The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-01-22
A GOOD HoUsE-KEEPER.

The following, from the pen of O. S. Fowler, a
distinguished phrenoogist, is too good to be lost
Far be 1T from me to underrate a good house
keeper as constituent part of a good wife. On
the other hand, / know her value, and tell every
young man that he cannot have a good wife with
out her being good house-keeper, any more than
he can olive by bread alone;" and tell you, young
ladies, that to be good wives you must be good
house-keepers. True this is but one duty, but it
Is most important one. You cannot love a hus-
pand without wishing TO make him happy, and to
do this, you must know how to economist and make
bis hard earned money so far as possible, and
procure as many of the comforts Of life
well be obtained with it, how to prepare his meals,
and crafty his appetite; how to make his home
agreeable, and feed and clothe his children; how
to make and mend things promotive of his COM
fort, and how to wait on him. for there is a certain
mysterious something in the relations subsisting
between husbands and wives, which renders the
meal prepared by beloved wife far more palata-
BILE than the same meal prepared by servant; an
agreeable beverage still more agreeable by its be-
ing served by her; and even bitter medicine less
bitter For the correctness of this remark, ap-
peal to every man who has good cook and house
keeper in the person of his wife-the others are
incapable of judging. To all young men in search
of wife, let me say with emphasis, let the woman
of your choice be familiar with the kitchen and
smoothing iron. If to those she adds those graces
and accomplishments, requisite to shine in the par
Tor, so much the better. but at all events, select
good house-keeper l despise the modern notion
that fashionable young ladies must know little of
kitchen duties-that wife must be too pretty
too ACCOMPLISHING work As soon would
deem 1t a recommendation in woman not TO know
how to eat sleep. What! woman put herself
in the market for husband when she does not
know how to make bread wash dishes. She
certainly will impose upon the man she marres for
no other quality or talent, can compensate for in
activity of the working talent
These remarks involve the ingenuity on the
part of good wife, FOR it is very convenient to
have wife who can use her needle in making
linen, cotton and other garments, making convent
ent articles &c, as we'll as in turning off every
kind of household work. Every girl should be
taught to sew, spin, weave make dresses, &c. Be-
fore you ''pop the question" see what kind OF
bread your intended can make for | assure you
that home made bread is better and cheaper than
bakers bread. To young men who are poor, and
even to those who are in moderate circumstances
these qualifications invaluable, and even indis-
pensable and to the rich, especially in these times
of pecuniarv embarrassment and uncertainty, they
are scarcely less So
And let the ladies. before giving their assent
see to it that their would be husbands have some
occupation which can be relied upon to support
family. Industry and economy are invaluable re-
concentrations that will rarely be wanting in a
good husband The man who is without them
may possibly make good one, yet he must have
virtues many and rare to offset for these defcien-
cies. Shun the dandy; dismiss the young man of
leisure who has drawn hi, support from his fathers
pocket. If he can love you, which is doubtful, he
cannot support you aud therefose, at the farthest,
cannot be more than half a husband just you
can be only part of wife if you do not under
stand domestic affairs. Get whole wife hus-
band, or none: for while you require congeniality
of feeling the foundation you also require these
as no nconsidera6le parts of the superstructure.