The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-03-28
From Godey's Lady's Book.
To Yield, or Not to Yield!

Mrs. Mortimer was one of those old
ladies with whom we sometimes meet,
sort of smother to everybody"
whose good sense and kindness ofheart
makes us forget that she is old, but in
vite our confidence, make her well
come guest in our family, and whose
rebukes we receive as "an excellent
OIL" This is schdt Mrs. Mortimer was
acho she was is of no consequence. 1t
will matter little who we are, when we
stand at the court of Heaven but aohat
we are will be question of momentous
interest.
Mrs. Mortimer came to spend some
days in the family of Mrs. Sabin,
frank-hearted little lady, who had a
high idea of her " rights" and no small
determination to maintain them. She
was an " oldest daughter" and always
had "her own way" was long an ac
knowledged governess of several
younger sisters, and it is hardly strange
that she had come to have an imperi-
Gus little will, which never showed its
power more than in the question which
she often propounded to her husband,
to wit "Do you think it is wife's duty
always to yield!" Indeed, this was
asked so often, it was evident that the
true sentiment was, " think wife
ought never to be asked to yield APPOINT
upon which her heart is Set"
Mrs. Mortimer had been with her
but a few days, when, entering her
room one morning, after Mr.. Sabin had
left for his daily duties, she found her
young friend weeping. She said moth
ing, as Mrs. Sabin hastily dried her
tears; but suspecting the cause, she
determined to interfere little in her
domestic relations, as few could do
without making a bad matter worse.
1t was but the work of few moments
to draw out her impulsive young
friend and, hoping for sympathy, but
hardly thinking she needed counsel
she thus made her grievances known:-
81 want my husband to love me as
he once appeared to. Once, his Ian
guage was full of endearment {; but he
has grown reserved, and, though he
never speaks unkindly, he seldom
greets me with 2 kiss, and every day
want something which he refuses me
! am sure / try to be good wife, bu
l have lost ait my iiafuence with him
and my opinion and wishes seem to bt
of no account. l wonder if all hus
bands begin to lose their love as sool
! as they are married ?" And fresl
burst of tears concluded the paragraph
Mrs. Mortimer waited until she be
: came calm, when she asked: " nj,
dear, did you ever ask yourself whal
: were your highest motives for wishin.
your husband to love you?
Here was a new train of thought
: "Why," said she, hesitating, "every
body wants to be loved"
"Very true," said the old lady, "bu
for very different reasons. know on
lady who wants her husband and 9th
r ers to love her simply for the happines
, flowing from mutual affection; and
know another whose strongest motiv
r though she is all unconscious of it
: is, that he may yield to her wishes il
all things, and make it the highest busi
moss of his life to crafty all her de
mands. Need / add that, while th
husband of the former has come t
!. think his wife an angel in the flesh, th
: latter can see. little evidence that she
# loved at all ?"
q q This brought out Mrs. Sabin's funda
n mental idea; " And do you think it
e wife's duty always to yield ?"
!. 81 will not say whether it is he
"duty," or her privilege, or her policy
e though it may be, in the broades
!. sense, all. If husband and wife ar
4 "one," there cannot be opposin
q powers. That destroys the onenes.
d and with it the sacredness and happ
e ness of the marriage relation. God ha
!. made man the strongest physically
E, the alws-whether right or wrong
z make him the strongest socially an
IF pecuniarily; his sphere gives him tn
,T of best means of judging of men and mt
:. tives; and the Bible treats him as tb
head and ruler of his household.
know that, in this age of "woman
! rights" the justice of these things
called In question, but take neithe
side OF the argument I look at fact
: as they exist. As matter of fact, th
J, woman's -"power" is not equal to til
: mans. The men believe this is righ