Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-09-29
tliSCELiI.AkE. /.
Uncle Matt's: View of LIfc."

vanished, upright. downright, 'down- East
cr. came some few weeks since to this great
wilderness OF brick and sin, called the Elm
pirc City" to see the CRYSTAL Palace, Getty
Life, - and perhaps, also the elephant
lie put up for a few days at our boarding
| place. but, we were all of us clever uuirt
souls, content with good old fashioned Trim
tive customs, and with sufficient occupation
| to keep us out of mischief, he concluded that
staying with us was too much like being at
home, and SO. to see something of men and
manners, ncle Matt removed to one Of our
ultra fashionable hotels
As he did not hide the light or HE gold un-
der II bushel, and as money can buy every
| thing, from penny whistle to II woman or
a man, Uncle Matt soon found himself in the
| good graccs of several families of hashy ma
mas and fashionable daughters
| had not seen him for several davs, when
one morning the good man called to bid me
| good bye he was going, he said, back to the
! granite hills of his native home.
And what have you learned Uncle Mat
| thew y asked l.
Among other things, the meaning of the
words lady and gentleman, replied he.
| Pray define urged |.
| Il had always been taught said he, set
| tling his spectacles to his satisfaction, to
| think a lady was one who, with perfect un-
| derstanding and practice Of what was due IL
| herself and propriety, always bore in mind
| the golden rule of doing as she would he done
| by. Our ladies at home weave and spin, and
bake, and brew; they make home comfort;-
! bic and happy, darn their husbands stock
| ings and sew on his buttons, study Greek
and Latin, domestic and political economy
train up their children to useful labor and
rational enjoyment, and devote as much time
to the light literature of the day and to llgh,
accomplishments as they can give from more
urgent occupations. They generally contrivc
to make themselves pretty thorough musi.
clans and pretty skilful in the use of pencil
and pen. They think that labor is worship
and SO they do what they have to do with
their might, giving to each hour its occupa,
| ton
80 much for New England women now
for our ladies, said l.
AS far as | can learn, replied Uncle Mat
thew, with severity unusual to him, the
are human butterflies who estimate the clea r
ness of their title to tho term lady prccisel,
in the ratio of their usefulness and, aftc
being finished at fashionable school whcr
they 50 through long hooks with long names
from which not one practical idea are the
taught 10y their fashionable instructors, the
commence life with the idea that display. no
l'iic'N NhlidN' NGtsA, UlTt
play and sing little, dance, and secure
. husband, is the end and aim of existence
And after the husband is achieved. then CON
inencos and continues the strife for new cor
Iuoste. Tho children are given over TO tn
tender n.ercies Of ignorant nursc-girS, AN
morning calls dress, hot-bed novels and yali
hirtations occupy the day and days of the IL
dy.' One useful thought, one deed of mere,
one act of labor, and the fair asprant lose
, just 50 much of her title to ladyship. TIT
mischief does not end here, continued Uncl
Matt, growing didactic, 'as mother and I'll
daughter give the tone To society, we fin
with them the ori gin of the serious com plant
of hord times and bankruptcies among us
Every man lives up to his income, or heyon
it. to support in their sinful dlencss the wi
or daughters whose vanity and eItrayagdn'
are boundlcss and thus his ruin is explail
ell. Men are severely ccnsured by their tc
! lows, and in the journals of the day, f,
their stupendous dlshUnesties, and are drive
IRON their homes and to despair but tai
!. my word for it, in many instances, the ~
cause OF their terrible downfall lies in Il
TACT Of their not being able to resist the tic
OF extrayasant desire which surrounds the
in the shape OF beautiful, winning, coaGil
wives or daughtcrs-pctt"d, spoiled, uscl,
drones of society, who know the cost of II
thing, who never, in all their lives put toset
> er, earned the value OF one of the pins th
rs help to iasten their luxurious dresses.
r long as the world stands, man, in the spiT
ot cniNalry, (oftcntimcs the true onr but 4
~ ~ often false ouc,) will yield to woman d
m fruits of his toll, aud frequently, alas h
er own better Judgment of the right. 1t h
,c hooNes woman, therefore, to attempt no u
'e due advantage Of this strong principle oi 4
be icctiun in man Let her go hack to the prii
l. tive days OF our wise mothers for "A partc
< ol truth. Let her resign iirtinS and her ov,
dress Let her bring up her own cIildrc
and above all, lit her mind ior lhU task, til
she may give them erampies oi INDUSTRY a
knowledg,, as well as rrecrpt and all Il
cry of hard times consequent upon moni
as pressure, will give way tOa healthy, ration
ny state OF society Of work and money enou
's' for all"
It. A long speech for you. Uncle Matthew
'e, said warmly shaking his hand, "but VIII
e' you say Is nevertheless wise and true, a
's' God speed the day when our city women "
''' learn 10 think and act , and to know and VI
ue the true meaning vi the term LADY
iAman - aaid IIupla MatthpH