Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-04-30
husbands. Rich men, as general thing, select
their wives from rich mems daughters Our

come is lett at the years close. Inc Dest tney
can do for US is to gives US homes; and feel
that it is not much to our credit that we are
content to lean upon our fathers, already stoop-
ing under the burden Of years, care and toll, in
stead Of supporting ourselves. The thought has
troubled me. of late.' ssn2'sse AilA liad s9i ost
| A sober hue came over the face of Alice, as
she sat looking into the eyes Of her friend. She
| did not reply, and Fanny went on. ~ Yf5 53'
"There was wrong in this. On what ground
of reason are we to be exempt from the common
lot of useful work? We expect to become wives
and mothers. Is this our preparations Gan you
bake loaf Of sweet, light bread?" .asi
"No." 94og nS2l 2lE7iiai szsa aosaaos -gt
"Nor can /. Or roast sirloina" N sa
"No.o .T34t
sOr broil steaks Just think of it, Alice. We
can manage little useless embroidery, or fancy
knitting; can sing and play, dance and chatter
but as to the real and substantial things of life,
we are ignorant and helpless And, with all
this, forsooth we cannot think of letting our
selves down to the level and condition of virtu-
Gus, intelligent young men, who, in daily useful
work, are earning fair independence! We are
| so superior that we must have husbands able to
support us in luxurious idleness, or we will have
nonea We are willing to pass the man to whom
llove would unite US in the tenderest bonds, be-
cause his income is small, and marry from posi-
4 ton one from whom the world turns with IT,
stinctive aversion. Can we wonder that SO many
are unhappy e. 1870 sfl ais1sis4..5
.ssBut eight hundred dollars, Fanny! How is
lit possible for married couple to live in any
decent style in this city on eight hundred dol
liars year ?''s4g.i'iN-o tiA A1a .uH7s7oD 4t3
".They may live in very comfortable style il
the wife is very willing to perform her part"
"What do you mean by her part, Fanny2"
1--WE will take it for granted, that she is NO
better than her husband. That having brought
Thin no fortune beyond her own dear self, she
cannot claim superior privileges. "ff la
| swell ?r,1 ,1i'd @..' ssag L1H5l.ssa4 7H- 9iesf
HE has to work through all the day.nag %
"Well2" .9sI
| ssUnder what equitable rule is she exempt?''
sNone. She must do her part, Of course, if
there is anything to do it with. She must keep
his house, if he can afford house,. But if he
have only eight hundred dollars year, why,
rent alone would consume half, or more than
half of that. There would be no housekeeping
in the case. They must board"
ssAnd the wife sit in idleness all the day long r.
ssShe would have nothing to do" al
ssCould she not teach; or by aid of a sewing
machine, earn few dollars every week? or en-
gage in some other useful work that would yield
an income, and so do her part ~
Z Eyes, she might do something of that kind,
but if marriage is to make sworkies' of us, it
were better to remain SINGLE"
ssAnd live in unwomanly dependence on our
parents and relatives? No, Alice there is false
sentiment prevailing on this subject, and as
think and talk, see it more and more clearly.
Our parents have been weak in their love for us;
and society, as constituted, has given us wrong
estimates of things. We should have been re-
auired to do useful work in the household, from
the beginning; and should have been taught that
deness ard self-indulgence were discreditable
: Our brothers are put to trades and professions,
and made to comprehend, from the beginning,
that industry is honorable, and that the way OF
useful work is the way by which the worlds
brightest places are to be reached. But we are
raised daintily and uselessly, and so fitted for
our duties as wives and mothers. Our pride and
self-est are fostered, and we come to think OF
Yourselves as future queens, who are to be minis
tered to in all things, instead of being minis
trants in loving self forgettulness, to Others
No wonder that an anti-marrlage sentiment is
beginning to prevail amongst yonng men of mod
crate incomes, in all our large cities. the fault
is 10 Us, Alice. The sin lies at our door. We
demand too much in the 90 partnership. We are
not willing to do our share of work. Our hus-
bands must bear all the burdens" .o
Alice sighed heavily. Her friend continued (.
81 have read somewhere that the delight of
heaven is the delight of being useful. And it
seems to me, as dwell upon the thought, that
the nearest approach to heavenly delight here,
must be that state into which wife comes when
she stands by her husbands side, and, out of
love for him, removes one burden and another
from his shoulders, and SO lightehs his work,
that smiles take the place of WEAKNESS and the
shadowings of care If he be rich, she can hard
lily have so great privilege; but if they are
alike poor. and know how to moderate their de-
sires. their home may be an image of Paradise.
Eight hundred dollars Alice, if you were real
Ily fitted to become Harry's wife, you might live
with him, doing your part, happier than any
queen" Afy s
"That is, / must take in work, and earn money,
if we board, or-but housekeeping Is out of the
question" .as
mo, it should never be out of the question in
marriage, | think" aas .5ls
"But house rent alone would take half of our
income" s 4aas - Is 0sf "a los
aThaast does not follow" sgsa fa sa3
SIT does, for any house / would consent to
live n."
$50 pridei is stronger than love. But pride has
Its wages as well as love; and on the one is the
bitter while the other is sweet It's this pride
of appearance, this living for the eyes Of other
people who do not care q penny for Us, that is
marring the fair ia brio of our social life. Fine
houses, fine furniture fine dresses, party shows,
and costly luxuries of all kinds, are consuming
domestic happiness. and burdening fathers and
husbands in all grades of society, with embar-
rassment and wretchedness. Alice, we must be
wiser in our generation"
eThat is, coop ourselves up in two or three
little rooms, with our eight hundred -a-year hus-
bands, and do our own cooking and homework.
Is that it, my pretty one 2" iaA
'sFor shame, Alice! You do not deserve a
good man. You are not worthy to wed Harry
Peasants, and | trust you will pass him by,
; should he be weak enough to offer you his hand
He can't afford to marry q girl of your egpecta-
tions he must content himself with one, who,
like himself, regards life as real, life as earnest
and the way of use and duty the way to true
honor and the highest happiness"
Suppose you take him, Fanny" said Alice,
half sportively, half petulantly. She was weak,
vain, proud girl.
IF he should offer himself, perhaps will. .
"On, then, if he kEeels at my feet, will refer
him to you as one likely to make him a good
cook and chambermaid." 4
"Do, if you please. always liked Harry, and
don't think it would require much effort on
my part to love him. He is great deal better
off in the world than I ami having an income
OF eight hundred dollars year, while | have
nothing. On that sum am sure we could live
in comfort, taste and happiness l would not
keep servant to wait on me so long as l could
do the work of our little household. Why should
/ I keep servant any more than he2 I wonld
Ev,1 II Lo1.