Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-07-03
A CHAPTER ON MATRINONY.


a young lady, cut west, in communion
ton to the S4udusky Register upon the sub
jet of matrimony, says -
It's mournful fact that this world is full
of young men who want to marry but dare
not Deny this, as some will, il is never
theless true, as we can easily show. In
this town, for instance, there arc some thir-
ty or forty young men, well-io-do in the
way of salaries and business, yet they re-
fuse to take the step whi,h they oil oaat 10
take, but do not-why The large major
ity of them have salaries ranging from five
hundred to seven hundred dotiars per year.
Now the FIRST question to be asked by any
sane nran is, can ! properly support wife,
if take one Then he coDi.ts the cost Of
living, as the woman of his preference would
wish, and 10 he finds tG his araazement that
his income IS vastly too small to support
even modest modern establishment; and
somewhat niaddeIIed by the reflection, lie
plunges into labor aud courts business With
an assiuiiy that takes away his health even
tually, in hope of attaining an income that
shall enable him to marry and have holhe
of his own.-And tAis is the secret Of all
the hard, 1nending toll of the young men
/ of to day Who are fast approaching thirty
years of age this Is the reasons of 80 many
disappointed men and waiting woman, deny
or hide it as you may.
But says some good wd;nan, you do us
injustice; for any woman who truly loves !.
man will adapt herself 10 his circumstances
with the gteatesr pleasure. But what man
of any sensitiveness, or high sense of honor,
would take woman from easy circumstan-
ces and pleasant and we'll furnished home.
to adorn his four little looms and to do his
housework, as the first principles OF economy
would demand Of him /? Few will DO it, for
though the woiaan signifies her willingness
to take up with such experience, we arc oil
such creatures of circumstances that there
would be coniplaiuings on her part, eventu-
ally, and sickness from over-excrtion, and
unhappiness from many cares-all If which
would render marriage any thing else than
pleasant. Aud so the youns men very wise
~ think-prefering few mole years of
single loneliness, in order to o5taiu money
enough to support modest house of between
twelve and Fifteen hundred dollars year
expense, rather than to place modernly
educated wcinan into the house of six huu-
dred dollars year, where she must do her
own homework.
Now, what is the remedy! Plainly, that
Woman must fit themselves to be such wives
as the young men must have. Else the
young men must fit themselves 10 be such
husbands as the woman want, aud spend the
very choicest years of their life In the dis
nHl drudgery of a ceaseless toll, breaking
down health. happiness, energy, only to give
themselves up to marriage when the best of
their manhood is gone. The woman must
choose for themselves which i shall be, for
the matter is solely in their hands Let
mothers say to their daughters, put on that
calico gown, 90 into the kitchen End prepare
dinner, take charge of this household, and
fit yourself to become a wife and mother
= let tue young woman cheerfnlly consent
to such service aud instead of layishine all
thought, ami time, and money. upon the
adoruinent Of the. body, seek to accustom
the hands to proper industry and the school
the mind 10 proper tastes-theR there will
be no longer complaint that the young men
s'cannot afford TO marry" and we shall have
beautiful modest houses all around US, and
women will have loving husbands. and all life
shall once morehave something of the truth
fulness and virtue which it bad in the days
of fathers and mothers, when it was the wo-
mans ambition-to become the head of the
house and the mother Of noble children.