American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-11-22
Woman's Duties,

1
mend stockings, or to make speeches,
whether solely to wash dishes, or to vary
the exercise with turn at the ballot-box,
one thing is becoming daily more and
more apparent, viz, that the early train.
ing and education of females as a class is
not what it should be to make them COM
petentn wives and mothers, and orna.
ments to society.
of the vitiated atmosphere in which
| girls are reared Gail Hamilton in her
upright and downright way puts the
matter thps;
''This tone of sentiment is such as to
diminish girls, selfrespect, mar their pu
rity, and dwarf their being. They in
hale, they imbbe, they are stepped in the
idea, that the great business of their life
is marriage, and if they failto secure that
they will become utterly bankrupt aud
pit'able. Naturally this idea becomes
their ruling motive; all their course is
bent to its guidence; and from this idea
and this course OF action spring crime,
and disaster, in thick array of depth
immeasurable.'
81 have seen girls--respectable well
educated daughters of Christian families,
Of families who think they believe mans
chief end is to glorify God and enjoy
him forever, who profess to make the BIZ
be thsir Eslle of faith and practice, to
eschew the pomps and vanities of this
world, and consecrate themselves to the
Lord-who are yet trained to think and
talk of marriage in a manner utterly
C numerical aud frivolous. Allusit MS to aud
, conversations on the subject are Of such
a nature they cannot remain unmarried
without shame. They are taught, not in
direct terms at SO much lesson, like
music or German, but indirectly, and
with thoroughness which no music mas
ter can equal. that, ifa woman is not marri-
ed, it is because she is not attractive, that
, to be unattractive to men is the most
dismal and dreadful misfortune, and that
for an unmarried woman earth has nc
: honor and no happiness, but only tolcra-
tion and mitigated Or unmitigated con-
tempt.
"What is the burden of the song that
is sung to girls and women? Are they
counse.led to be active, self fhelpful, self.
reliant, alert, ingenuous' energetic. ag-
gressiYe? Are they strengthened to
6nd out path for themselves, and to
walk in it unashamed ? Are they bra
ced an toned up to solve for themselves
the problems of life, to bear its ills ur.
daunted and meet its happiness unbe-
wildercd Y--6Sss sa!.--Sneh thing was
never leasl ef. 1t is woman $ figh+tss-..---- fighhts -
1t is strong minded! 1t is discontented
with your sphere! 1t is masculine =
Milton and StPaul to the rescue
For contemplation he, and valsr formed
Fur softness she and sweet attractive grace
SO she Is urged to cultivate sweet at
tractive grace by acquainting herself
with housework, by learning to sew, and
starch, and make bread, to lie economic
al and houscwifely, and SO a helpmate to
to the husband who is assumed for her.
This is the true way to be attractive, she
is formed. Men admire you in the ball
roonl,' say the mentors and mentoresses,
but they choose wife from the home
circle, Marriage is simply reward of
merit. Do not be cxtravagant, or care
less, or bold, or rude, for SO you will scare
away suitors. Be prudent and tidy, and
simple, and gentle, and timid, and you
4 will be surrounded by them, and that is
heaven, and secure husband, which is
the heaven of heavens. a food Of sto-
ries and anecdotes deluges US with proof.
Arthur falls in love with beautiful, ro-
mantle, poetic, accomplished Leonie, till
she iaints one day, and he rushes into
her r, ON ID get a smelling bottle, and
finds no hartshorn, but much confusion
and dust, while plain Molly's room is
neat and tidy, and ovcrfows with harts.
horn whereupon he falls out of love
with Leonie, in with Molly, and virtue
and vice have their reward. Or charles
pays morning visit, sad is entertained
sumptuously in the parlor by Anabel, and
Arabel, and Claribel, and Isabel, while
Cinderella stays in the kitchen in calico
and linen collar But Charles catches a
glimpse of Cinderella behind tie door,
and loves and marries the humble CRATE
full girl, to the disappointment and deep
disgust of her founced and jewcled sis
ters. Or Jane at the tea-table cuts the
cheese-rind too thick and handsome young
Leonard iafers tlaat she win be extraya-
CANT Harriet pares it too thin, and that
stands for niggardlincss but Mary hits