The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-11-14
Miscellaneous.
A HINT TO HUSBANDS;
or, a Widower's Bequest.

tore us the church is subject unto Christ, so
let the wives be to their own husbands in ev-
erthing" Now, Christ is the governor,
guide, defence, comforter, light and every
life, ofthe church, and such according to the
direction ofthe apostle, should the husband
be to his wife. The world has particularly
fallen into the error of considering the mar
rage covenant more binding upon the wo-
man than the man. Numberless negligences
and inattentions are tolerated in him which
would he deemed culpable in woman. |
do not now speak of immoralities. pre-
sumo there is but one opinion relative to them.
But refer to those daily, almost hourly, re-
curing circumstances, which call for little
sacrifices of personal inclination or conven-
fence, or exhibitions ofinterest and consider
ation, whose omission only renders them OBJ
servabe. A wife, papably wanting in these,
would be deemed an anomaly; but their alb
sence in the husband is rather admitted than
condemned. The world does not eXpect
them from him. The Bible teaches us, how
ever, that their obligations are equal. "She
that is married careth for the things of the
world how to please her husband" He TINT
is married careth for the things of the world
how he may please his wife, One announce
ment is not more explicit or restrictive than
the other. But, alas! for the ignorance and
perVerSity OF human nature, we sometimes
see men so nervously fearful of being consid-
CreduXorlous, that they withhold from their
wives the common courtesies extended to 9TH
@@males, and publicly affect indifference,
and dlsclaim any particular socrude about
them. They seem to regard any demoustra-
Nons OF feeling, when the wife is its object, as
Nnnauy. .r....... ........ n. =.
-, was one of this description. NV friends
nad gwen me reputation of great selfcon-
"rot, and was supposed to be capable ofcon-
Tealihg all my emotions, though none who
Knew me well doubted the strength of nv af
leceions' desired to sustain the equivocal
rePu'atFon, as well as to avoid the railerv gen.
crazy bestowed on a newly married man for
ms tondness tor his wife's society," so forretfi,l
OF her teelIngs;and, imagining her confidence
inmy attachment too strong to be shaken by
trltlIng causes, frequently absented myself
from Alice for hours together, and spent nv
time with nay bachelor associates We rode.
gunned, tished, walked or talked, and, as /
was regarded as the life of every circle, I Of
ten returned 10 my own fireside wcaried of
animation, and but little disposed to exert nv
exhausted powers of conversation to interest
my wife, though can most Justly assert that
always returned to her with heartfelt delight.
"heh look back upon that period, feel as
sured that she attributed the occasional list
iGSS'iess Ol my manner to her inability to
charm me, aud imagined that the time spent
IN her society alone was dull to me. Alas!
mat should have given her so much reason
Tor such thoughts! There were moments, in
oeen, when suspicion of her loneliness
would come across her mind, brought, as she |
s'u oeeh 10 strange neighborhood, away
no'n all her relatives, after residing in large |
"'hlIy, and then would remain at home for
ai entlre day, and devote myself to her enter
anment. Nor did she require much effort
nmy part to make her happy. To sit beside
me, engaged with her needle, while perus-
tuaIoud some entertaining or instructive |
gooK 10 second my attempt to converse when
seemed disposed to make one, or to read
IHeFSelf, or attend TO her domestic duties when
wrote or unused, contented her. fl was |
m"i' ner She never was solitary, and at that
period mover sad.
lnow wonder at my blindness, when I re-
respect the brief date ofmy married life! So
Vuretully and infinitely have since ponder
Srea It's events, that my conceptions of all her
,eellhSs seem to have become wildly distinct.
can we'll recall the light that would iIIun1ipe
, ,i soit eyes when answered negatively to
tie servants interrogation, relative to bring
IN lS out my horse, and the cheerful and pay-
lu' temper which made the hours, passed
az nome ny so rapidly. l should have told
.er ms but did not. | can also recolIect
Sla', a!ter a. days absence, Frequently found
w.. Sp'r'tiess and melancholy on my return,
bo os .no Shtest eXertion | made to enliven
m Wv, Mas always etfectual so that soon for
s,uores pens'Veness; and as she Invariably an
swered no, to the question usually nronosed
baJ . 'ut oat ON an excursion, whather she
, "oi auy objection to my going, / never con- 1
soroo H e occasional sadness with my alb
naio sometimes, too, would invite fe-
f.on, bLo!udihtance to visit her. to prevent her
ono oe"iS lonesome: then / would experi- J
NV ,,I nu regret for having left her, supposng
eshy pace supplied. .'.-, ~ -
JJuanse that should have. possessed so little
oa.. n'hent as to think, that the additional
r',s required to entertain an embarrassing
SS~osb WOULD enable her better to endure her
hIuspands absence! How wearisorne must
""re proved the task of hospitality! l< 1
oo, onee slgnlfed my intention of sending
n sL 10 anuse her until my return from
n, ,Iiooling excursion, and, although her reply
n NJ ..e Tune suggested no idea to me but her
Inference pG ofsolitude, have since decipber {
VI It's meaning differently. s,,. ~ - |
,,l 10 you imagine, she said, faintly 4smling, !,
o I,al any society can compensate for the loss I
ofyours? (, a.; -.... ''' io'e ,
CD, one generally inquired at evening how '
Ipeht the day and evinced an Interest," in !
,'nVe had occurred to me. My answers I
v ~vte usually slight-and unsatisfactory, forI I
o "aS never communicative on trivial subjects. f
ti "u qid not reflect long enough on her gues. s
NUS mUns 70 understand that the details were f
bma LeIy desirable, because connected with her
otor;o ond. She gradually ceased her interrog n
IN a'', and as it never occurred to my mind
", " Question her, relative to the Occupations d
ilnIo oegulled her lonely hours, we knew but
or,, u 81 each enlploymehts when sep s