The native American., 1840-03-14
"THE WIFE AT HON f."

"For nothing loveer can be found
In wo1na, i, than to study household good
And good works in her husband to promote. -M1LToN
However excellent may be his character,
and however spotless his past life, that mans
situation is not only unhappy, but full Of
peril, for whom any other place has greater
charms than his own home, ''sWeet sweet home!"
Readers beware the young lady who walks
the street with so much dignity and grace
whose manners and conversation awaken so
much interest in the social party, whose music
is so exquisite, whose hand is of such snowy
whiteness, and whose beauty is SO captivating,
may be far from fitted to make home attrac-
live. If so, once united to her and You are
lost Hear what our friend Mr. Quill says
Young Mechanic.
1t has been one of my most serious appre-
tensions, that in the multitude Of our societies
land public combinations, men and women
might chance to forget that they have any
thing TO do individually. We have societies
to take care Of our health, and societies to take
Care of our kitchens. AImsgiving, SO far as
practised ut all, is practised chiefly by whole
|sale. Perhaps we may see the day when we
shall dine together like the Spartans, and
when all cookery and education shall be done
upon the large scale.
These thoughts were suggested to my mind
with greater force. than common, few days
since upon my making visit to the house
of Mrs Nelson, the wife of a reputable far
mer, a few miles from our village. If were
to attempt a portrait of this excellent lady,
should fI volume can only give an out
line. Mrs Nelson is, in the American as we'll
as the English sense, fine woman. Tenn.
perance early rising, industry, and, above all,
serene cheerfulness Of soul, have left on her
cheek at forty, those roses which fashion and
excitement often blast before fifteen. But
what took my pen to notice was, that truly
feminine and christian trait ofm good friend
she is a ''keeper at home" Though have
been church-going man many years, do
not remember TO have heard any one of our
clergy enlarge upon this Scripture phrase
and vet the older | grow, the more wisdom
there seems to be in it. The hest women in
lhe world are those that stay at home such is
the opinion of the best judges, to wit tieirhus-
bants The worst women are those who have
no home, or who love all other places better;
such is the verdict Of those who meet them
abroad. A wife at the hearth is us indispen.
sable us a stccrsnl,ll at the wheel. There is
scarcely any degree of prudence or firmness
which will enable u man to have wei-order-
ed family unless his partner have some Of the
same qualities. Even the success Of outdoor
business is more dependent upon this than is
commonly supposed agfecably to a vulgar
proverb. sHe that would thrive, must ask his
wife" In a house where children or appren-
tees are to be cared for, this is plainly true.
A little representation, sloth, or want Of thrift
in the woman will suffice to make every thing
90 wrong. Whocan conntup the cases where
poor fellows have been ruined by their wives?
This is hard saying, but if it were soften
ed it would be less true. Surely it is no dis
respect to the better sex TO point out those rare
exceptions, which, like the dim tarnish on
the face of the moon, make the other tracts
look all the brighter. After you shall have
to the utmost the number and
the faults of, idle, g1mding gossiping women,
we shall sill have u million of American
housewives, Frightening q million homes and
hearts. Mrs. Nelson IS one Of them. Her
husband is not the nteekest nMn in the coun-
try, nor by nature the most hospitable. but
she makes up for all, like the credit side of an
account. In the exercise of the passive vir-
tues, she finds her greatest happiness She