The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-02-19

flushed, became almost pale.
"And am free to>own,' continued
the mother, "that you fall considers-
bly, below my ideal. do not won
der at Edwards disappointment"
Tears began to fall over the young
wle's face. "f'm sure" said she,
sobbing, "that I have been to him all
I knew how to be. II love would
draw upon me favor and kindness he
would never look upon me rs he does,
sometimes with Il cold eve and a
face, nor speak in angry i'm
patience, words that have hurt me
worse than blows"
"But YOU have not done for him all
that you know how to do said Mrs.
Barton.
II fail to comprehend you, moth
er," was replied TO this
"You do not make his home as
pleasant as it should be. There
seems to he no anticipation of his
wants and no provision against dis
comfort Everything is left to your
two servants, who do pretty much as
they please"
"Why, mother2''
at is true, my daughter I have
looked on with closely observant
eyes since I have been here, and
must say that | am disappointed in
you. In every case Edward has
shown impaticnce in my presence, the
source Of annoyance lay in your neg
lcct Of vour plain household duty
1t was so this morning, and also yes
terdav."
Gle WIS annoyed ut the burnt
steak, this morning" said Martha. in
answer, THAT VAS not my fault. I
am not the cook.
ut is your place to have n compe-
tent cock said Mrs Barton.
"If I can find one. mother"
"rhe one you have is not to be
trusted to prepare a mcal!'
II know it, but then how can I help
myself"
"And knowing that. You never went
near the kitchen to see that she did
not spoil the steak intended for your
breakfast 1t might have
taken You ten or fifteen minutes to
personally, the prepa-
ration Of this mornings meal, and so
it worthy Of beirg set before
your husband; but instead of this,
you set talking or reading, from the
time you were dressed until the hell
rang. When we went down. there
was no hutter on the table. no knife
aud fork to tho dish of meat. no salt,
nor any napkins to your husbands >
plate. The table cloth was soiled,
and you sc0lded the waiter for not
putting on q clean one. The meal
opened in disorder, which You might
have prevented by little forrthought
and progressed and ended in annoy
ancc ana bad feeling. Now, who was
to blame for all this?"
BAT. mother, Yen do not expect
mo to 80 down into the kitchen and
cook" said Martha.
The Captain who undertakes to
sail n ship must know all about navi.
gation. Ia il more unreasonable to
expect n woman who takes upon her
self the obligations of wife, should
know how to conduct a household?-
Is woman less responsible in her
position than man? If so, what
moral laws give the distinction? I
have not seen them. The Captain
Toes not trust the ship wholly to the
men at the helm. He takes ohserva-
ton, examines charts, and sees, knows
for himself that every thing is done at
the right time and in the right place
His thought and his will are active
and predominant in every part Of the
shin, and on him rests all the rcspons-
Utility. And it is so everywhere in
mans work, You ask if | expect
you TO go into the kitchen and do the
cooking?
II answer yes, in case there is no
one else to prepare your husbands
food. IF You have an incompetent
cook, or one not to be trusted. then
it is your duty TO make up her dcllc,
ienci's by personal attendance in the
kitchen just as often and long as the
case may require. You contracted
to do this when you became wife"
II don't remember that the subject
was even referred to- said Martha,
who did not yet see clearly, and who
felt that her mothers views of the
case actually degraded the wife into
a household drudge.
"Was it stipulated" answered Mrs.
Barton, "that Edward should engage
N business, giving himself up TO
rare and work, in order to secure for
his wife the comforts Of home? I
don't remember that the subject was
ever referred to. And vet it was as
much implied in the act Of assuming
the relation that You now hold. Do
you suppose for moment that he is
not active in every part of his bust
ness? That he trusts to IN incOmpe-
tent clerk, as you trust to an incam-
petent cook p? Thought, purpose,
hands, are busy at his work, and
busy throughout every day; busy for
You as for himself lie can't find
time for reading four or five hours
every day; nor time for calls on pleas
mt friends; no, no. His work might
suffer; losses might follow; and com.
fort and luxury fail for the wife he
-oils for. But his wife is too proud