The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-02-22

the binding tears in her eyes, she found it I'M
possible to take a stitch Correctly. So she
took the baby, thinking to nurse her If she
could do nothing else. But the baby, wide a
wake and full of life, was not content to SIT
quietly in her lap; but must be dancing and
jumping every moment. Patiently, for neatly
an hour, did the mother bear the jar and shock
of the childs quick motions, until faintness
oyercame her, and she was very near falling
from her chair. After resigning the baby Mrs
Lundy went into her chamber and laid herself
upon the bed. She had taken little or no food
that day; and had been suffering from severe
main; had been worried and excited by the
children, and worse than all, her husbands un-
sympathising and unfeehng conduct had made
her feel wretched. Is 1t any wonder that she
felt i'll; or that when MIR. Lundy returned III
the evening, he should find her in condition
requiring medical treatment?
The doctor was called in. He did not un-
derstand her case. How could he ? The
medicine he gave created strong revulSion IN
her system, and did her actually more harm
than good. She was confined to her chamber
two weeks, and then went forth again into hel
household, weaker and more nervously sensi
tive than before, to direct, control end minister
to the wants of her ever wanting, ever active
children, and to wait upon her husband, con-
suit his tastes, and bear his complaints when
ever any thing that went wrong in the house
hold abridged his comfort in the smallest de-
gree.
Year after year her duties and her toll in
creased. The history of day we have given
was an epitomized history of her life. Mr.
Lundy, wrapped up in his schemes of gain and
rigid in his notions of order, punctuality, for
NAL proprieties, had no real sympathy for hi:
wife, and was complaining of the little irreg
ularities incident to his household, and ever
adding to, instead of relieving, the oppressive
wearying and ever recurring duties that were
bearing her down. 1t was a common thing
for him, robust and in high health, to sit ii
his easy chair, with dressing gown and slippers
and ask his tired wife, who could scarcely
move without feeling pain, to hand him this
that, and the other thing; to ring the bell fol
the servant, or even to 20 up to their chamber
and bring him something from a drawer, t.
which he was not willing that domestic
should 90.
Meaker, more patient, more loving in he
character, grew Mrs. Lundy. By suffering
she was purified. 1t made the heart ache L
see her moving by the side of her erect, forid
elastic-treading husband, more like pale
shadowy form, than real substance; and t.
feel assured that in avery little while the pla
ces that knew her, and the children and friend
who loved her, would know her and love he
no more.
AT last she died. and six little ones were lief
without the affectionate care of a mother. i
her husband who wept so bitterly over her to-
early grave, did not murder her, we know no
the meaning of the word murder. When
was too late he could remember her long suf
fering, her patience, her wrongs received a
his hands; but when she lived he was to-
selfish to appreciate or properly care TO
her.
Everywhere, in books of domestic economy
in tales, essays, newspaper paragraphs, and Il
current conversation, do we hear iterated ant
reiterated the lesson of woman's duty to he
husband and in her household. She must hav
everything in ordersand study the art Of plea
sing her lord as seduously as if he were tn
most captious, exacting tyrant in the world
And, verify, in his small way, he too often is
miserable tyrant. A woman is expected to b
perfect in everything. No allowance is mad
for the i'll health consequent upon her materna
duties, not for the peculiar, wearying, and 81
lent nature of the cares attendant thereon
But who writes and talks Of the husbands du
ties? Who teaches him lessons of forbearanc
patience, and kind consideration for his over
tasked wife? Little is said on this score; tn
world goes on, and hundreds like Mrs. Lundy
90 down to the grave years before their time
and no one dreams that their husbands are &C
cessories to their death. But it is even SC
Not in maternal duties alone lies the cause @
the wife's pale face and dropping form, but Il
the over-tasks of her peculiar position. Sh
| is worked too hard-harder than a slave Il
| the cotton field. Too often she is nurse AM
sempstress for half dozen children, and su
perintendent. of her household besides. Sh
will bend over her needle night after night, il
pain, or suffering from lassitude, while her hus
baud sits enjoying his volume by her side, nc
dreaming that it is duty, in order to save hi
wife from toll beyond her strength, to prolon
his labors, if that be necessary, in order to Al
| ford her the assistance required i'll meeting tn
thousand wants of her children and household
| If there are any extra tasks to perform-an
extra excrtions to make, the husband is tn
one who should perform or make them, not tn
wife, for he has superior strength.
We hear a great deal about the husban
coming home, wearied from his store, his couu
ting room, his workshop, or his office; and til
wife is repeatedly enjoined to him on this az
count, and to provide comfort, quietude and re
pose for him at home. This is all well enough
and she should do as far as lies in her powe
But we doubt if as many men come home {
verwearied with toll to their wives, as com
home to wives who are themselves ovel
wearied.
Husbands, if you love your wives, think {
these things. Don't say that the story suit
Mr. So-and-so admirably. Look narrowly ii
20 your own sayings and doings at home, an
see if it doesn't suit you in more than one pal
ticular.
GEN. SCoTT.-The Washington sObservel
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