American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-01-17
HOME INFLUENCE.

bet us look iuto several cotagest in
habited by Working men and women
Here is one where there is health and
strength, and regular wages, aud little
children. aud kind.bearled husband,
and an affec,ionate wife. What pre-
vents it from being happy home D.
What sends its master cross and dis
contented, evening ufte: evening, to the
Jovlal tavern, and brings him back
night after night, stag ggeiing aud bru-
tai The want of cemtoIt.g Instead of
bright. little. fire-side, comfortable
armchair, a singing tea.kettie, tidy
room aud merry children, which would
make the weary mans return a pleas.
pre and comfort, he finds the fro out
mo wood yrepared-the children squal-
ling = every chair filed with dirty
clothes or candlesticks, 2 or unwashed
dlshes-tha, wife dirty and forlorn chang
ca, oh, how changed from the smiling
Jean of his eatly courting days. He
has a few pence in his pocket. The
tavern is not far of: Whskey is cheap
and does instead of wood or fire. Whis-
key is cheap aud raises the SPIRITS
Whisky is cheap, and the sellers and
buyers thereof are comfortable and mer-
ry, Little wonder then, that the work
ing man takes up his hat and is off TO
drown his cares in poison. Yet the
husband is blamed and The wife spiited
Very likely the want of order in this
uncomfortable home, proceeds from
want of knowledge. Perhaps she did
nothing but dress. aud visit aud gossip.
SO she was ignorant Of cooking, ,darning,
washing, and managing a house, and
she bad no time to learn since.
The consequence is, that instead Of
nice. wholesome, hot dinners, her hus.
band dimes upon bread and cheese, or
oatmeal, or potatoes. His porridge in
the morning is full of knots and soo,,
and tastes oftall"w. and is as salt as
brine his tea at night is made with,un
boiled water, in a dirty tea pot the
washings last twice as long as they
need do the fire smokes because the
chimney is never swept; the. stockings
are foil ofholes, and the Sunday clothes
lill-kept and moth eaten.
/ Let us try another cottage, md we
finda an active, bustling mistress, but
8still the same weary story, the wiio
wanting in all good influence, the hus.
band dtinaing away The wages which
would lift his family above hunger and
misery. Here, the cause is want of
temper. The husband cones home
Etired and Initiated by the unp cas- ant
tolls of tho day, and Instead of being
soothed and comforted, he liRds his wife
IN what is Pupularly termed the dorts.'
The poor children are scolded and slap
ped till they cry--lhe hus sband interferes
angrliy. and is answered by rude and
rough reproaches for some offence of
the day before, and so comes on a mis-
eIabIe quarrel ard the husband rushes
to the good tempered host Of the tav-
ern. Peihaps be is not given 10 drink.
ing, but he cannot sit by lbe bright fire
and join in the merry laugh and talk,
without taking at least one glass for the
benefit of the house and. oh the thou
sands who are ruined by the beginning
of lust ono glass" Wives and moth
ers of our workipgmen, when will We
learn that unkind words and rude man
hers ale crimes, because they prod uce
crimes, awful and eternal in their con.
sequences When will you remember
that the way to convince husband of
his wrong and unkindness, is not to
scold but to love--not to repnse, but to
win ?
a goodly woman who lived fifteen
nuhdred years ago, used to say that II
The fists oftho husbands were rough, the
tongues Of thpir yyivos ,,,e,o shar, o,.l