Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1868-07-10
BRATTLEBORO, VT,

garments are mainly of domestic manu-
facture. She has prototype in the habit
of the virtuous woman, who "maketh her
self coverings of tapestry"
My son Johns wife is gorgeously attired
in society; but my son John groans over
the bills from Importers, dross-makers and
milliners.
My wife is charming at the breakfast ta-
bic. Smooth hair, tidy dress, n white
collar, and a smiling face, make up her
charms.
My son Johns wife, if she appears at the
breakfast table, is not charming. Her hair
is in crimping pins and curling papers;
her slippers are down at the heel; her
dress Is shabby, and she wears no collar.
Venus herselfwould be ugly in such attire.
My wife "openeth her mouth with wis
dom and in her tongue is the law Of kind
ness"
My son Johns wife opencth her mouth
with complaints, and fault-fnding, and
frotful murmurs, and idle gossip, and I'M
reasonable demands, and her tongue i ID
the bad habit of scolding.
My wife 'looketh well to the ways of her
house, and cateth not tho bread of idle
ness"
My son Johns wife trusts tho ways of
her household to servants, and she eats the
bread of her cook, when she has one, and
the nearest bakers when she has not
Ny wife is a good mother to her children.
From infancy to maturity she has watched,
instructed and cared tenderly for them.
Her attention to their physical wants has
been uniform and discreet, and her devo-
toin to their higher interests has been vigi-
liant and uuhagging.
Ms son Johns wife leaves her children
to the care Of menials. They annoy and
distress her. Their noise makes her head
ache when she is not well dressed and
their dirty little hands soil her garments
when she is. AS for their manners, it is
the business of their teacher to look after
them; and what are churches and Sabbath
schools good for, if they dor take charge
of their morals?
My wife's kingdom is her home. Here
she lavishes her best powers and richest
gifts, reigning a very queen.
My son Johns wife is only queen out
side her home. The shabby woman, dull
and Indifferent to those whose happiness or
misery depends on her mood, develops in
to the smiling social queen in the presence
of strangers to whom she is under no obli-
cations, and TO whom her smiles or frowns
are of little significance.
My wife's "husband is known in the
gates when he sitteth among the elders of
the land" Bless you! He would mover
have sat there but for her. How do you
think he is known? Why, by the white
ness of his linen and the completeness of
his buttons, and the fit of his collar, and the
tie of his cravat, and the sickness of his
hat, and the remnant of smile that set
tied on his face, when after a, good break
fast his little woman looked him over and
dismissed him with kiss. He is known,
too, by the content that fills his heart and
shines out of his face with the thought that
all day long wise woman is watching
over his interest, and looking after his dim
ner, and will be ready TO greet him, when
the days work is over, with smiles and
kind words. OF course the elders know
him, and envy him and wish they stood in
his boots.
My son John is known in the gates, for
he does not sit among the elders of the
land. Johns linen is apt to be soiled and
frnged at the edges, his buttons are often
lacking, his collar does not fit, his cravat
is tied carelessly, his hat is rough and his
broadcloth dusty, while his face has an anX-
ious look that settles there when, after a
breakfast of sour bread and muddy ccllee,
he leaves his wife in bed, the baby crying,
the little boy riding the silk umbrella, the
little girl sailing her shoe in the bath tub,
the chambermaid giving warning up stairs
that she is going to leave, and the cook
down stairs giving away soap and tea to
her sisters children. Johns face scarcely
brightens all day long. II is not likely TO
with the thought that the income Of his
business will not balance his family ex-
penses, and the prospect of going home to
a sullly wife, children ill-bred, and neg
lected, servants wasteful and rebellious, a
dinner lily ordered and worse cooked, and
pile of bills, from milliners and dress
makers, "butchers, bakers and candlestcb-
makers" The elders don't know John,
but 1 greatly fear that club-houses and
wine-saloons will.
My wifes "children arise up and call her
blessed her husband also, and he praiseth
her." My son John says the Lord gave him
no choice of mother, but he shall never
cease TO be thankful for the Lords gift
For myself, find no words of praise SC
fitting my wife as the kings: "Many
daughters have done virtuously, but thou
excellest them ALL
The children of my son Johns wife will
never arise up and call her blessed and
her husband says, bitterly, the Lord gave
him the choice Of a wife, and he shall never
cease to condemn his judgment
My life is full of content; the lines have
fallen to me in pleasant places. Men say
am lucky. Everything turns TO blessing
i'm my hand. Providence has smiled up
on me, and the Lord has dealt bountifully
with me.
My son Johns life is full of bitterness
He complains grievously that everything
goes wrong with him, fate is against him
Providence frowns upon him. and the LORD
| deals hardly with him.
l pause and ponder. Sitting in my
cheerful home tonight, the words of tn,
wise man recur TO my mind: "Every wis,
woman buildeth her house, but the foolisl
plucketh it down with her hands," Look
ing just across the fire where sits my holy
faced, sweet-voiced wife, see the wise wo
man who builded her house; and I ceas,
to blame the Lord for my son Johns i'll
fortune, seeing in his wife the foolish wo
man who plucketh down her house will
her own hands.
Inn I.aa. =. IL 4 -.