The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-02-10
A Woman for a Wife.

In most of the letters addressed to
young men, there is great deal said
about the elevating influence of female
society. Sentimental young men affect
this kind of reading, and if anywhere
in it they can find countenance for the
policy of early marriages, they are
particularly gratifed. Now, while we
are the. last to deny the advantages
which, any young man of sense expe-
riences from the society of a woman of
pure and elevated taste, we do deny
that there is anything in indiscriminate
devotion to female society, which makes
a man better or purer. 1
In seeking female society as an
agency for the elevation of your taste,
the cultivation of your morals, and the
improvement of your mind, seek that
which is above you. Do not treat with
rudeness or studied neglect such infe-
rior female society as you are obliged
TO come in contact with; on the con-
trary you owe to such society duty
you should stimulate it, infuse new
vitality into it, and endeavor to do for
it what you would have superior female
society do for yourself.
The endeaYor to find female society
above yourself should be carried still
further Never content yourself with
the idea of having a commonplace
wife. You want one who will urge
you forward; who will excite within
your breast a laudible ambition; who
will sympathize with all your trials,
enter into all your perplexities, animate
you with fresh zeal and new hopes
and who will, in very truth, be unto
you better half
The apprehensions of women are
finer and quicker than those Of men.
With equaEearly advantages the NO.
msa- is more of a woman at eighteen
thansa man is at twenty-one. After
marriage, as general rule, the woman
ceases to acquire. We do not say this
is necessary, or that it should be the
case; we simply state as fact. The
woman is absorbed in family cares.
They consume her time, and, to a con-
siderable extent, deprive her of intel
lectual culture. In the meantime the
man is engaged in business. He comes
in daily contact with minds sharper
and stronger than his own. He grows
and natures, and within ten years from
the date of his marriage, becomes in
reality new man. Now, if he was
foolish enough to marry woman be-
cause her face was pretty or her figure
attractive, or her dowry handsomer
than either figure or face, he will find
that he has left his wife far behind in
the intellectual progress which he has
made, and that she is really no more of
a companion for him than child would
be. There are few sadder sights in
this world than that of mates whom
the passage of years has mismated-
people who are married but not mated
In every young mans mind there
exists the expectation of marriage.
When young man pretends he has
no wish to marry, we may pretty safely
infer one of two things-either that he
is himself deceived, or that he is en-
deavoring to deceive others.
"When said l would die bache-
Tor, did not think should live to be
married" 50
How shall good wife be won? Men
naturally shrink from the attempt to
obtain companion superior to them
selves, but they will find that really in
telligent women are uniformly modest,
and hold their charms in moderate esti-
nation. What such women most adj
mire in men is politeness, courage, de-
cision and devotion. Such qualities
are essential if you would win woman
worthy of your love. But do not be in
a hurry about the matter.