Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-01-14


enver having penny she could call
her own, and in return nursing her
baby every minute from the. day it
was born, through the successive
stages of limp backedness until now,
when seemed--eXceptt that it could
not waK-stronger than its mother.
! "Ah," thought, joyfully, "here
as a refutation of all my arguments.
Here is woman perfectly happy,
and who is living in scrvitude and
baby tending" l.'''- .'''' F'
One day, after had done hard
days work at writing, l sat down
at the dinner table opposite the
couple, and said, - .-a.
"Oh, Mrs. X, how fortunate you
are to have good husband, who
provides for you, and pays every
thing for you, relieving you of this
horrid toll of working for bread
money" .''
s.That's what I tell her." said the
husband, hastily, and with an un
pleasantly triumphant tone eff she
had to go out and work for her liv-
ing she'd find out what it ISL -
II earn my living now,' said the
wife with quiet dignity, II do a SER.
wants work, and get no pay-only
my board. A servant gets board
and wages too"
The next day she spoke to me
again, with tears in her eyes
I envy you," she said to me, who
considered myself so hard worked
as to be in very unenviable posi-
tion-''I envy your being able to go
out in the air, and work like an intel
ligent being for a livelihood, instead
Of being shut up, day after day night
after night. nursing a baby. And
look how foolish it is, too,'' contin-
ued she, unwittingly using my own
arguments II am fine dressmaker,.
and earned my living easily Ey that
work before I was married. And so
I could now, if my husband would
only let me work at my trade"
"Why don't hep
"In the first place, he is too
proud in the second, he says if l
were to work I'd have to hire a girl
to nurse the baby, and that would be
an expense"
Chow much would girls wages
be ?" ar. re.. - l.-...
'sAbout two dollars a week. 1
used to earn eighteen at dressmak
ing in my native town in Massachu-
setts. l could. earn more in New
York. I'm a beautiful filter"
And yet this couple grubbed on
in mutual dissatisfaction, at the very
outset of their married life, whei: all
should have been Notwithstanding
each other too, but grumbling dis
contented-she reproaclring him for
making a servant OF her, and he up
braiding her for not being helpmeet
to him.
III.
fit be necessary, in order that
a woman may be a helpmeet to her
husband, that she should be able to
earn her own living, then she
has but one thing to do to qualify
herself for that office-namely, to
educate herself Just as men do in the
habits Of labor. TO
Skill in mechanism, finances, art,
literature, or any industrial calling,
is nothing more nor less than habits
Of labor.
When men will consent to do
Bridget's work then l will.
Till then, don't talk to me about
housekeeping and baby tending as
woman's proper employment.
1t is the proper employment of
women who are incapable.of higher
work.
No fashionable lady-no wife Of
a wealthy citizen--a Belmont, a
Roosevelt, a tewart-devotes her
time to the care of her babies She
has an experienced servant to do it;
Just as her husband has an experience
ed schoolmaster to teach them their
lessons. .-ts-a .i- aa.
Why should not women in the
humber walks Of life be granted the
same immunity, so that they may be
left to do better, more remunerative
work '@ II - -5sl ms.ar. -~.f r..
Some Of the religious papers have
been horrifed, I hear, by my views
on this subject. za
They are Mortified, because they
diStort nv meaning.
If any one says to me that it is
necessary to NEGLECT the culture of
your children's heads and hearts, in
order that you may be helpmeet
to your husband, I reply that such
an assertion as that is rubbish.
Give me, your ear, You editor,
who earn the bread Of your family
while your wife sits at home doing
work-do YOU neglect your
boys mind and heart because you
have work do out in the world?
I don't believe you do.
I don't believe, either, that ii is
your wife should neglect
the real duties ola mother toward
her children il order to earn her
share of the yearly income which
pays their nurses, their servants
and baby tenders. -.
Your wife becomes truly your
helpmeet when she can carry on your
household alone, were you to be
ta1-op cinly orto 1ia ne we'll aS 2JOM