American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-07-12
HOUSEHOLDS NoBLExEss.


tsi1ft1 ~ sis 49, - - r-t !
p Woman. IN general. are indignant that
/ the satirist should have made this the cli-
max TO his praise Of woman And yet,
we fear, he saw Only too truly What un-
expected failures have we seen, literally,
in this respect! How often did the Mar
tha blur the Mary out ofthe face Of love
| ly woman at the sound Of crash amid
| glass and porcelain! What sad lttlcness
in all the departments thus represented!
Obtrusion ofthe mop and duster on the
Tranquil meditation of a husband aud
brother. Impatience, ifthe carpet be de-
faced by the feet even ofcherisbed friends
There is 6 beautiful side, and good
reason here; but why must the beauty de.
generate, and give place to meanaess?
TO Woman the care of home is conf
ded. 1t is the sanctuary, of which she
should be tile guardian angel To all ele-
ments that are Introduced there she should
betle bordering mind" She represents
the spirit of beauty, and her influence
should be spring-like. clothing all objects
within her sphere with lively, fresh and
tender hues. So Ns4 a+.l1r.l.7 7s s,--I 4
She represented purity, and all that ap-
pertains to her should be- kept delicately
Ipure. She is modesty, and draperies
should softcn all rude lineaments, and ex-
clude glare and dust She is harmony and
allobiecis should be in their places ready
for. and matched to, their uses s2-1
We all know that there is substantial
reason for the offence we feel at defect in
any of these ways. A woman who wants
purity, niodesty and harmony, in her
| dress and manners, is insuflerable; one
| who wants them in the arrangements. of
her house, disagreeable TO everybody
She neglects the most obvious ways Of ex-
pressing what we desire 10 see in her, and
the inference Is ready, that the inward
sense is waning ltis with 10 merely
gross and selfish feeling that all men com.
mend the good housekeeper, the good
nurse. Neither is it slight praise to say of
woman that's does well the honors Of
her house in the way of hospitality The.
wisdom that can maintain serenity, cheer
fulness and order, in little world of ten
or twelve persons, and keep ready the re-
sources that are needed for the susteu-
ance and recovery in sickness and sorrow,
Is the same that holds the stars in their
! places, and patiently prepares the precious
metal in the most secret chambers of the
earth. The art, and the music titus pro-
duecd only differs from that OF the orcbes-'
ira in this, that in the former ease the
/ overture of sonata cannot be played twice
in the same manner 1t requires that the
hostess shall combine true self.respect and
| rcpose,ts 5+Ei .a -'eE t
! - tThc simpleart ofHOt too much," 1s
with refined perception of individual traits
and moods in character, with variety and
/ viyacity, az, ease. .qrace and genteefneSS,
that d,9ase heir SweetnsSs .iRSensiIiyI
Mroagh every NOOK an assembly. and call
oat every reciprocql Seoeetness schercUcri
here is any to De found s-e 5..--s Il
The only danger in all this is the same
thatbeset us,in every walk oflife; to wit,
that of prefering the outward sign to the
inward spirit whenever there is cause 10
hesitate between the two. .. ,.,cye5., q.
| IL admire" says Goethe, .rthe Chlnese.
novels; they express, so happily ease, peace,
and a finish unknown to other nations in
the interior arrangements of their homes.
"lno ono of them came upon the line,
Il heard the lovely maidens laughing, and
found my way to the garden, where they
were seated iu their light cane-cbairs. >
10 me, this brings an immediate animation
| by the. images it,suggests of lightness,
brightness and elegance. I'D, ;gii.e,
q This is most true, but it is also most
true that the garden house would not seem
thus charming unless its light cane-chairs
had lovely, laughing maidens seated in
them. And the lady who values her .por,
celain, that most, exquisite product of the
peace and thorough breeding Of, China, so
highly, should take the hint, and remem-
Der that unless the fragrant herb of wit,
sweetened by kindness, and isoftened by
the cream of .affability, also crown her
board, the prettiest tea;cups in the world
might rs well lie in fragments in the gut
ter, as adoin her social show. Tie show
looscs lis beauty orhea it ceases 10 represent a
substance. ...,, o.! ~ ~ .atY
Here, as elsewhere, it is only vanity,
! narrowuess and self-seeking, that spoil a
! good thing. Woman would never be too
! good housekecpers for their own peace
and that Of others, il they considered
housekeeping only as means to an end
! Iftheir object were really the peace and
| Joy of-all concerned, they could bear to
have their cups and saucers broken more
easily than their tempers, and to have cur
tains and carpets soiled, rather than their
| hearts by men aud small feelings But
they are brought up to think tits disgrace
to, be bad housekeeper, not because they
must, by such defect, be accuse Of sutf-
ering and loss oftime to do all within, their
4 sphere, but because all other women will
laugh at them IL they are so. Here is the
vice, for want of high motive, there can
be no truly good action. -, '- /,
= We have seen woman otherwise noble
{ and magnanimous in high degree, SO in
: sane on this point as to weep bitterly be-
cause she found a little dust on her picture
frames, and torment her guests all dinner
time with excuses for the way in which
the dinner was cooked.
Il We have known others to join with thei
servants to backbite the best and mobiles
friends for triAipg derelictions against th'