Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-09-08

|
wives, exposing their faults, perhaps magnify
ing them, and expounding to them, in none of
the kindestterms, their duty and the Offices per-
tanning to a woman's sphere. Now, we be-
lieve that wives, as a whole, are really better
than they are generally admitted to be. We
| doubt if there can be found a larger number of
wives who are disagreeabe and negligent, with
out some palpable GOODNESS or shortcoming on
the part of the husbands. So far as we have
had an opportunity for observation, they are
far more devoted and faithful than those who
style themselves their lords, and who, by the
customsof society, have other and generally
more pleasant and varied duties to PERFORM
We protest then against these so often and
obtrusely addressed to the ladies', and insist up
on it that they must-most of them have been
written by some fusty old bachelor who knew
better, or by some inconsIdcrate husbands who
deserve to have been old bachelors to the end of
their lives. But is there nothing to be said on
the other side2 Are husbands so generally The
perfect, amiable, injured beings they are SO of
ten represented! Men sometimes declare that
their wives extravaganza have picked tn eir
pockets-that their never ceasing tongues have
robbed them of their peace, and their general
disagreeableness has driven them to the tavern
and gaming table; but this is generally the
wicked excuse for most wicked life ON their
part. The fact is, men often lose their inter-
est in their homes by the r own neglect to make
their homes interesting and pleasant. 1t should
never be forgotten that the wife has her rights,
as sacred after marriage as beforehand good
husbands devotion to the wife after marriage
will conce6e to her quite as much attention as
his gallantry did while lover. If it be other
wise, he most generally is at fault.
Take few example Before marriage a
young man would feel some delcacy about ac-
ceptng an invitation to spend an evening in
company where his lady-loye had not been in
vited. After marriage is he always as partc-
ularl During the days of courtship his gallant
ry would demand that he should make himself
agreeable to her; after marriage it often hap
pens that he thinks more of being agreeable
to himself. How often it happens that married
men, after having been away from home the
live-long day, during which the wife has toied
at her duties, GO at evening again to some place
of amusement, and leave her to toll on alone,
uncheered and unhappy! How often it happens
that her kindest Offices pass unobserved and
unrewarded even by smile, and her best eff
foits are condemned by the fault-finding hus-
band! How often it happens, even when the
evening is spent at home, that it is employed
in silent reading, or some other way that does
not recognize the wife's right to share in the
enjoyments even of the freside!
Look We husbands, moment, and remember
what your wife was when you took her, not
from compulsion, but from your own choice,
choice based, probably, on what you then con-
sidered her superiority to all others. She was
young-perhaps the idol Of happy home; she
was gay and blithe lark, and the brothers
and sisters at her fathers ireside cherished her
as an object of endorsement. Yet she left all
to join her destiny to yours, to make your home
happy, and to do all that woman's love could
prompt and woman's ingenuity devise, to meet
your wishes and tighten the bnrdens which
might press udon you in your pilgrimage. She
of course, had her expectations too. She could
not entertain feelings which promised so much
without forming some idea of reciprocation on
our part, and she did expect you would after
marriage perform those kind Offices of which
you were so lavish in the days of betrothment.
She became your wife-left her own home for
yours-bnrst asunder, as it were, the bands of
love which had bound her to her fathers fire.
side, and sought no other boon than your affec-
tons: left, it may be, the ease and delcacy of
home of isdulgence-and now, what must be
her feelings, if she gradually awakes to the
consciousness, that you love her less than be-
fore; that your evenings are spent abroad, that
YOU only come home al all to satisfy the demand
of your hunger, and to find resting place for
your head when weary, or nurse for your sick
chamber when diseased.
Why did she leave the bright hearth of her
youthful days! Why did you ask her to give
up the enjoyments of happy home? Was it
sinpy to darn your stockings, mend your
clothes, take care of your children, and watch
over your sick bed? Was it simply to conduce
to your comfortl Or was there some under
standing that she was to made happy in her
connection with man she dared to love?
| Nor is it sufficient answer that you reply
that you gave her home: that you feed and
clothe her. You do this for your help; you
would do it for an Indifferent house Keeper
She is your wife, and unless you attend to her
wants, and in some way answer the reasonable
expectations you raised by your attentions be-
fore marriage: you need not wonder if she be
detected. and her heart sink into insensbity;
but if this be. to think we'll who Is the cause of
it. We repeated it, very few women make in
different wives, whose feelings have not met
with some untoward shock, by the Indifference