Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-06-21
9grIealtural department.
From the country aentleman.
Farmers wives.

ana, as a farmer, must be permitted to
say that, if the lady writer's on this
subject are not making distinction
without difference" they are at least
making distinction not warranted by
the difference, for wherever farming
pays, it pays the farmers wives as well
as the farmer. Wherever they have
put their means together, and went to
work, and got farm, it belongs to both.
and its possession. and use both are en-
titled to share and enjoy. 1t Is not cor
rect to say his farm, his team, or his
money, for, in fact, it is all their prop
erty. Each has done his or her part to
produce the different products grown
for sale, and each should and does share
in the benefits received. Each one
should also share in the money received
to do as they please with--that is with
in reasonable bounds, according to their
circumstances.
But farmers wives sometimes get
discontinued with their lot. Moved by
some such feelings as undoubtedly were
experienced by some of your CORES
pondents, my wife once said: Here /
have been working hard so many years,
and what have / to show for it?h TO
this answered, in substance: EXACT
ly what | have to show for my labor
farm, and here is the deed, free from all
claim or debts. 1t is yours as well as
mine. Neither can be deprived of it
except by their own voluntary act.
Nor can either deprive the other of this
claim or right. We can keep the farm
and have the use of it untilwe chose to
part with 1t. 1t is secured and pre-
served by law to us and for us, and for
our mutual benefit So you see you
have the same to show for your labor
that have for mine, and there is no
better investment than good farm.u
To this there was no answer, but Ii was
easy to see that it led to thought, which
resulted in the conviction that this is
true and satisfactory. ~
Now, why should not this be equally
satisfactory to oil such disconnected
women J? In most Instances the same
course has beentaken to get O farm, and
having together worked and paid for
the farm, it is joint property, that the
one has to show for their labor as much
as the other. sThisis also the case with
personal property, which can also be
used or saved for their children, as may
be thought best. And then, equally
with her husband, the farmers wife
may have the satisfaction that what
ever she may help earn and save will
benefit their children. Next to provid-
inga comfortable living for themselves,
parents are most anxious to save some
thing for their children. In this, too,
there must be mutual effort, and there
should be mutual satisfaction.
But some may complain that, while
all this is right and satisfactory, as far
rs it goes, still they feel that they are
entitled to more money to use. Every
woman wants little money on hand
to use as she thinks best-it may be to
buy book or magazine, or some choice
flower seed, or other fancy article that
will be highly PRICED, but that many
farmers are slow to see the use of-and
it is my opinion they ought to have it.
Whenever / get money that is not
needed for present use, my practice is
to offer my wife some, and / sometimes
persuade her to take enough to last
some time, SO shall not be bothered
by dealing out small sums.
True this course is not ALWAYS prac-
ticed, and perhaps there may be eases
where it would not be best; there may
be farmers wives who, if thussupplied
with money, would not always use ii
to good advantage. That there are
some that cannot always be trusted was
shown by little occurrence last win
ter. Going into the store where we
usually trade, and after warming, /
said to my wife: Now attend to buy
ing what you want, and when / get
through with my other business will
come in and pay up" noticed my
remark created little surprise, but
thought no more of 10 until, when
coming home, my wife said the mer-
chant thought he was sure OF large
bill, and was disappointed when he
found that only ordinary family sup
plies were wanted. He said cit would
not do to tell every woman to buy all
she wanted; ~ that is, to go to large,
well selected store of goods and trade
all she pleased. And yet this is the
confidence that ever farmer should be
able to feel in his wife. Let farmers
wives show that they know and realize
that they are spending their own
money, and that their expenses should
always be warranted by their circum-
stances, and there will seldom be any
trouble. I'hen farmers will prefer to
Keep them alWayssupplied with money
Iof All small matters, SO as to save the
trouble of dealing out small sums, of
being teased for money when busy. &rsa-
To show that money will generally
be used to good advantage, they must
be- fairly tried. Where this Is fairly
done there can, belittle doubt that the
result. will be satisfactory. Every one,
man or woman, likes to always have a
little money by them. When they
have q chance to buy anything they
really need, on take an especial fancy
70, it Is always a great satisfaction 10 be
able TODD SO. And all persons hayiag
q limited amount of moneywiil keep il
for special occasions. Now this will
be especially the case with the farmers
wife. Knowing that all ordinary ex-
penses will be provided for, her money
will be saved for those special uses that
she will understand, but often breads to
ask money for. While the satisfaction
of always being able to buy such things,
must be one of the strongest reasons for
SO using money rs to always keep lit
tie on hand, Then as every farmer finds
1t best tekeep money on hand for all or
binary demands, SO he will see that his
wife has some for her especial use also.
But to view this question i'm still
broader light, as calculated to give
greater encouragement to married wo-
men, find that in no part of human
happiness has there been n greater adj
vance, than in therelations of husband
and wife. In treating on this subject,
the New American Cyclopadia (vol. o,
p. 1878 shows that in the East where
society begun, woman was always re-
garded as a servant of her husbands
his property" And that .,the feudal
systems, upon which our common Law is
founded did not give to woman that
place and those rights which she ought |
to have. 1t not only regarded the hus-
band and wife as one, but the husband |
mt l.
more enlightened and christianity pre-
vailed. Nthe rights of women made a
great advance, giving her 1.-THE unspeak-
able adyantage of christian marriage. - |
This ii aaliy led to the spirit of chivai-
ry, Whose controlling principle was the
Of honor.'
at was under this fandaI system that