The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-09-02
A CHAPTER ON MATRIMoNY.

a young lady out West, in commu-
n!c.tiou to the Sandusky Register upon
the subject Of matriInony, says -
at is Inournfu fact that this world
is full OF young men who want to marry,
but dare not. Deny this, as some will,
it is nevertheless true, as we can very
easily show. ln this town, for instance,
there are some thirty or forty young men,
well-to-do in the way Of business and sal
aries, and yet refuse to take, the step
which they all want to take, but do not.
Why The large ma jority of them
have salaries ranging from five hundred
to seven hundred dollars a year. Now
the first question to be asked by any
sane man, is, can properly support a
vie, if | take one? Then lie counts
the cost of living as the woman of his
preference would wish, and 10 he finds
to his amazement, that his income is vast
iy too small to support even modest
modern establishment and, somewhat
madGened BY the ref, ction, he plunges into
labor and courts busiuessIwilh an assidui
ty that takes away his health eventually,
in hopes of attaining an income that shall
enable him to marry, and have home of
his own. And this is the secret of the
hard, unending toll Of the young men of
to day, who are fast approaching thirty
years of age-this is the reason OF SO
many disappointed men aud waiting wo-
men, deny or hide it as you may.
"But, says some good woman, you dc
us injustice for any woman who truly
loves man will adopt herself TO his cir,
cumstances with the greatest PLEASURE
But what man Of aLy sensiliveness, or
high sense Of honor, would take woman
from easy circumstances, aud = pleasant
and well-iurnished home, TO adorn his
four little rooms, aud TO do his house
work, AS the first principles of economy
would demand Of him ? Few will do it;
for, though the woman signifies her viii.
lingness TO take up with such experience,
we are all such creatures of circumstances,
that there would be compIainings on her
part, eventually, and sickness from over,
exertlon, unhappiness from many cares
all Of which would render marriage
ANYTHING else ihan ,,la"""-.--t A. J.~...!.S
few years of single loneliness, in order
TO obtain money enough to support mod
est house Of between twelve and fifteen
hundred dollars per year expense, rather
than to place modestly educated woman
into the house of six hundred a wear,
where she must do her own house.work
"Now, what is the remedyl Plainly
that women must fit themselves to be
such wives as the young men must have
Else the yonng men must fit themselves
10 be such husbands as the women want,
and spend the very choicest Years of their
life in the dismal drndgery of ceaseIess
toll, breaking down health, and happiness,
only to give themselves up to marriage
when the best Of manhood is gone. The
women must choose for themselves which
II shall be, for the matter is solely in their
hands. Let mothers say to thor daugh.
tiers. Put on that calico gown; take
charge Of tn 5 household, and fit yourself
to become wife and mother. Let the
young woman cheeriully consent 10 such
service; and instead Of lav.sh;ng all
thought, and time and money upon tie
adornment Of the body, seek to accustom
the hands to proper industry, and 10
school the mind to proper tastes. Then
there vii! be no longer complaint that
young men can't afford to marry and we
shall have beautiful, modest houses all
around us, and women will have loving
husbands, and all life, once more, have
something Of the truthfulness and virtue
which it had in the days Of our blessed
fathers and mothers, whea it was We.
mans ambition to become the heal of
the house, and the mother OF noble chi!
dren."
There's some good sense for you, girls.