Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-09-01
FEMALE EDUCATION.
BY MRS. L. M. CHILD.

The difficulty is, education does no,
usually point the female heart to its only
true resting place. That dear English
! word, "home," is not half so powerful a
.alisman as .'fhe world." Instead of the
salutary truth, that happiness is IN duty,
they ,re taught to consider the two things
totally distinct; and ,ha, whoever seeks
one must sacrifice the other.
The fact is, our girls have no home
education. When quite young, they are
sent to schools where no femenine en-
ploy yments, no domestic habits, can be
learned; and there they continue till they
"come opt" into the world. After :his.
few find any time to arrange, and make
use OF, the mass of elementary knowl-
edge they have acquired; and fewer still
have either leisure or taste for the inele-
CANT. every -dav duties of life. Thus
prepared. they enter upon mairimony.-
Those early habits, which would have
have made domestic care light and easy
task, have never been taught, for FEAR it
would interrup, their happiness; and the
result is that, when cares come, as come
they must, they find them misery. Iaul
Convinced that indifference and dislike
between husband and wife, are more fre.
qnenllv occasioned by this great error in
education. than by any other cause.
The bride is awakened from her de-
lightful dream, in which carpets, vases,
sofas. white gloves, and pearl earrings
are oddly jumbled up with her lovers
looks and promises. Perhaps she would
be surprised if she knew how much
of the fascination of being engaged was
owing TO the aforesaid inanimate concern.
Be that as i, will. she Is awakened by the
unpleasant conviction that cares devolve
upon her. Aud wha, effect does this
produce upon her character! Do the
holy and tender influences Of domestic
love render self denial and exerlinn a
bliss! No! They would have done so
had she been properly educated; but
now she gives way to unavailing iretful.
ness and repining; and her husband is at
first panied, and fnally 9isgusted, by
hearing, 81 never knew what care was
when | lived IN my fathers house. If
| were TO live my life over again, I'd re-
main single as long as | could, without,
the risk of being an old maid" How
injudicious, how short-sighted the policy
which thus mars the whole happiness of
life, in order TO make few nrief years
more gay aud brilliant! | have known
many instances Of domestic ruin and
discord produced by This mistaken iHddl-
gence of mothers. 4 aeUer knoW Out
one ,cliere the Uictin had moral courage
enough to change all her early habits !!
She was young. pretty. and very ami
able girl. but brought up to be perfectly
useless; rag baby would, to all inlen,s
and purposes, have been as efficient a
partner. She married young lawyer,
without property, but with good aud
increasing practice. She meant to be a
good wife. but she did not know how. -
Her wastefulness Involved him in debt.
He did not reproach. though he tried TO
convince and instruct her. She loved
him; aud. weeping. replied, 81 try to DO
the best can; but, when lived at home
mother always took care ofeverythine."
Finally, poverty came upon him "llke
an armed man." ana he went into re.
mote town in the Western States to teach
school. His wife folded her hands aud
cried. while he, weary and discouraged,
actually came home from schoo. 10 cook
his own supper. At last his patience,
and her love TOR MIN, impelled her to ex.
ertion. She promised to learn, if he'd
teach her. And she did learn! And the
| change in her habits gradually wrough,
such change in her husbands fortune,
that she might bring her daughters up ir
idleness. had not experience taught heI
that economy, like grammar. is very
tiresome study, after we are 90 years OF
age.