True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-02-10
Interesting, Miscellany.
The Wife at Home.
BY P. H. sTAUFFER.

II is within the circle Of her domestic
assiduity tina. we must 60 to judge of the
true worth Of a woman-to make cor
rect estimate Of her forbearance, her virtue,
and her felicity There are displayed all
the finer feelings Of which the pure heart
of woman is susceptible. Il is in the
mids, of trial and suffering, misfortune
and anguish, that the nobler traits of the
true wife ATE displayed in all their char
acterisic grandeur. Adversely only ilf-
creases the ardor of her attachment; and
the constancy and intensity of her devo-
tion are such as no changes or chances
can eslrange or subdue. There are no
recriminations 10 drive love away, no
violence TO ALLEVIATE the heart, no neglect
to impel 10 desperation. All is love,
kindness, and persuasion. Oh, what is
more sweet, more calculated to enhance
the value Of domestic relationship, than
for man cas-. down, worried, almost
driven 10 despair, to turn his footsteps
away from the busy world and mingle
with The loved ones a! home Ito have
a place where feeling and sympathy are
manifested. where glance responds to
glance, and heart to heart-where the
sweet musical voice of one nearest and
deares. to the soul, life-inspring yet un-
obtrusive in its counsel, sends him forth
again, with stronger shoulder 10 stem
the tide Of adversely
Few secrets are so important as that
Of knowing how to make home happy
Beauty of feature is not necessary. Or
dinary features, when lit up with the
sunbeams of sensiblity, generally excite
the same passions which they express
and the winning attraction of their smile
invests them with peculiar charms, like
the variegated hues with which brilliant
rainbow lints the gloomy clouds. The
proud and dangerous gift of genius is not
necessary. Let woman possess what is
infinitely more valuable--good common
sense, and intellect sufficient to direct it
in the most appropriate manner 10 all the
practical purposes Of life. Let there be
trutlifulness and integrity in her nature,
strengthened by thorough course Of
mental discipline; and it will not fail to
give beauty and power to her thoughts
and character. II does not consist in The
ready flow of conversation. captivating in
its vivacity, brilliant in its fresh concep.
TORS, charming in its polished sentences,
dazzling in its wi.ticisms, and Instructive
in its solidi,y.
True. these qualifications, combined
with those constituted TO render home
happy, may make a woman the embodi-
ment of all the most noble and imagina.
tive heart could wish or desire; but they
are not essentially necessary. I'd 10 Fl 4.
A lady with ordinary features and or
dinary abilities may make home very
pleasant and agreeable. And who would
not prefer such one to her who--no
matter how beautiful or bewitching-puts
on her smiles like her ornaments, and
dresses her mind. like her person, for
company, in painted colors. fictitious
charity, and pincbbeck benevolence!
The true secret Of making home happy
is to haze the heart in the right place, 10
have the charity to overlook foibles, to
learn to forgive and to forget. and never
to be too proud to make concession
as II were, intuitively, with blind mans
instinct, detecting those thousand little
things that esince, in silence, devotion
and affection unspeakable. But, above
all. the wife should possess that genuine
piety which leads her TO forget herself in
seeking the glory Of God and the happi-
ness Of her fellow.beings. The useful
attainments Of life should be blended with
the lighter accomplishments /; and the at.
tractve smenity Of her manners should
spring less from the polish ofintercourse
than from the Unborn sweetness of hel
disposition. She must be woman true
to herself, her nature, and her destiny
one daring to break away from the slavery
Of fashion and the allurement Of pleasure
and to seek her happiness in the path oI
duty alone. She must be sensitive in
her organization, ardent in her feeling
whole-souled in her attachments, calm
and gentle in her wisdom, tender in hel
sympathy, firm, yet not osientalious in
her piety--a woman 'self.possessed, hav
ing the tranquil air Of one conscious o.
her own moral strength, and Of the exis
tence Of impulses and feelings too sacrec
to be lightly displayed 10 a world which
has nothing in common with them, and
which, therefore, in the ark Of love a
home, gush forth, like aleaping fountain
in all their fulness and their glory. She
can. be strong in the very reserve ant
shrinking deiicacy Of her character. and
even while appearing to waver, diffuse
tranquilizing influence over all aroun'
her. like the falling Of the pure, soft light
felt. but not heard, swaying all BY th
magic cesius of her love.
The pains the wife took TO charm be
| husband before marriage should be doub