ich she rules him; and yet, strange to say, he seems to like her the
better for a' the stern dominion she exercises owre him."

"That's a fault, I'm sure, ye canna charge me wi'," replied his wife.

"No, Margaret," said the deacon; "you dare not presume to dictate to
me; and, to do you justice, you never attempted it; but I began ye
fair. I showed you at first the proper conduct o' a husband towards
his wife--firm but kind; and the duty o' a wife towards a
husband--obedient and loving; and it was weel that you had the sense
to understand me, and the good-nature to comply wi' my wishes; for, if
I had seen the least glimpse o' an inclination to rule me or force me
into yer measures, there wad sune hae been rebellion in the house o'
Deacon Waldie. The consequences o' a wife's domination are weel
exemplified in the case o' that contemptible man whase assistance we
now require. He daurna assist a freend. His wife is cash-keeper,
conscience-keeper, housekeeper, and, by and by, she may be box-keeper,
to the entire disgrace o' oor trade, wha, though they live by women
(for men never employ dyers), wouldna relish to acknowledge the
authority o' a female boxmaster. When a man resigns himsel to the
authority o' a wife, he is dune for a' guid to himsel as weel as his
neebors."

"Ye canna, my dear Murdoch," said the soft wife, "look upon a tame
husband, wha submits to the rule o' a wife, wi' mair contemp and ill
favour than I do upon the virago wha presumes to reverse the order o'
nature, and wrest the authority frae the lord o' the creation."

"You gie a fine turn to the sentiment, Margaret," replied the
gratified deacon. "I am anxious (but it is my ain free will) to do yer
faither this service; and I will try, for ance, if I canna fecht Mrs
Jean Todd wi' her ain weapons. The boxmaster's no dead to shame; and
surety, if there's ony power on earth whereby the blush can be brought
to the face o' man, it's the power o' being in a condition to tell
him to that very face he is _henpecked_. The very word has a spur and
a neb in't to rouse him to the vindication o' the rights o' man. I was
aye afraid o't; and, God be thanked! I hae escaped even the very
chance o' its application to me."

"You forgot, my love, that you hae also _me_ to thank for that
happiness," said the wife.

"No, it is mysel, it is mysel," cried the proud lord of his own
household. "It lies in my native sense o' the rights o' our superior
sex, and my firmness o'