Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-12-24
A CHAPTER FOR youNG HUSBANDS.

/ friend who had been confined week o,
two by sickness to hes room, he remark.
ed that husband might learn a good les.
son by being confined occasionally to his
house, by having in this way an oppor.
tnnity witnessing the cares aud never.
ending tolls OF the wife, whose burdens
and duties, and paiien, endurance he might
never have otherwise understood. There
IS great deal IN this thought, perhaps
enough foe an editoriai.n Men, esse.
cial'y young men, are called BY their basi-
ness during the day mostly away from
home, returning only nj tho hours for
meals. and as they then see nearly The
same routine Of duty, they begin to think
that il is their own lot to perform al the
drudgery, and TO be exercised with all the
weight Of care and responsibility. But
such man has got very wrong view ol
the case; he needs an opportunity for
more extended observation, and is per.
Eaps for this very reason that kind PROV.
Idence arrests him by sickness, that he
may learn in pain what he would fail TO
observe in health. We have seen recent.
" good many things said IN tho papers
to wives. especially to young wives, ex-
posing their faults, perhaps magnitying
them. and expounding to them, in none of
the k'ndesi terms, their duty aud the Off.
ces pertaining to woman's sphora."-
Nov, we believe that wives, as d whole.
are really better than they are generally
admitted to be. We doubt il there can
be found large number Of wives who
are disagrceable and negligent, without
some palpable GOODNESS or shortcom,llg on
the part Of their husbands. So far as we
have had an opportunity for observation,
they are far more devoted aud faithful
than those who style themselves their
lords, and who, by the customs Of socie-
~, have other and generally more plea.
SAINT and varied duties TO perform.
We protest then against these lectures
SO often and so obiiusivcly addressed 10
the ladies', and insist upon il that they
must-most of them--havc been written
by some fusty bachelors who knew no
better, or by some inconsiderate husbands
who deserve to have been old bachelors 10
the end Of their lives. Blu, is there no.
thing 10 be said on the other sidc7 Arc
husbands SO generally the perfect, amin.
Bile, injured beings they are so often re.
pr scented! Men sometimes declare that
their wives extravagnDccs have picked
their pockets, That their tongues have
robbed them of their peace, and their gen.
eral disagreeableness has driven them to
the tavern and gaming table; but this il
generally the wicked excuse for most
wicked life on their own part. The fac,
u, men often lose their interest in their
homes by their own neglect to make their
homes interesting and pleasant. II should
never be forgotten that the wife has her
rlghts--as sacred after marriage rs be.
iote--aud a good husbands devotion 10
the wife after marringe will concede 10
her quite as much attention as his guIlnn.
try did while lover. fiji is otherwise,
he is most generally at fault.
Take a few examples. Before marriage
young man would feel some delicacy
about accepting an invitation to spend M
evening in company where his "ladye
love" had not been invited. After mar.
rage Is he always as particular Dur
ing the days Of courlship, his gaIlantry
would demand that he should make him.
sell agreeable to her; after marriage il
often happens that he thinks more OF being
agreeable to himself. How often il hap
pens that married men, after having been
away from home the livelong day, during
which the wife has toled at her duties, 90
at evening again TO some place of anuse.
meni, and leave her TO toll on alone, un-
cheered and unhappy. How often il hap
pens that her kindest Offices pass unob.
served, and unrewarded even by a smile,
and her best efforts are condemned by
her faultsfinding husband. How often il
happens, even while the evening is spent
al home, that it is employed IN silent read
ing. or some other way that does not re.
cognlse the wife's right TO SHARE in the
enloyments even OF the Preside.
Look, we husbands, a moment, and re.
member what your wife was when you
took her, not from compuson, but from
your own choice, choice based, proba-
bly,, on what you then considered her SUI
perioritv to all others. She was young
perhaps the idol Of happy home; she
was gay and blithe as the lark, and the
brothers and sisters at her fathers firesidc
cherished her as an object Of endearmcnt.
Yer she left all 10 join her destiny with
yours; to make your home happy, and 10
do all that woman's love could prompt,
and woman's ingenuity devise, to meet
your wishes and to tighten the burdens
which might press upon you in your pill
grimage. She, Of course, had her expec-
tatlons too. She could not entertain feel
ings which promised so much without
forming some idea Of reciprocation on
your part, and she did expect you would
alter marriage perform those kind offices
OF which you were so lavish In the days
OF betrothment. She became your wife