shall we inform the world that his brother was crossed in love?
Still more shall his wife be taken in hand, and receive what even the
late Mr. Smallweed would have considered a thorough "shaking-up"? "If
they were all starving," declares the energetic narrator, "she could not
earn a cent in any way whatever, so utterly helpless is this fine
Southern lady. She will not sleep, unless the light is kept burning all
night in her room, for fear 'something might happen'; and when a slight
matter crosses her feelings, she lies in bed for several days." Tut,
tut, dear lady! surely this once thy zeal hath outrun thy discretion.
Clement L. Vallandigham's public course is a proper target for all loyal
shafts, but prithee let the poor lady, his wife, remain in peace,--such
peace as she can command. It is bad enough to be his wife, without being
overborne with the additional burden of her own personal foibles. One
can be daughter, sister, friend, without impeachment of one's sagacity
or integrity; but it is such a dreadful indorsement of a man to marry
him! Her own consciousness must be sufficiently grievous; pray do not
irritate it into downright madness. Nay, what, after all, are the so
heinous faults upon which you animadvert? She cannot earn a cent: that
may be her misfortune, it need not be her fault. Perhaps Clement, like
Albano, and all good husbands, "never loved to see the sweet form
anywhere else than, like other butterflies, by his side among the
flowers." She will keep a light burning in her room, forsooth. Have we
not all our pet hobgoblins? We know an excellent woman who once sat
curled up in an arm-chair all night for fear of a mouse! And is it not a
well-understood thing that nothing so baffles midnight burglars as a
burning candle? "When a light matter crosses her feelings, she lies in
bed for several days." Infinitely better than to go sulking about the
house with that "injured-innocence" air which makes a man feel as if he
were an assaulter and batterer with intent to kill. Blessings rest upon
those charming sensible women, who, when they feel cross, as we all do
at times, will go to bed and sleep it away! No, let us everywhere put
down treason and ostracize traitors. It is lawful to suspend "_naso
adunco_" those whom we may not otherwise suspend. But even traitors have
rights which white men and white women are bound to respect. We will
crush them, if we can, but we will crush them in open field, by fair
fight,--not