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God grant! that this one mute appeal of stubborn fact, may be sufficient to nerve up the woman protectors of our manly Government to guard us, in some manner against woman's greatest foe -- the women subjectors of society.

It may be proper here to add the result of this recruiting tour. After being absent eleven weeks from my home, and this being the first time I had left my husband during all my married life, longer than one week's time, I returned to my home, to receive as cordial and as loving a welcome as any wife could desire.

Indeed, it seemed to me, that the home of my husband's heart had become "empty, swept and garnished," during my absence, and that the foul spirits of usurpation had left this citadel, as I fondly hoped, forever.

Indeed, I felt that I had good reason to hope that my logic had been calmly and impassionately digested and indorsed, during my absence, so that now this merely practical recognition of my womanly rights, almost instantly moved my forgiving heart, not only to extend to him unasked, my full and free forgiveness for the past, but all this abuse seemed to be seeking to find its proper place in the grave of forgetful oblivion.

This radical transformation in the bearing of my husband towards me, allowing me not only the rights and privileges of a junior partner in the family firm, but also such a liberal portion of manly expressed love and sympathy, as caused my susceptible heart of affection fairly to leap for joy.

Indeed, I could now say, what I could never say in truth before, I am happy in my husband's love -- happy in simply being treated as a true woman deserves to be treated -- with love and confidence.

All the noblest, purest sensibilities of woman's sympathetic nature find in this, her native element, room for full expansion and growth, by stimulating them into a natural, healthful exercise.

It is one of the truths of God's providential events, that the three last years of married life were by far the happiest I ever spent with Mr. Packard. So open and bold was I in this avowal, during these three happy years, that my correspondence of those days is radiant with this truth.

And it was not three months, and perhaps not even two months previous to my being kidnapped, that I made a verbal declaration of this fact, in Mr. Packards' presence, to Deacon Dole, his sister's husband, in these words:

The interests of the Bible-class had been our topic of conversation, when I had occasion to make this remark:

"Brother, don't you think Mr. Packard is remarkably tolerant to me these days, in allowing me to bring my radical views before your class? And don't you think he is changing as fast as we can expect, considering his conservative organization? We cannot, of course, expect him to keep up with my radical temperament. I think we shall make a man of him yet!"

Mr. Packard laughed outright, and replied:

"Well, wife, I am glad you have so good an opinion of me. I hope I shall not disappoint your expectations!"

But, alas! where is he now? Oh, the dreadful demon of bigotry was allowed to enter and take possession of this once garnished house, through the entreaties, and persuasions, and threats, of his Deacon Smith, and his perverted sister, Mrs. Sybil Dole.

These two spirits united, were stronger than his own, and they overcame him, and took from him all his manly armor so that the demon he let in "brought with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there" still; so that I sadly fear "the last state of that man will be worse than the first."

I saw and felt the danger of the vortex into which his sister and deacon were dragging him, and I tried to save him, with all the logic of love and pure devotion to his highest and best interests; but all in vain.

Never shall I forget this fatal crisis. When just three weeks before he kidnapped me, I sat alone with him in his study, and while upon his lap, with my arms encircling his neck, and my briny cheek pressed against his own, I begged of him to be my protector, as delineated in the first volume.

From this fatal evening all appeals to his reason an humanity have been worse than fruitless. They have only served to aggravate his maddened feelings, and goad him on to greater deeds of desperation.

Like Nebuchadnezzar, his reason is taken from him on this one subject; and unrestrained, maddened resentment fills his depraved soul -- his manliness is dead! Is he not a Mono-maniac?

CHAPTER XXI. Strong Language an Appropriate Drapery for Reformers.

I acknowledge that truth is stranger than fiction; and also that strong language is the only appropriate drapery in which some truths can be clothed.

For example, the only appropriate drapery to clothe a lie in is the strong language of lie or liar; not misrepresentation, a mistake, a slip of the tongue, a deception, an unintentional error, and so forth.

And for unreasonable, and inhuman, and criminal acts, the appropriate drapery is, Insane acts; and an usurpation of human rights and an abuse of power over the defenseless, is appropriately clothed by the term, Despotism.