The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-06-24
From the U. S. Gazette.
Hints for Wives.

From the I. S. Gazette.
Hints for Wives.
"Obedience is a very small part of conju-
gal duty, and in most cases, easily performed,
Much Of the comfort of married life de-
ponds upon the lady; great deal more, per-
haps, than she is aware Of She scarcely
knows her own influence; how much she
may do by pcrsuasion-how much by sym
pathy much by unremitted kindness
and a little attention. To acquire and retain
such influence, she must, however, make her
,conjugal duties her first object. She must
not think that anything will do for her hus-
band-that anything is good enough for her
husband-that it is not worth while to be
agreeable when there is only her husband by
that she may close her piano, or lay aside
her brush, for why should she play or paint
merely to amusc her husband ?-No-shc
must consider all these little arts Of pleasing
chiefly valuable on his account-as means Of
perpetuating her attractions, and giving per-
manence to his atfecton-she must remem-
Der that her duty consists not so much in
great and solitary acts-in display of the sub
lime virtues to which she will only be occa-
sionally called but in triAes-in cheerful
smile, or minute attention naturally render
ed, and proceeding from a heart full of kind
ness, and q temper full of amlablllty."
In locking over late paper, met with
the above valuable hints on the duties Of
wives to their lords ,pointing out the mode in
which they were to secure in the husband,
the chivalric devotion which had character
lied the lover. The most infallible specific,
rules of this kind is smiling countenance."
hoy
been during the day, her countenance must
be always wreathed in smiles on the approach
of her husband.
Being one of those fortunate individuals,
who have hitherto escaped the moose, | have
had leisure to give these subjects that pro-
found reflection which charactcrizes those
situated like myself
"For if there's any thing in which I shine
IT'S in arranging all my friends affairs.
Not having Of my own domestic cares"
1t has often occurred to me, therefore, that
it was rather singular that all this good advice
should always come from one side. How is
it that there are so few guide-posts to point
the way to innocent young gentlemen, who
have recently submitted their neck to the
moose and the halter?" Why is it not often
er insisted upon, that the husband should al
WAYS return to his 1ireside with a smile, and
endeavor to soothe the pcrturbed spirit, that
has for hours been subjected to the thousand
annoyances of the nursery and the kitchen
There is many an unfortunate Mrs Rogers
among my acquaintance, with "nlnc small
children and one at the breast" who need all
the soothing tenderness erst bestowed by the
! lover, to enable them to forget the troubles
so wearing to the nerves-by the way, it has
sometimes occurred to me whether it was not
| Mrs. Rogers who was The D3driyy and honest
| John most fortunate Individual, to get so
well (" out Of the scrape," Of being obliged to
make adequate provision for the filing those
ten small mouths, and the clothing those ten
small bodies.
Compare for a moment the lot ofhusbands
and wives, in what is called O. well-regulat-
ed family y the former takes his seat at the
breakfast table, where his taste and comfort
has been silently consulted, SO far as is prac-
ticable--on his wife devolves the care Of pre-
pairing the " nine small children" to take heir
seats there also, and in some degree Of Tegu-
Iating their conduct. Breakfast ended the
husband goes forth to his workshop, his coun-
ter, his countng~house or his office greets
pleasantly his acquaintance by the way, and
passes the day among the ever-vaTylng
scenes Of everyday business life. The wife,
meanwhile, amid incessant clamor, must re-
new the trcadmill task Of yesterday--must
wash the same faces, make the same beds,
sweep the same rooms; must give directions
for the succeeding meals, and perhaps assist
in preparing them; must settle disputes in
the kitchen, and quarreis among the nine fall
en- little sons and daughters fiber Adaml-and
amid all these occupations must find OCCASION
al moments to /" stich-s tich--stch" the innu-
merable garments needed in a family.
Let her look to it, according to the sapient
and oft reiterated advice above alluded to,
that she gets through all this in time to clothe
her harrassed and care-worn visagc in those
"wreathed smiles" so indispensable toward
maintaining the good humor of her liege lord
He too has had troubles to encounter, for
from trouble no one is exempt-but not Of
that petty, harrassing kind, that are wearing
away the spirits and the life of the partner he
has chosen.
Night comes-the husband finds the repose
so much needed, to enable HIM to meet the
unavoidable cares Of tomorrow, and sleeps
as quietly as " the babes in the wood" while
the wife starts at the slightest noise, to minis
ter to the comfort of the restless inmates of
the trundlc bed and the crib, all of whom are
sure to be astir at the earliest dawn, and
demanding the immediate care of the mother
who rises weary and unrefreshed, again to go