The case is not all in favor of the suffering wives, and against the brutal husbands.

If the farmer's wife is dulled and crazed by her routine, the farmer himself is degraded and brutalized." As well as she could Lily explained all this to the woman, who lay with her face buried in the girl's lap.

Lily's arms were about her thin shoulders in an agony of pity.
"It's hard, Lucretia, I know--more than you can bear--but you mustn't forget what Sim endures too.

He goes out in the storms and in the heat and dust.

His boots are hard, and see how his hands are all bruised and broken by his work! He was tired and hungry when he said that--he didn't really mean it." The wife remained silent.
"Mr.Radbourn says work, as things go now, _does_ degrade a man in spite of himself.