The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1860-02-01
The Duty Of Husbands-How Little
Makes a Wife's Happiness.

3.
A writer in late London journal ad-
dresses an article on the class Of men
styled husbands, and as there may be
something substantial in his remarks, we
subjoin part Of them: "A EiW
| wish every husband would copy into
his memorandum book this sentence, from
a recently published work; "Women
must be constituted very differently from
men. A word said, line written, and
we are happy; omitted, our hearts ache,
as if for great misfortune. Men cannot
feel it, or guess at it if they did, the most
careless Of them would be slow to wound
US So" a-
The grave hides many a heart which
has been stung TO death, because one who
might, after all, have loved it after 9
certain careless fashion, was deaf, dumb
and blind to the truth in the sentence We
have Just quoted, or, if not, was at least
restive and impatient with regard to it
Many men, marrying late in life, being
accustomed only to take care Of them
selves, and thatin the most erratic, ram
bling, exciting fashion, eating, drinking
sleeping, and waking whenever thsil
fancy, or good cheer and amusement
questionable or unquestionable, prompted
come at last, when they get tired of this
with their selfish habits fixed, as fate Il
matrimony. For awhile il is novelty
Shortly, it is strange as irksome, thus
always being obliged to consider thu
comfort and Happiness of another K
have something always hanging on the
arm, which used to swing free, or, at most
but twirl cane. Then they think thei,
duty done if they provide food and cloth
ing and refrain (possibly) from harsh
words. aAh, is it2 Listen to that sigh 81
you close the door. Watch the gradua
fading Of the eye, the paling ofthe cheek
hot from age-she should be yet young
but that gnawing pain at the heart, borr
of the settled conviction that the grea
hungry craving Of her soul, as far as you
are concerned, must 60 forever unsat
isfed. God help such wives, and keel
them from attempting to slake their soul
thirst at poisoned fountains.
Think you, her husband, how little Q
kind word, smile, o caress to you, how
much to her If you call these thing
Childish, and beneath your notice" theI
you should never have married. Their,
are men who should remain forever single
You are one. You have no right to re
quire of q woman her health, strength
time and devotion, to mock her with thil
shadowy unsatisfying return. A new
bonnet, dress, shawl, a watch, any
thing, everything but what true woman'i
heart must crave, sympathy, appreciation
love. She may be rich in everything
else, but if she is poor in these, and is ;
good woman, she had better die.
There are hard, unloying, cold mon
strosities ofwomen (rars exceptions, VIII,
neither require love nor know how t
give it. We are not speaking of these
That big hearted, loving noble men hav
occasionally beenthrown away upon such
does not disprove what we have bee
saying. But even man thus situate,
has greatly the advantage of a woman il
similar position, because, over tn
needle, o woman may think herself int
an insane asylum, while the active ou
door turmoil Of business life is at least
sometime reprive to him.
Do you ask me, "Are there no happ,
wives2" God be praised, yes, and glori
Gus, loyeable husbands, too, who knoy
how to treat a woman, and would hav
her neither fool nor drudge NAlmos
every wife would be a good and happ,
wife were she only loved enough. LIE
husbands, present and prospective, thin
Of this.
APPREoIATING THE CLEReY. 1t is Gus