Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-12-31

mans prayer
"Oh. Lord, bless me and my wife,
Ny son John and his wife,
Us four,
No more,
Amen"
it is petition that has literally ex-
pressed my hearts desire for years,
with this result, that the Lord has
blessed me and my wife, but He has
not blessed my son John and his wife.
Thinking it all over tonight, as l have,
reclining in my easy chair before the
fire, | have come to the conclusion
that my blessings and my son Johns
curse are attributable to the difference
in our wives.
For some of these differences v,de be-
low.
AS lass, my wife was bred at home
in good many old-fashioned notions,
like the honor due parents, yeneration
to superiors, the value of time, human
accountability, and woman's RESPONSE
bility. She was instructed, moreover
in the art of bread-making, and a va
riety of useful employments.
Ny son Johns wife received her ed
ucation at one of the fashionable board
ing-schools that turn out young ladies
with all the modern Improvements
Among these improvements so-called,
was the conviction that pateJom'lias,
as she learnedly dubbed him, was a
dear old fellow to pay bills, delicious
sort of banking institution, that had
no credit pages in its system of book
keeping, and never balanced accounts.
Farther than this. pater was something
of an old fogy, whose opinions were
entirely out of date, and too ridicu
lous for respect or adoption. Mater
.fomilias, also, was a very good woman
in her way. As medium OF commu-
nication between herself and her ex-
cbequer, she had no equal, and bet
ter endorser with the family banker
could not be found. But mater, too,
was full of obsolete notions, and not
up to the times by any manner of
means.
Another modern improvement was
the conviction that the time not con-
sumed in eating, drinking, sleeping,
dressing, going, and novel-read-
ing was an unmitigated bore, to be
killed by any possible expedient.
The other modern Improvements were
mainly, playing indifferently on the
piano, painting poorly in oils, dancing
gracefully, flirting skillfully, gossiping
recklessly and doing nothing gen
teelly.
AS a lass, my wife was a buxom
woman, glowing with health and hap
piness. Oh, the redness of her plump
cheek, and the brightness of her spark
ling eyes! She did not need to respond
in her hearty, merry tones, inquiries
after her health. II am very well l
thank YOU Her rosy cheeks and
rounded form, and clear, strong tones
attested her well being.
AS lass, my son Johns wife was a
pale and fragile creature-like lily
or snowflake, said John. She had
mild, languid eyes, and thin, baby
voice, that responded family to queries
after her health, 81 am miserable to-
day." and the next day would say, Il
am not so well to-day as l was yester-
day."
AS married woman, my wife's
nerves are help to her and me; but |
am of the opinion that the nerves of
my son Johns wife are more of a
hindrance than help. There is the
same difference in the heads and hearts
and bones and backs of the two wo-
men. Ny wife's head plans, contrives,
considers and designs. The head of
nv sons wife aches, throbs, and is al
ways ready to split. Ny wife's heart
is good, steady, human heart, full of
pure blood, and the seat of womanly
affections. The heart of my sons wife
is the seat of disease, and its blood
lacks iron. My wife's bones are equal
to duties incumbent upon sound bones;
but the bones of my sons wife. are
deficient in lime, soda or magnesia,
and are full of aches and pains. Ny
wife's back is strong enough to bear
the burdens of the day, but the back
of my sons wife is always broken and
troubled with lumbago.
My wife takes for model the vir-
tuous woman in Proverbs:-"She ri
seth while it is yet night, and giveth
meat to her household and bread to her
maidens."
W son Johns wife arises toward
noon, and has very indistinct notions of
what kind of meats the household is
fed with, or what kind of bread her
maidens are eating.
Ny wife has quick, elastic, steps,
and rapid-moving hands that are al
ways busy. Like the kings virtuous
woman, "She girdeth her loins with
strength, and strengthened her arms"
My son Johns wife moves slowly
and gracefully, and her hands are gen.
orally in elegant repose. The girdling
of her loins is not strength, am
sure, but some arrangement of whale
bone.
Ny wife's industry is well directed
in variety Of useful employments.-
"She layeth her hands to the spindle,
and her hands hold the distaf.
Nv ssp johns wife has taste Ter