with the reflection that when I became Mrs. Smith all these little matters would vanish like frost in the sunshine. I was, alas! doomed to be mistaken. But let me give my experience for the benefit of those who are to come after me.
We had been married just ten days, and I had begun to feel that I was really a wife, and had a right to say and do a little as I pleased, when Mr. Smith said to me, as we sat quite lover-like on the sofa in the evening,
“I met Miss Williams as I came home this evening—”
“For mercy’s sake, Mr. Smith! don’t say Miss when you speak of a married woman. It is excessively vulgar.” I was not aware that I had spoken in a very offensive way, but I noticed an instant change in Mr. Smith. He replied, with some dignity of tone, and manner—
“I ask your pardon, madam; but I didn’t say Miss. I am not quite so ignorant as all that comes to.”
“Oh, yes, Mr. Smith, but you did say it,” I replied, quite astonished at this unexpected denial.
“Excuse me for saying that you are in error,” he returned, drawing himself up. “I never say Miss for Mrs.”
“Why, Mr. Smith! You always say it. I have noticed it a hundred times. I believe I can hear pretty correctly.”
“In this instance you certainly have not.”
Mr. Smith was growing warm, and I felt the blood rushing to my face. A rather tart reply was on my lips, but I bit them hard and succeeded in keeping them closed.
A deep silence followed. In a little while Mr. Smith took up a newspaper and commenced reading, and I found some relief for a heavy pressure that was upon my bosom, in the employment of hem-stitching a fine pocket-handkerchief.
And this was the return I had met for a kind attempt to correct a mistake of my husband’s, that made him liable to ridicule on the charge of vulgarity! And to deny, too, that he said “Miss,” when I had been worried about it for more than a year! It was too bad!
After this Mr. Smith was very particular in saying, when he spoke of a married woman to me, Misses. The emphasis on the second syllable was much too strongly marked to be pleasant on my ears. I was terribly afraid he would say “Mistress,” thus going off into the opposite extreme of vulgarity.
/> This first attempt to put my husband straight had certainly not been a very pleasant one. He had shown, unexpectedly to me, a humour that could by no means be called amiable; and by which I was both grieved, and astonished. I made up my mind that I would be very careful in future how I tried my hand at reforming him. But his oft-repeated “he shew it to me,” and “obleeged,” soon fretted me so sorely, that I was forced to come down upon him again, which I did at a time when I felt more than usually annoyed. I cannot remember now precisely what I said to him, but I know that I put him into an ill-humour, and that it was cloudy weather in the house for a week, although the sun shone brightly enough out of doors. “He shew it to me,” and “obleeged” were, however, among the things that had been, after that. So much was gained; although there were times when I half suspected that I had lost more than I had gained. But I persevered, and, every now and then, when I got “worked up” about something, administered the rod of correction.
Gradually I could see that my husband was changing, and, as I felt, for the worse. Scarcely a year had passed before he would get into a pet if I said the least word to him. He couldn’t bear any thing from me. This seemed very unreasonable, and caused me not only to sigh, but to shed many a tear over his perverseness. From the thoughtful, ever considerate, self-sacrificing lover, he had come to be disregardful of my wishes, careless of my comfort, and indifferent to my society. Still I felt by no means inclined to give him up; was by no means disposed to let him have his own way. It was clear to my mind that I had rights as well as he had; and I possessed resolution enough to be ready to maintain them. His self-will and indifference to my wishes roused in me a bitter and contentious spirit; and, in an evil hour, I determined that I would make a struggle for the mastery. An opportunity was not long delayed. The Philharmonic Society had announced one of its splendid concerts. A lady friend, who had frequently attended these concerts, called in to see me, and, by what she said, filled me with a desire to enjoy the fine musical treat that had been announced for that very evening.
When Mr. Smith came home at dinner he said, before I had time to mention the concert—
“Mary, I’ve taken a fancy to go and see Fanny Ellsler to-night, and, as there will be no chance of getting a good seat this afternoon, I took the precaution to secure tickets as I came home to dinner. I would have sent the porter with a note to know whether there was any thing to prevent your going to-night, but he has been out all the morning, and I concluded that, even if there should be some slight impediment in the way, you could easily set it aside.”
Now this I thought too much. To go and buy tickets to see Fanny Ellsler dance, and take it for granted that I would lay every thing aside to go, when I had set my heart on attending the Philharmonic concert!
“You are a strange man, Mr. Smith,” said I. “You ought to know that I don’t care a fig about seeing Fanny Ellsler. I don’t relish such kind of performances. You at least might have waited until you came home to dinner and asked the question. I don’t believe a word about the good seats all being taken this morning. But it’s just like you! To go and see this dancers toss her feet about was a thing you had made up your mind to do, and I was to go along whether I liked it or not.”
“You talk in rather a strange way, Mrs. Smith,” said my husband, evidently offended.
“I don’t see that I do,” replied I, warming. “The fact is, Mr. Smith, you seem to take it for granted that I am nobody. Here I’ve been making all my calculations to go to the Philharmonic to-night, and you come home with tickets for the theatre! But I can tell you plainly that I am not going to see Fanny Ellsler, and that I am going to the Philharmonic.”
This was taking a stand that I had never taken before. In most of my efforts to make my husband go my way, he had succeeded in making me go his way. This always chafed me dreadfully. I fretted and scolded, and “all that sort of thing,” but it was no use, I could not manage him. The direct issue of “I won’t” and “I will” had not yet been made, and I was some time in coming to the resolution to have a struggle, fiercer than ever, for the ascendency. I fondly believed that for peace’ sake he would not stand firm if he saw me resolute. Under this view of the case, I made the open averment that I would not go to the theatre. I expected that a scene would follow, but I was mistaken. Mr. Smith did, indeed, open his eyes a little wider, but he said nothing.
Just then the bell announced that dinner was on the table. Mr. Smith arose and led the way to the dinner-room with a firm step. Before we were married he wouldn’t have dreamed of thus preceding me! I was fretted at this little act. It indicated too plainly what was in the man.
Dinner passed in silence. I forced myself to eat, that I might appear unconcerned. On rising from the table, Mr. Smith left the house without saying a word.
You may suppose I didn’t feel very comfortable during the afternoon. I had taken my stand, and my intention was to maintain it to the last. That Mr. Smith would yield I had no doubt at first. But, as evening approached, and the trial-time drew near, I had some misgivings.
Mr. Smith came home early.
“Mary,” said he, in his usual pleasant way, “I have ordered a carriage to be here at half-past seven. We mustn’t leave home later, as the curtain rises at eight.”
“What curtain rises? Where do you think of going?”
“To see Fanny Ellsler, of course. I mentioned to you at dinner-time that I had tickets.”
This was said very calmly.
“And I told you at dinner-time that I was going to the Philharmonic, and not to see this dancer.” I tried to appear as composed as he was, but failed in the attempt altogether.
“You were aware that I had tickets for the theatre before you said that,” was the cold answer he made.
“Of course I was.”
“Very well, Mary. You can do as you like. The carriage will be here at half-past seven. If you are then ready to go to the theatre, I shall be happy to have your company.” And my husband, after saying this with a most unruffled manner, politely bowed and retired to the parlour.
I was on fire. But I had no thought of yielding.
At half-past seven I was ready. I heard the carriage drive up to the door and the bell ring.
“Mary,” called my husband at the bottom of the stair-case, in a cheerful tone, “are you ready?”
“Ready to go where?” I asked on descending.
“To the theatre.”
“I am ready for the concert,” I answered in as composed a voice as I could assume.
“I am not going to the concert to-night, Mrs. Smith. I thought you understood that,” firmly replied my husband. “I am going to see Fanny Ellsler. If you will go with me, I shall be very happy to have your company. If not, I must go alone.”
“And I am going to the Philharmonic. I thought you understood that,” I replied, with equal resolution.
“Oh! very well,” said he, not seeming to be at all disturbed. “Then you can use the carriage at the door. I will walk to the theatre.”
Saying this, Mr. Smith turned from me deliberately and walked away. I heard him tell the driver of the carriage to take me to the Musical Fund Hall; then I heard the street-door close, and then I heard my husband’s footsteps on the pavement as he left the house. Without hesitating a moment for reflection, I followed to the door, entered the carriage, and ordered the man to drive me—where? I had no ticket for the concert; nor could I go alone!
“To the Musical Fund Hall, I believe, madam,” he said, standing with his fingers touching the rim of his hat.
I tried to think what I should do. To be conquered was hard. And it was clear that I could not go alone.
“No,” I replied, grasping hold of the first suggestion that came to my mind. “Drive me to No.—Walnut street.”
I had directed him to the house of my sister, where I thought I would stay until after eleven o’clock, and then return home, leaving my husband to infer that I had been to the concert. But long before I had reached my si
ster’s house, I felt so miserable that I deemed it best to call out of the window to the driver, and direct him to return. On arriving at home, some twenty minutes after I had left it, I went up to my chamber, and there had a hearty crying spell to myself. I don’t know that I ever felt so bad before in my life. I had utterly failed in this vigorous contest with my husband, who had come off perfectly victorious. Many bitter things did I write against him in my heart, and largely did I magnify his faults. I believe I thought over every thing that occurred since we were married, and selected therefrom whatever could justify the conclusion that he was a self-willed, overbearing, unfeeling man, and did not entertain for me a particle of affection.
It was clear that I had not been able to manage my spouse, determined as I had been to correct all his faults, and make him one of the best, most conciliating and loving of husbands, with whom my wish would be law. Still I could not think of giving up. The thought of being reduced to a tame, submissive wife, who could hardly call her soul her own, was not for a moment to be entertained. On reflection, it occurred to me that I had, probably, taken the wrong method with my husband. There was a touch of stubbornness in his nature that had arrayed itself against my too earnest efforts to bend him to my will. A better way occurred. I had heard it said by some one, or had read it somewhere, that no man was proof against a woman’s tears.
On the present occasion I certainly felt much more like crying than laughing, and so it was no hard matter, I can honestly aver, to appear bathed in tears on my husband’s return between eleven and twelve o’clock from the theatre. I cried from vexation as much as from any other feeling.
When Mr. Smith came up into the chamber where I lay, I greeted his presence with half a dozen running sobs, which he answered by whistling the “Craccovienne!” I continued to sob, and he continued to whistle for the next ten minutes. By that time he was ready to get into bed, which he did quite leisurely, and laid himself down upon his pillow with an expression of satisfaction. Still I sobbed on, thinking that every sighing breath I drew was, in spite of his seeming indifference, a pang to his heart. But, from this fond delusion a heavily drawn breath, that was almost a snore, aroused me. I raised up and looked over at the man—he was sound asleep.