The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1869-05-21
out rendering to God or man a SER

crease OF luxury, has assisted ma
terial!y to bring about a change in
the condition of won en-, which was
natural they should accept, as it
embodied the religious and social
idea Of paradise-absence Of labor.
But this idea proves to be false
one. If heaven simply afforded the
opportunity for indulging in perpet-
ual idleness, it would hardly be a
paradise for fools, and the longer
we keep out Of it the better. Work
is not curse, it is a blessing and
if it was through the first woman
that mankind obtained tho boon of
it, the world has more to thank
Mother Eve for than it has ever yet
acknowledged.
The modern wife loses this bless
ing, and throws away her birth
right, when she consents to be ab-
solved from all useful employment,
and sits down a mere child, to be
carcssed, waited upon, and provided
for ; or, mayhap, neglected, despis-
pissed and deserted. The Lord new
CIR created one set Of human beings
to be absolutely dependent upon or
subservient to another; and when
the modern wife signs her own title
to such degradation she irflicts a
wrong not ouly upon herself but up
on her whole sex. The consequent
ccs are naturally just what We see
-subjection on the part Of women,
contempt on the part Of men, and
the gradual disruption and disor-.
ganization of the whole framework
Of modern society.
Home and the family are, after
all, the foundation and inspiration
of the greatest happiness we know;
and women, especially, as the crea-
tors and perpetrators of the home,
arc dependent upon it for their COM
fort and permanent welfare.
We have no fear that the home
will ever be destroyed it is the
basis of good order, of security in
society, and wins a double blessing;
but, by the sel6shness of men and
frivolity of women, it is Threatened,
and there never was so much reason
why the good and intelligent Of
both sexes, who become husbands
and wives, should make the crea-
tion and sustaining of home
matter Of duty, and impress it's val
ue by every means in their power
upon their children.
The modern wife ignores all such
considera tions. She will have neith-
er home nor children. if they involve
labor and care. But she wants a
husband, because he represents her
means of living AMI her resources
for enjoyment !; and he is angled
for, and pettcd, and submitted to
accordingly. Assuming the airs of
princess, she is in reality slave;
for there is no slavery so shameful
and SO complete as that which is
voluntarily accepted as means of
release from exertion and perform
ance of duty. .. .....
The modern wife is untrue to her
sex-to womanhood in general as
we'll as to herself. Men recognize
in women only the qualities which
they see them exhibit as wife, moth
er, daughter and sister and wo-
men, taking upon themselves the
position Of wives. yet feeling none
of its responsibilities-using it al
together as means Of selfish indul-
gence--dishonor womanhood, and
give a false impression to the world
at large Of tho qualities which be-
long to the sex. ..'.- -
If woman are to achieve any
thing in the future, it must be
through their own efforts and
those who become wives should ex-
pect to take upon themselves more,
rather than less, than single women.
They are mcasurably responsible
before God for their husbands, their
children, and for the influence which
the household brings to bear upon
society. As home filled with the
gentle amenities and kindly customs
Of a refined domestic life, its value
can not be told for its gracious
sunshine penetrates far beyond its
immediate circle, and acts as an
educator, not only upon the family
but upon the community.
| AS an unhappy. discontcnted, use
less fragment Of a boarding house,
however, the family can hardly be
said to have an existence. It can
never crystalize or consolidate into
beauty, or order, or excellence for
it is in constant state of disintc-
grafton, and finds in its surrounding
elements only sources of moral de-
terioration and decay.
To the home Of the future will be
confined great work F.; but it is
not the feeble hands Of the modern
wife and mother that can accom-
plish it. Women are beginning to
feel their necessities they are
waking up fully to the new claims,
the new demands made for them !;
but they must prove themselves
equal to the occasion. For equal
rights in the household. they must
take their share in its duties for
equal pay they must give equal
work-equal in quality as in guam
tity for equal education they must
show equal energy and aptitude !;
and for equal poiitical rights, an in