The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1853-05-06
A WORD TO DAUGHTERS AT HOME.

A WORD TO DAUGHTERS AT HOME.
Dear young friends, will you listen to
word of counsel respecting your present
duties, and also intimately connected with
your present and future happiness! You
have pleasant home, you have kind parents;
how inestimable these bessngs DO all you
can to add to the comfort of your home, all
you can to lessen the care of those best
friends, who ever bear you on their hearts,
and would almost lay down their lives for
your good. Anticipate their wishes, and
meet them promptly, if in your power, with
out being told. Make yourself so acquainted
with household duties, and so happy in their
performance that you can move about quietly
de in talieve your toil-won mother, and thus
- Prf requite her labors of love for you,
y were Young and helpless. Never
Snient indulge the thought that work
o. memorable or that a scientific and practi-
knowledge of home duties is inconsistent
with literary education. True, you may not
be able to pursue the latter at home, to the
extent Of our wishes, AND the time may not
have come for you to go elsewhere. You may
have lea: Led to feel that education is Of i'm
mense value-may have natural love for
books, and much prefer reading and study to
active employment, and may therefore enter
upon the routine of domestic avocations, rest.
less and dispirited. Perhaps your youthful
face that should ever be bright with cheer
fulness and hope, distilling gladness wherever
it moves, may wear frown tending to
habitual moroseness that you would fain
avoid If such are the circumstances of any
of our readers, let us say to you in all kind
ness, do not look moment longer on the
dark side Do not feel that the noble aspi-
rations of your soul are to be crushed, or
disappointed. Be ready and willing to do
present duties with aacrty, and doors will
be open in due time where your audable love
for study may be fully gratiied. you have
arrived at the age of fifteen, you should be
capable of assuming occasionally the care Of
the family, of keeping the house in perfect
order, cutting and making most of your own
clothing, preparing food for the table, and
entertaining company with ease and grace.
These are things to be learned at home, and
that cannot be learned at school, and they are
an indispensable part Of female education.
If you are conscious that you excel in these
old-fashioned accomplishments, then press
forward with eagerness in intellectual pur-
suits, MS opportunity offers, but do not take
up French, Latin Algebra, or half dozen of
this class of studies, if you are at all deficient
in Orthogrnphy, Penmanship, Grammar and
Arithmetic With these common school
duties be thorough familiar, also with the
laws of life. Let other things come in their
order. Whatever may be your pursuits, do
not neglect the daily, prayerfu study of the
Scriptures. Let the Bible be the guide of
your youth; it will aid you to bear life's early
trials, discharge the duties of your station,
and fit you for the Future.
BE at home all that daughter should be,
and you will gain that good name, which is
rather to be chosen than great riches. To
those taken into families to be brought up,
we would give the same advice. Act well
your part. Do not acquire the habit of offer
ing to do this or that, instead of doing what
you see needs TO be done. Aim to please by
doing all that is right. BE amiable, kind and
efficient, and you will be beloved.
Young ladies in your teens, n few years
hence, and tens of thousands of homes of our
country will be made happy or miserable
through your instrumentality. 1t will be
yours to give them an air of comfort, respec-
liability, order and neatness or disorder, dis
quiet, and all that divests home of its charms.
Your conduct now must indicate whether it
shall be the former or the latter. See to it
that you resolve wisely, and act accordingly.
tty" Men are born democrats and aristo-
Gratis, as well as educated to become either;