The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-08-14


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There is such thing as industry without
good management There are those who are
busy from morning to night, and yet tail in
the essential elements of a well regulated
household, 4 learned Judge comprehended
the idea Of proper management in the kitchen,
when he had inscribed on his wife's tomb
stone, "She. was an excellent woman and q
good cook" And the old deacon who attend
ed religious convention, caught the spirit
of the same idea, for on being questioned rs
to what kind of time he had, said, Every
good and such puddings." like to hear
a man brag abont the manner in which his
wife can get up things for the table. Itshows
that she has the faculty Of gumpton, BY which
she can accomplish wonders. A woman may
have all the ologies, and music, and French,
and if she have not gumption, she don't
amount to much. A good wife sees that her
household arc producers; and her husband
does not have to do dishonerable thing to
meet the expenses which accrue from her
carelessness. A respondent man finds, in
her cheerful corporations, just the sym
pathy which he needs, and he is not wise who
does not counsel with her in matters Of i'm
portance If he is threatened with reverses,
why should he not con6dein her who can more
fully understand him than any one else p
She is but his other half. Women have an
instinct judgement. God has given them an
intuitive perception. Yet some men say,
s'what do women know about business? Let
them attend to the babies"
A good wife stretches out her hand to the
afflicted poor. This diamond of mercy is the
central jewel in the coronet of goodness
The most unnatural thing in the world is a
woman who, having the means, does not re-
lieve the poor. In this sphere Of charity she
can compare with man. 1t was not woman
who slept in the garden Of Gethsemane !; it
was not woman who refused to follow Christ
to the cross; but it was woman who poured
out her tears and washed his feet with the
hair Of her head.
It is important to take care of the tongue
and temper. We should see twice as much
as we say. Some wives tongues, however, are
like race horses, the lighter the load the fas-
ter they run. And by this continual fretting,
they make mems lives burdens to them and
when death puts the seal Of silence upon
them, husbands can say with the bereaved
clergyman who preached his better-half's fu-
neral sermon pointing to the coffin, said he ::
aTNere the wicked cease from troubling =
and then placing his hand on his heart, shere
the weary are at rest" Others may not be
veritable scolds, and yet they make homes un-
comfortable by frctting, Nothing is more re-
pulsive than an unruly tongue. Nature is
changed by sunshine; so kind word from
woman has wonderful charm. Her sphere
is home, and there is the real throne Of her
power. In the retired realms of the domes-
tic life, character is formed, and heaven has
given to her the mission Of taking the whole
world, in its infancy, and. shaping it. God
has created her to the highest sphere in the
world and Infinite goodness pillows the in
fants head upon its mothers breast. The
fruit of this is the honor Of the household
and from high places come back praises to
her. ~
There are some who think that they should
leave home and take the stump. But, oh,
what mistake. All great and good men
nsye led domestic mothers, whose presence
has been lie controlling power Of their after
lives. When join Ao,.ms was Minister to
Hague, he took his son, 1chn aaincy Adams,
then lad Of great promise, viii him. Al
a dinner party, some one of the digniis:sries
arose and toasted John Quincy for his won
derful talents. Tho father arose to his feet.
and in response, with eyes filed with tears.
replied, s.Gentlemen I thank You for the re-;
spect shown my son; John Quincy has moth
er he has a mother!' And that mother in
a letter to her boy, actually shaped and de-
veloped his great life; and no man knew that
SO well as he.0 ~ ,qa-ss r.;d,
The last words of Henry Clay, as death
was stealing over him, were, "Mother-moth-
She had died fifty years be-
fore but her name was the first on his lips
in childhood, and the last in death. And SO
woman is the uornius and evening star Of
life. .ass, ,.i.4 ~ "a M IT,.