Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-04-19
Do Farmers Wives Pay2

l was quite interested in late ar
ticle from "One of the Wives" upor
this subject, and had hoped to hear &
masculine response. The question
was, "Does q young woman, with a
willing heart and hands, and faiI
share of intelligence, who takes care
Of her husband, his house and family
without hired help, really earn more
than her food ard clothing?" "A
Farmers Daughter answers, a n d
" footing up claims and counting out
receipts" finds a " balance in her fa-
yor of one hundred dollars year.
Every honest man might surely agree
to this, and vet think the feeling en-
gendered by this virtually regarding
the wife as a " conyenient house ma.
chine" and a hired servant, is destruc-
tive to domestic happiness. [ would
not fancy the position of the paid
housekeeper, Though that is better
than to be unpaid in deed or heart, J
of man who had promised to love
and care for me through ife-nor if
man, the reducing of a companion
into a " kitchen drudge" who felt she
must accomplish Just so much, or be
considered a beggar.
One may conclude from the facts
stated, that town ladies who have less
saving work to do, and spend more
fer dress, would earn still iess-and
enc who keeps hired help nothing at
all, while poor iavalid wife, incapa-
citated by duties incumbent on wives
and mothers, would be a mere depen-
dent on her husbands bounty.
When a man asks a woman to mar
ry him, he says" Will you share my
hOme?' not" If'you will marry me,
| will pay you two dollars week be-
side your board and clothing, if you
DO all the work for me, my house
and family without hired help" A
man 50 absurd would speedily find
the door, if the young woman had
much intelligence.
| do not know whether men ever
narrow their minds to such an esti-
mate OF their wives or not, even after
the honeymoon wanes, and the bread
and butter question predOminates.-
If any do, they ought to be old bach
elOrs, | am sure.
The class of men FIT for husbands
and fathers is too. sensible to think
otherwise than if a woman is faithful
IN all respects to duty, she is an equal
sharer with them in ell they have and
enjoy. 1t is God-ordained that each
man shall father his own children. If
1t we're not so matrimonial affairs
would be unsafe enough; for, as a
general rule, mems conscienoes are
not too quick. Law and custom EN-
JOIN upon men the care Of their fami
lies, and it is a credit to a man to be
a good husband and father, just as il
Is to be honest in business, and a 10y
al citizen.
A wife should do all she can tC
make home happy and comfortable
work, plan, ecOnomiZe every way pos
sible for the good OF all concerned
Where there is little to do with, she
should make little do, where a compe
tence, use as not abusing, but feel tha
/ being one with her husband, it is her
as well as his. The sacred relation il
which woman stands to man as hi
wife. gives her this right, if she i
worthy-as almost all women are, o
WOULD be if treated properly. Trea
a sensible woman like a doll, and Sh
will resent it; treat her like slave
and her life is crushed out; treat he
like yourself, like your equal, and he
! hands are strong, her heart brave, he
sympathie8 with you and your labo
to such a degree as will amply repa
you for the supposed unbending o
your dignity.
| know what q farmers wife's dl
ties are. and if any class of wome
should be independent, they shoul
be: for in scarcely any other situi
ton does her physical labor so imm
diateIy add TO the household fund, it
penny saved is as good as a penn
earned.
Women seldom receive adequate r
muneration for their labor, and tht
is one reason why married men a
generally more prosperous than 81
ole ones. Their wives earnings
? savings are one with theirs, and th'
! have it all, except what boarding al
clothing costs.
1t is universally a hard task for
woman to ask her husband for none
: Even where men are in good circu
e stances. most wives had rather do
days washing than ask for " doll
or two"-and men kney this-a
yet, except a few, how many s.
Here, wife, you must need some n
ney."
|, ALsIKE. OR SWEDISH CLOVER
n -. II NVo,jor x-ho hos FRI