Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-04-17
YHE fARMER's WIFE.

4 truer article than the following, which
We take nom the Springhcid iepppncAn.
We coinmcnt il to thcscrious consideration
OF lathcss, husbands and brothers, and AK
them 10 remedy the evil complained Of just
aa far as in them lics The evil is radical
SO long as farmers consent 70 be i|literai<
and ignorant, thcy and their families Ni4
be nero beasts OF burden. Give us Affi-
cultural Schools, and give lariaers sense
enough 70 appreciate and pafoni1c tncm'
aud farming viii not be all drudeery.-
Their hearts and brains viii be Of Use, es
well ns mere animal muscle;
s'he lile o. the farmer j. 20 often mace
the subject OF complimentary feiAAfei -
often praised for is peocciuincts ana indr
pendenoc. that tie iarlnoTs vile mishi
very nationally, be supposed 10 be tllc Jap.
pies. woman Ia the world FROM her rem.
ton 10 tiio 'Iorls Of toe SOL, n peaccini. IN
dcponacnt woman. That tAo raforse Of this
is the general TACT, viii be universally cop-
ccdod by the wives OF the lalmcf1
A Young farmer arrives 1T the aGc HIieA
he thinks IL lime ior him 10 gcl married and
'settic deHh. Ao has q respectable cduca
ton, and wants a Woman who le his equal
lie looks about him, and makes bis chcice
EAt ~ NlIA NII4 HLaAAI nllM al lII| INIAAAIAI
has been well educated, reared by careful
parents, and is, in the irucss sense, . lady
she loves books, possesses skill and ia.lf IN
music, aud il, IN all points, lifted to reign
the queen OF happy home She becomes
the wife of the farmer, A. ambitious 10 do az
much as her ncighbors, nnd her husband -
soon asaricious enough 20 allow the woman
OF his love 70 become his most devoted
drudge. IRON thcnceiorth, her life is one
of the most unremlttIng toll IL u nothing
but mend and patch, cook and bake, WASH
and iron, churn aud make cheese, pick up
chips and draw water, bear Children anQ
nurse them. Tho family eniargcs, the nus
band grows wealthy, becomes Important IN
The community, rides % town every day,
t4kes his case whcn he chooses but the
cares Of his faded aud broken down wife,
know no relaxation. She may outllyc her
husband, but rarely dock and, not unllo-
qucntly u second wife comes in 20 share in
tie money that should have been enjoyed
by hor predecessor, through quiet old age
OF rest
This is 40 fancy sketch; il Il drawn from
/ life, and, IN oyery country town and neigh
borhood, is truthlalness will be recognized
Now, we despise the good-ior-nothings Of
fashionable life, a. much as any one, aud
have no affection for dronos in any hive -
We are aware thatcircnmstances sometimes
demand extreme labor Of the farmer wife,
but in New England, these circumstances
DO not prevail And while we would leave
no woman 10 cot the bread Of idlcness, we
would see the class OF which we are speak
ing, released from that circle Of everlasting
drudgery, which dtpriyes them Of the priv
( iiogc OF relaxation for day, aud the time
which they would gladly devote 70 the ma
tcrnal education of their children.
From this lie the girls OF our day are
learning 10 shrink, not because they are
lazy, but because they know they are 10 be
sacrificed Not because the calling Of the
farmer is not respectable, but because they
do not wish to become his mistress--maid-
of-all-work, nurse and bootjack Now the
foundation Of all this wrong, is in that ava
ricious spirit handed down from father 10
son, which makes the dollar the standard of
responsibility, and land the only fountain Of
I happiness. We hope TO SEQ the day when
the farmers wife shall share in the peace
iulness and independence Of the farmers
lot and we call upon the ladies 10 engage in
the reform themselves, aud to teach tho
/ lords Of the SOIL that there is something 70
live for besides potatoes and that life can
be enjoyed more truly. by proper presor-
yation Of the health, beauty, accomplish
ments and good spirits Of their companions