The Shasta courier., 1868-10-03
COURIER.
THE MODEL WIFE.

.
series of lectures before the Young Mems
Association of Albany the past Winter. His
subject, the model wife, was treated in such
way as to excite the applause of all present.
The following abstract of the lecture is fur
nished by daily paper:
The modesty of woman's nature causes
US to overlook her influences on mankind. be-
cause they are silent, like the moisture which
nourishes the flower and the tree. And how
the world fails to see this. Mankind only
looks at that which makes a noise and fuss
in the world and too few recognize the worth
of good woman.
That sweet spirit presiding over the home
is an object of reverence. 1t is a significant
fact that the most complete picture in the
Bible is the portraiture of model wife,
which is beautifully portrayed in the book of
Proverbs. In that picture there is no men,
tion of idleness; she is Industrious she not
only attends to her duties, but she sets ex-
ample of industry. A foolish and pernicious
idea has crept into society, that work should
be done only by the common people. Now.
a-days young ladies try to look like the lilv :;
and, like the lily, they toll not, neither do
they spin, yet Solomon, in all his glory. was
not arrayed like one of these In ancient
times the wives of emperors brought to their
husbands the production wrought by their
own hands. If our fair sisters would have
their cheeks glowing with health, let them
be industrious like the expresses of classic
times. | would say, Buy broom: make
yourself useful ; make the bread and be
ready for the day of need. Taste and neat
ness should be practiced. A neat wife will
refine the toughest specimen of man. All
these shiny faced fellows have model wives.
The men who have all the lines around their
mouths drawn down, have wives who did
not come from the Lord, like the one men.
toned in the Bible, but probably they came
from the other place; such women arouse all
the asperities of a mans nature. Some per-
sons think that little matters of cleanliness
and neatness are trivial but neglect of them
is like canker sore upon the life By this
do not mean fastidiousness in househ old
matters, and superhuity of dress, so that one
is compelled to agree with the Yankee who.
on meeting one of our fashionable dressed
bellies in the street, exclaimed Wall, there
may be some humanity in that ar bundle of
dry goods, but its mighty leetle If men
are gay deceivers, I'd like to know what the
women are?
There is such thing as industry, without
good management. There are those who are
busy from morning to night, and yet fail in
the essential elements of we'll regulated
household. A learned Judge comprehended
the idea of proper management in the kitch.
en-, when he had inscribed on his wife's
tombstone, She was an excellent woman
and good cook And the old deacon who
attended religious convention, caught the
spirit of the same idea for on being question
ed as to what hind of time he had, he said:
Vnr nod
hear man brag about the manner in which
shows that she has the faculty of gumption,
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 hor household are producers: and
her husband does not have to do dishonor.
able thing to meet the expenses which accrue
from her carelessness. A respondent man
finds, in her cheerful corporations lust the
sympathy which he needs; and he is not
wise who does not counsel with her in mat.
ters OF Importance. If he is threatened with
reverses. why should be not confide in her
who can more fully understand him than any
one else? She is but his other half. Wo
men have an instructive judgment. God has
given them intuitive perception. Yet some
men say, What do women know about busi-
ness Let them attend to the babies 2
A good wife stretches out her hands 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.
1t 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
faster they run. And by this continual fret
ting they make mems lives burdens to them
and when death puts the seal of silence upon
them, husbands can say with the bereayed
clergyman who preached his better halfs
iunerai sermon pointing to the coffin, he
said, There the wicked ceased from troub.
ing and then placing his hand on his heart.
mere the weary are at rest,' Others NAV
no. ! oe verltable scolds, and yet they make
nome uncomfortable by fretting. Nothing is
more repuisive than an unruly toneue. Na.
sure is changed by sunshine; SO kind word
rom woman has wonderful charm. Her
sphere is home, and there is the real throne
OF her power. In the retired realms of the
domestic life, character is formed and beoyey,
has given to her the mission of taking the
whole world, In its infancy, and sharing Il
God has created her to the highest sphere in
the world and infinite goodness pillows the
infants 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 they should leave
home and take the stump. But, oh what a
mistake. All great and good men have had
domestic mothers, whose presence has been
the controlling power of their after lives
When John Adams was minister to the
Hague. he took his son, John Quincy Adams,
then lad of great promise, with him. At
a dinner party, some one of the diguitaries
arose and toasted John Quincy for his wonder