Six Bad Husbands and Six Unhappy WivesWilcox, Ella Wheeler
General
Six Bad Husbands and Six Unhappy Wives
Wilcox, Ella Wheeler
Husband and wife; Marriage; Women -- Conduct of life
Yet before he had been a husband three months, a troubled look came
into the eyes of the good mother; the sixteen-year-old sister had grown
grave; and the fourteen-year-old cousin became curiously timid about
showing her cousin and protector the impulsive affection which was in
her heart.
And the man, the young husband, son, brother, and friend, became
constrained in the presence of his family.
All this change had come about through the unreasoning jealousy of the
young wife.
Despite the loyal love and romantic passion which she had inspired in
the heart of her husband; despite the cordial good will and affection
shown her by his family, she was jealous of the unselfish love he gave
any and every one besides herself. She wanted to be the only individual
upon whom he bestowed any mark of affection.
Curiously enough, she seemed to consider this state of mind an evidence
of her great love; and she made no secret of her jealousy. She expected
her husband to feel complimented by her attitude of mind. When he was
annoyed or unhappy over it, she accused him of a lack of love for her.
'If you really loved me, you would understand,' she said.
All his former society friends, the women who had entertained him as
a bachelor, she regarded with suspicion and dislike. So open was her
hostility that she soon made herself unpopular; and invitations to the
homes of her husband's old friends grew to be very formal affairs.
For a time the young husband sought to overcome the jealousy of his
wife by yielding to her whims, and by devoting himself more and more to
her. But this increased her tendency to tyranny.
Then he tried to reason calmly with her; but she was incapable of
logical discussion. She accused him of 'standing up for his family and
friends against his wife,' and went into hysterical tears.
Finally, tired of scenes, he avoided any reference to the subject,
and decided to do what he felt was just and right, and abide by the
consequences.
But the relations between him and his family were robbed of all
their old freedom and happiness; he was in that most distressing of
situations--for a man with a kind and tender heart--between his blood
relatives and his wife.
Socially he became a dead letter. His wife had made herself so
unpopular, and her jealousy was so pronounced, that society was glad
to have its formal invitations answered by formal cards.
Still there were women who liked the charming and courteous man, and
would seek to enjoy a chat with him on every possible occasion. These
occasions usually came to the knowledge of the suspicious wife, and
resulted in further accusations of deception and intrigue.
One day the bad husband decided that he had endured all he could
endure, and he deliberately gave his wife cause for a divorce on
statutory grounds.
'I always knew he was deceiving me,' the unhappy wife said, and
everybody sympathised with her.
V
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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