Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-04-04
THE DEoENERAcv OF THE PRESENT

is MADE APPARENT By THE EXAMPLES
OF THE PAsT.-If there is an evil to be
lamcnted at this the present day, il is the
false notions offarmers' daughters, say,
of the beautiful women Of the whole land,
about what is geneet or respectable. -
The young lady who would not feel
proud to step into the field and make the
rake fly when shower is approaching,
or hide her knitting and conceal her wash
tub, at a friendly tap at the door, and
take herself away on careful tip toe to
her chamber, to create the idea in her
waiting friend. that he was moi heard un-
till she can greet him all la mode, is
spoih child, and as destitute of the true
sources OF happiness in her own bosom,
as she is unprepared to discharge the
plain and necessary duties of every day
life, which all must sooner or later meet.
"Sally," said kind and indulgent
father to his daughter, who had Just fin
ished her fourth quarter at boarding
school, "hand me that rake that lays on
the wall there close by the house. l fear
there is shower coming up
"Why, father" said Sally, 81 am sur
prised, you know have paid so much
attention to music and painting, that
cannot tell what rake is." .f.-a
"Well, WELL" says the old man, "your
mother does am thinking, and how to
,tSe IL too" #
A wag standing by looked up TO bis
fellow laborer and in an underlone said,
''if the old man sends her another quar-
ter guess she'll find out to her sorrow
what rake is" as fH
Give us the girls who can boast of
their large rich cheese, their sweet vel
low butter, fine socks, neatly made shirts,
and other apparel for the family, the pro-
duet of their own labor, and we will show
you real, not sham ladies', who will live
in the memory of their children, capable
of being happy, with rosy checked health
and joyful hearts, ever gladdening the
domestic circle, and ever ready by pre-
cept and example, to advance the high
est interest of society, and discharge their
whole duty as wives, mothers, sisters,
and. daughters.
If any Miss is too genfed for those
wholesome truths, tell her we say, that
the most distinguished statesmen and
generals of antiquity, ,cere clad wifh the
manufacture oftheir oVn wiues. sisters,
and daughters. After spotless virtue,
dearer than life itself, the Roman Matron
was proud to rank the distaf and spin
die. Augustus sis said to have seldom
worn any thing but the manufacture of
his wife, sister, daughter, and neices,"
and il is said OF Alexander the Great,
that while the mother and children of
Darius, were his captives, that he made
the mother present Of some purple
stufs from Macedon and sent her word,
that if she liked them, she might make
her grand children learn to weave Them"
At this the old queen was offended, for
the Persian ladies were above being use-
full. Then Alexander being above Civ
ing offence to captive lady, assured the
old Queen. that he intended no offence.
For said he "Mother, the stuff in which
you see me clothed was not ONLY a Gift
Of my sisters but drought ,oifh their
o,cn fingers.
A Roman marriage could not be duly
celebrated without the presence of the
distaff and spindle emblematical of the
appropriate duties of the wife.