Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-31
EVENING STAR,
A LOVE OF A HUSBAND.

| Lift
in Prairie Land" by Mrs. Farnham, for the
benefit of those who consider the definition of
ga perfect brute" to be an individual who
does not believe in $50 dresses and $50 bon.
nets. Those who think themselves particu-
larry ill-treated, would scarcely, we imagine.
change places with the Hoosier bride:
The strange character of the feeling mani
tested by her husband, made me very desi-
| rous of drawing him into an expression Of il
in words before he left us, and as their land.
ing-place would probably be reached on the
third morning, I availed myself Of a chance
meeting on the shady guard in the afternoon,
to engage him in conversation. A few words
about the height of the water, the timber, and
the prairies, served the purpose.
You are going to become prairie farm
| or ?' said I.
"No, I've been one afore-I've got a farm
up the river hyur that I've crappsd twice
already; there's good cabin on it, and it e
about as good 4 place, reckon, as can be
found in these diggins"
I" Then you built cage, said, "and went
back for your bird to put in it?''
He looked at me, and bis face underwent a
| contortion, Of which words will convey but
faint idea. 1t was a mingled expression of
pride and contempt, family disguised by
| smile that was intended to hide them.
| "Why, don't know what you Yankees call
| a Bird he replied, "but call her a woman
l should mt make much account of havin'
bird in my cabin, but good stout woman 1
should calculate was worth somethin' She
| can pay her way, and do a handsome thing
besides helpin' me on the farm "
| Think of that ye bellies and fair-handed
maidens. How was my sentiment rebuked
| "Well, we'll call her a woman, which is,
in truth, much the more rational appelation.
You intend to make her useful as we'll as Or
namental to your home? ?"
"Why, yes L calculate tain I of much &C.
| count to have a woman if she amt Of no use.
L lived up hyur two year, and had to have
| another mans woman TO do all my washin'
and mendin' and so on, and at last / got tired
O. toton my plunder back and forth, and
thought might well get woman of. my
| own. There's a heap of things besides these
that shell do better than l can, reckon;
every man ought to have a woman to do his
cookin and such like, 'kase it's easier for them
than it is for US. They take to it kind o.
naturally"
L could scarcely believe that there was no
| more human vein in the animal, and determ-
| ined to sound him little deeper.
| "And this bride Of yours is the one, sup
pose, that you thought of all the while you
were making your farm and building your
cabin You have, L dare say, made little
garden, or set out tree, or done something of
the kind to please her alone?"
"No, never allowed to get a woman till
1 found my neighbOrs went ahead of me with
| EN-, and then l should got one right thar,
| but thar wasn't any stout ones in our settle
| ment, and it takes SO long to make up to a
stranger that / allowed L moHght as we'll 60
back and see the old folks, and git somebody
| that know d thar TO come back with me -
| 'And had you 10 choice made among your
| acquaintance was there no one person Of
/ whom you thou ght more than another 20 said
eyes, thar was gal I used to know that
was stouter and bigger than this one. 1
married and gone off over the Mississippi,
| somewhar''
The cold hearted fellow, it was perfectly
business matter with him.
Did you select this one solely on account
| of her size % said L.
"Why, pretty much" be replied; "I rec
| kon women are some like horses and oxen, the
biggest can do the most work, aud that s what
l want one for"
| "And is that all ?'' asked more disguised
| at every word. DO you care nothing about
| pleasant face to meet you when you 90
; home from the field, or a soft voice to speak
kind words when you are sick, OF gentle
friend to converse with you in your leisure
| hours?'
"Wby, as to that" he said, "I reckon o
woman amt none the worse for talk because
| she's stout and able to work 1 calculate
| she'll mind her own business pretty much.
and if she does she won't talk great deal to
me that amt what got her for
"But suppose when you get home she
should be unhappy, and went to see her pa
| ents and other friends?''
"Why, 1 don't allow she will; didn't get
! her for that"
"But if she does" replied, really anxious
to touch some chord that might afterwards
vibrate in the poor girls behalf; I" if she does
! feel unhappy you know ones feelings are
not always under their own control
| "Wall, if she does expect shan't mind
| it much, if she keeps it to herself"
! The selfish brute,
/. off she kept it to herself, as you say would
| you not attempt to alleviate her sorrows,
|; would you not take her on some pleasant ride
or walk, and speak kindly to her, and en-
/ deavor to make your new home and company
4, agreeable to her"
| "Oh." said hs, laughing feebly. al shall
! give her enough to eat and to wear, and L
| don't calculate she'll be very daunsey if she
gets that; if she is she'll git shst of it after
! while -
My Indignation increased at every word.
| "But you brought her away from her home
to be treated as human being, not as an an
| imal or machine. Marriage is a moral con-
tract, not a mere bargain of business. The
parties promise to study each other happi-
| ness, and endeavor to promote it. You could
not marry a woman as you could buy a wash.
! ing machine, though you might want her for
the same purpose. If you take the machine
there is no moral obligation incurred, ex-
cept to pay for it. If you take this woman,
there is. Before you entered this contract
could have shown you a machine that would
have answered your purpose admirably. 1t
| would have washed and iToned all your
clothes, and when done, stood in some out Of
the.way corner till it was wanted again You
would have been under no obligation, net
even to feed and clothe it, as you now are. Ii
would have been the better bargain, would il
not?''
why, that would be according to what it
cost in the fust place; but it wouldn't be
justly the same thing as haviu a wife, reck-
on even if it was to give it to you"
mo, certainly not; it would free you from
many obligations that you are under to a wife;
lit was the first time, by the way, he had
1 used the word \ and leave, vou ia mn rsue vo,r