The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-05-11
The Wife at Home.

After you shall have exaggerated to the utmost
the number and the faults of the gadding, gossip
ing, and idle woman, we still have a million of
American housewives Frightening a million
homes and hearts. Mrs Nelson is one of them
Her husband is not the meekest man in the coun-
try, nor by nature the most hospitable, but she
makes up for all, like the credit side of an ac-
count. In the exercise of the passive virtues, she
finds her greatest happiness. She holds it to be
one of the very first duties of life to render her
home delightful, first to her husband, next to her
children, and then to all who may enter her hos
pitabe DOORS Early in life, she observed that
were becoming irregular in their habits. She
and Nelson talked it over at length. He being a
rough man, declared it to be his intention to break
off all intimacy with Lang and Shepherd, on the
spot. 40 no husband" said she, that would
be cruel; remember the proverb, "A soft word
breaketh the bone Let me alone to bring them
to their bearings: at any rate, give me a month
for an experiment." "You Mary" he exclam-
ed in astonishment, "you amaze me; surely you
will not follow them to the bar-room, as Jemima
Murphy does her good man." No." said his
wife laughing, "but we women have some Sc
crets left still. Wait but month"
The month rolled round. Nelson had hard
work to refrain from falling upon the two men Vi
olently, but he waited to see the issue, and even
kept out of their way that the incarnation might
be uninterrupted. At the close of less than three
weeks, Lang and Sheperd were two of the most
quiet orderly, and domestic men in the ncighbor,
hood. "Why, Mary" said Nelson, " what in the
world have you done to them?" 81 husband
have not exchanged words with them for weeks"
"Then you had some wichcraf at work." Not
l." she replied the story is soon related. had
for of
growing dismal, and often told Mrs. Lang what
| feared concerning her husband. Indeed, had
heard you tell of his repeating over his glass that
abominable saying, I" the devils at home" After
my conversation with you, set to work-not on
the husbands, but their wives. Simple creatures,
they scarcely knew what meant. They wished
indeed that the men would spend more time at
home, and even wept about their late hours and
rum-drinking. But they were not prepared for
my telling them that they must redouble the at
fractions of their own fre-sde and table-malle
the cheer better-the fire brighter-the children
cleaner-the welcome heartier; call in pleasant
neighbor to tea-have little singing in the even
ing, and even invite to a comfortable supper two
or three of the husbands tavern cronies. 1t took
admirably. The wives triumphed, and | hope
you are satisfied"
Though it is likely Nelson did not Just then
suspect 1t, this was the very course which had pro-
we'd successful in saving himself from ruinous hab-
it's And most earnestly is it to be wished that all
our towns and villages were filled with such
wives as love and honor the family institution III
Every one has made the observation that there
are many more women who are religious, than
men but the final cause of this has not so often
been remarked. Divine providence by this dis
favor to the one sex, pours influence
into the social fountain. As are the mothers of
nation, so will be the sons, and in a measure, the
husbands. C. O.
--Ne1cark (N ~ Da. Adr.