Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-09-08
GOOD w1vEs;A WANT OF THE TIMES.

GOOD WIVES q WANT OF THE TIMES.
This is the rather startling caption of an
article in late number of the Boston o.
i've Branch. IF the allegation be indeed
true, then it is high time there were some
"Men's Rights Conventions" for the pur-
pose of bringing about reform. All the
wrong, defects, and oppression we are salts
fed. do not lie on the mems side of the
house. We are not willing to bear more
than half of the responsibility that attaches
to society for the evils it creates.
If there is want of good husbands,
there is an equal want Of good wives, and
it will do neither the one nor the other any
harm to be toltthe truth plainly. We copy
portion of the article referred to-, and ask
Young ladies, who are looking out for good
husbands, to give it their serious considera-
ton.
AS the lady reader looks at the subject of
this article, she adds, "Good husbands, also,
are want of the times" 1t may be so.
But one thing at time. We have set our
pen in motion to write on our selected SUBJ
ject. And now for the proof of our pro-
position. We will first give some testimony.
We rallied young man, the other day,
upon his leading bachelor life. He replied,
II cannot afford to marry. My income
will not support a family with the present
style of living and the general expectations
of wives, who, in these times, are rather
unemployed ladies than wives or hclpmates.
If wives were what they used to be, and
would do as they used to do, l should marry,
and could afford to marry"
Another witncss has been put by US on
the stand upon this subject, and he says he
is afraid to marry city girl, and country
girls he is not acquainted with them, nor
has he time TO cultivate their acquaintance.
City girls are pretty playthings," he says,
"but they are not hopeful candidates for
wives. They know how to sing, to play
upon instruments. to dance and to Dress
They are gifted in small talk, are agreeable
companions for an hour, but have not the
substantial qualities for wives. They do
not know how to make good bread, nor
even how to superntend the cook. They
do not understand domestic duties generally,
nor how to render home attractive and
happy. There are exceptions to these
cases, but the exceptions are so rare, that
my chance would be next to none Of be-
coming acquainted with lady who would
be an exception to the generally existing
sacts."
Another old married gentleman adds his
observation and experience as follows ::
"young men, generally, dare not, and can
not afford to marry in these days, for tho
expense of housekeeping are such that they
cannot meet them. A young married wo-
man in the cities, or their neighborhood,
must dress good deal, must have costly
furniture, and house to correspond; must
keep two or certainly y one female domestic,
and live in style, and keep up appearances.
On the contrary, my wife, whom | married
when young man, was from the beginning,
wife, a helmate to me. She took care Of
all brought into tue house. She worked
willingly and diligently with her hands.
She did her full share in labor, in saving,
and in planning; so that the handsome for.
tune now possess might be accumulated" +"
Enough on the score of testimony.
Observation bears us out in saying that
good wives are want OF the times. They
may be found among the mountains of Yer.
mont, and among the hills Of New Hamp-
shire, and amid the forests of Maine; but
they are not plenty hereabouts. Not long
ago, an active merchant in this city sicken-
ed and died, and it was attributed very much
to his pecuniary embarrassments. He was
once reputed to be well.to-do in the world.
His family were extravagant, very extrava-
giant. The merchant lived up to his income,
and beyondit, when the hard times came,
and the result was business, ruin and death,
his wife is said to have been far more guilty
than he, in bringing him to such an end.
This is a representative Of many similar
cases. Other men do not die a natural, but
only business death, which some honora-
bic merchants think is worse than natural
death. How many failures, could the cause
of them be searched into might be attri.
buted properly to the want Of good domes-
tic and economical wives.
The experience Of many husband as he
traces these lines, will respond to the truth
of,.Hfen. How vain for man "to rise
early, to sit up late, to eat the bread Of
sorrows," if he has wife who is help.
eat, help.spend, help-waste instead of
helpmeet.
1t is obvious, that good wives are want
of the times, from the fact that our young
men to so great an extent, do not marry
for " marriage is honorable in ALL" and al.
most all young men wouldseek the honora.
bic state of matrinony, if they could find
those good wives that their income would
support. If any one will take the pains to
hook abroad, especially in our cities, he will
find that young men do not marry, as gen.