Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-12-31

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| tempered; no" interesting and instructive as a
companion-hnw I0Icious as an advIser-how
soothing aud atfecuona,e as friend was Mrs.
Mason; and how lovely is age, when free from the
Iauerruousness that often attends IL! There is
mingled with the wisdom md experience Of years
the cheeriuIness Of youth.
Ii wa bright. pleasant afternoon, and The shad
ows were falling westward, when the sisters found
themselves IN the oaly place where they met on
common ground. Charity resting from the
Iabors OF busy day, IN large old rocking chair,
listening 10 the monotonOus hum of her grandma
her's spinning wheel, and malvina leaning out of
the window, began pulling off The half closed bud
OF the murning glory, and making prisoners of the
bees who had fingered too long their houied
cells There, too, sat Mrs. Mason before the
open door, Just where the pleasant sounds Of the
hay making could reach her ears, and then
stealing glance from her employment, al the la
borers they tossed about the nown clover,
and the distant hills dotted with cattle, iurniu
the same time by quick motion of her foot the
small wheel through whose agency twisted
and wound up, he fine continuous thread which
her well skilled fingers drew from the bright, sill
very fl * on the dstaH At last Malvina said
81 woader you do not tire Of tina, eternal spin
ming, grandmother; | am sure should fall asleep
over it, for the very sound makes me drowsy."
"Anv constant employment might produce the
same cit co. replied Mrs. Mason, smiling. "But
perhaps ynn think II waste Of time"
"lndeed do,' said the young lady, "und We
rily believe should starve if | had to get my
living III that way -
"D'n'r vou know" said Charity, THAT father
often wishes were back to the primitive times
when women spun and wove the clothing for their
families, and made ii up besides2"
at is very few such garments | would wear
said Ml!Yina scornfaily, ''let alone mrking them.
And u being primitive, don't think need
go far back for that, when am obliged to make
the beds Ike chamher.inad, and you, who i'll
suffer yourself to he imposed upon, wash and
bake, and scrub, till your hands are not fit to be
seem
"Never mind, sister," replied Charity, 81 fancy
| sh II get through the world with these hands,"
holding up pair, which, If they were not soft and
white those Of her sister, nevertheless
sm III and eIi-shaped. with the pink glow the
palms which Mrs ii.le thinks requisite to beauti-
ful h lnds-'q lite we'll as Grace D5o'itile, who
wears gloves win suet skin woven the inside,
to keep them soft Bat about the spinning. grand.
mother! wish you would teach me 10 SPIN; | am
sure | wouId like ~
But 1t wond in fact be a waste OF time for
you any other young woman to sit down 10
spinning in these days. said Mrs Mason.
"Therer exclaimed Malvina. triumph ntly, 81
knew tn 1t grandmother would agree with me in
ihjnkfng that we have more important thugs 10
attend to.'
"Cer,ainIv we have said Mrs Mason, grave.
/ Is. "fnu, NJ 'lvna, whose delicate health forbds
Won to inhnlo the morning air. must lie 10 bed IN
tai tho sun has dispeiled the noxiOus yapors; then
you have your hair To put in papers, which in the
afternoon must be taken out; your numerous dres.
ses mast be re.noddcd after the lates. fashion,
and II IS highly important to write often 10 your
score Of school correspondents. Besides, you
must spend several hours every day practising, as
you may call II, npon your piano; Of course to
YOU spinning would be unpardonable waste Of
tine"
II ,!,ina poutol. and Mrs. Mason continued-
"AuI If you, Cnrrity, were to devote your
'ina tn il, the comfort IF The whole family would
hc diminished without adequate return.'
bat father says thn, mon were mora prosper
Gus and happy when their wives aud daughters
manufactured the linen and wooden cloth for their
fnpiIies, ard surplus to dispose of--than they
are now
That they equally happy cannot be dis
pu:ed," said Mrs. NJ ,son. IF they had fewer
sources Of what is called enipymcnt, that is,
IF they were less refined and intellectual, they
had fewer Of tho artI :ial wants which are a
fruitful Of unharpjness to the presen gen
eratian. As - wealth, many a man who wore
thing but h me span, had good sub 5tanta lea
leather bag well Il led with hard dollars, laid BY
in case of emergency, which cannot be SAID Of
thousands wh1 to ldge by their outside show.
might be called rich. There was great virtue.
too. and often heroic self>denal, practiced by
lhlse whose industry clothed their families; had
they not done So many would scarcely have been
clothed at all, but such sacrifices brought their
own 1ard in a consciousness of duty perform
ed. Where much Is gwen much will be required
md the femaes who reaping the benefits oil
the wise regulations and wonderful inventions Of
the last haIfcenturv, will be highly cnlpable, i
they msimProse the time thus placed u, the Ii
disposal"
And then again." said Charity, father say:
that girls ought not to be married until they have
made and laid by large quantity of linen fo'
themselves and household purposes, that they
Nigh, do very we'll with silk dress for winter
and muslin one for summer, and that they shoult
milk the cows. make butter and cheese-in short
: DO all the work, and save the expense Of hirin!
help"
f Your father" replied Mrs. Mason. Gin his a,
tachment to old customs, forgets that the occupa
, tons which were necessary and laudable 80 year
r ago. would now be mere waste Of time, and tina
. 1,I1 aT tha in