Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-04-05

was quite interested In the article
from lone of the Wives" upon this
subject, and had hoped to hear mas
culine response. The question was,
Does a.young woman, with willing
heart and hands, and a fair share of in
telligence, who takes care OF her hus-
band, his house and family, without
hired help, really earn more than her
food and clothing ?" "A Farmers
Daughter" answers, and "footing up
claims and counting out receipts" finds
a balance in her favor of one hundred
dollars year.
Every honest man might surely agree
to this, and yet think the feeling en-
gendered by thus virtually regarding
| the wife as q convenient house ma
chinep and hired servant, is destruc-
tive to domestic happiness, / would not
fancy the position of the paid house
keeper, though that is better than to
be unpaid in deed or heart of man
who had promised to love and care for
me through liie--nor If a man, the redu-
fcing ola companion into Kitchen
drudge" who felt she must accomplish
just so much, or be considered beggar.
One may conclude from the facts sta
ted, that town ladies who have less sa-
dress, would earn still less-and one
who keeps hired help nothing at all,
while poor invalid wife, incapaciated
by duties incumbent on wives and
mothers, would be mere dependent
on her husbands bounty.
When a man asks a woman to marry
him, he says" Will you share my
homer not" If you will marry me,
l will pay you two dollars week be-
sides your board and clothing. if you
do all the work for me, my house and
family without hired help" A man
SO absurd would speedily find the door,
If the young woman had much intelli-
gence.
do not know whether men ever
narrow their minds to such an estimate
of their wives or not, even after the
honey moon wanes, and the bread and
butter question predominates. If any
do, they ought to be oldbachelors, am
sure.
The class of men fit for husbands and
fathers is too sensible to think other
wise than if a woman is faithful i'm all
| respects to duty, she il an equal sharer
with them in all they have and enjoy.
1t is God-ordained that each man shall
father his own children. If it were not
| so matrimonial affairs would be unsafe
enough for, as general rule, mems
| conscienccs are not too quick. Law
and custom enjoin upon men the care
OF families, and it is credit to a man to
be good husband and father, just as it
is to be honest in business, and loyal
citizen.
A wife should do all she can to make
home happy and comfortable; work
plan, and economic every way posi-
BILE for the good of all concerned
Where there is little to do with
she should make little do, where a COM
petence, use as not abusing, but feel
that being one with her husband, it is
| hers as we'll as his. The sacred relation
in which woman stands to man as his
! wife, gives her this right, if she is wor-
thy-as almost all women are, or would
be, If treated properly. Treat a sensi-
sent it; treat her like slave and her
| life is crushed out; treat her like
yourself, like your equal, and her
hands are strong, her heart brave, her
sympathies with you and your labor to
such degree as will amply repay YOU
for the supposed unbending of your
dignity.
know what farmers wife's duties
are, and If any class of women should
be independent, they should be; for in
scarcely any other situation does her
physical labor so Immediately add to
the household fund for penny saved
is q penny earned.
Women seldom receive adequate re-
Enumeration for their labor, and that is
one reason why married men are gem
orally more prosperous than single ones.
Their wives earnings or savings are
one with theirs, and they have it all,
except what boarding and clothing
costs.
1t is universally hard task for q wo-
man to ask her husband for money!
Even where men are in good circum-
stances, most wives would rather do q
days washing than ask for dollar or
two'-and men know this-and yet
except few, how many say, " Here
wife, yon must need some money"