Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-09-28
True Marriage.

/ AA00 A0AA808Oo
THE question that q woman should ask
concerning the man she marries, ought
| not 90 much to he, What are his inten.
tionsf" but "What is his capacity p
How strong is hes How much can be
| endure Of life's most uLpromising reality,
and come out more than conqueror! He
may be ever 80 loving, ever 30 amiable,
ever 90 elegant and fascinating; but these
are summer-day qualifications! Has he in
his nature the stern stuff Of which heroes
are made! Does he esteem virtue to be
of more value than the tricks and manners
of an artful Jezebel? Does he stand with
uncovered head and moistened eyes in
the presence of q tender self-abnegatiOn
that can endure even crucihxiOn for love 9
dear sake, and utter no word OF com
plant, but only q prayer for strength
Or does he find in the awful majesty OF
such nature an uncOmprehended mys-
terry, that dazzles, and blinds, and makes
afraid until he would fain flee from it's
presence, even while it was suffering and
dying for his sakes If the latter, he
deserves no blame he did not choose his
organization so cover his memory with
the mantle Of an imperishable love that he
may never understand. and then go thy
way in peacel Sleeping or waking, the
world is broad enough for two, and there
be some mysteries that must wait for the
long eternity to solve On
the other hand, man who resolves to
risk the precarious combination, matri-
mony and poverty, should choose a wife
with the austeri,y ofjudgment, rather than
to crafty the pas ing hunger OF q tenn
porary appetite "a man well married is
winged badly married, he is shackled-"
The terms well married and badly mar
ried become more complicated when
poverty is to be considesed If a man has
wealth, he has but TO choose pretty lay.
figure for dress and jewels Mind and
heart are of no const quence; animal
beauty is sufficient II, however, he has
only poverty and affection to offr, the
choice becomes more difficult. He has,
on the one hand, to avoid the delicate
creature whose overweight sensibilities
would be inadequate TO the heroic strug-
giles or the cruel privations of his lot; and,
on the other hand, he must not choose u
coarse grained creature, who will bring up
his children to defective education and
vulgar associates, and fill his house with
persons whose society can afford neither
pleasure nor profit.
It has been well and truly said that "a
man who would have fine guests must
have fine wife," for ii is she who shall
determine whether the Lares and Pcnates
of home shall bring spiritual visions OF
divine rest and beauty, or suggest only
sensuous dreams Of physical comfort. 1t
is the wife whom the neighbors weigh and
measure, from back windows and front
4 a,.l l,,, lxoy ipnu VA han
they hand in the social verdict as to wheth-
er the Smiths or Browns are anybody,
and worth inviting in select circle to
meet distinguished guests. II is the wife
who must make the dignity OF her own
individuality apparent, irrespective OF hel
surroundings or her husbands poverty OF
wealth 1t is the wife who shall train the
children for her own social status; for in
poverty, not less than in wealth, the chill.
dren of heroic parents may become htted
for the greatest Intellectual honors and so
cial triumphs To do this, however, re-
auires a nice discrimination, that there be
no undue attention TO non-essentials, TO
the n elect Of essentials. No slavery u
dress, that robs the heart and mind OF
proper attention. No resorting 10 petty
shains Of ostentation, as II poverty were I
/ QtXT~lsllOu VIC VI "s"'ph
ennobling; for Of this be assured, the chill
drcn who are taught to be ashamed o
poverty will grow 70 be not afraid Of any
| crime that will bring the real or simulated
| wealth. The children, on the Oiher hand
who are taught that q good book is better
than tine dress, and education the worl
of years, while clio hes may be purchased
in an hour, will become so noble
l. Aks. ~ n
themselves resources that will one day
bring them not only wealth, but honor
and usefulness, and the happiness incident
TO such possessions. Poverty, under such
circumstances, becomes exalted TO heroism,
and shames into insignificance the glare
aud glitter of ignorant, Haunting prosper
ity. Very inferior actors and actresses are
chosen to wear the tinsel splendor and
support the pompous stupidities OF kings
a. Queens. yet TO Genius 10 allotted the
character that thinks, and acts, aid speaks
the awful tragedy OF animate exi tence
| To impress these truths upon the minds
of children is the mothers work, and IN
choosing wife man should consider his
children, and remember the old adage hat
ian ounce Of mother is wOr h pound OF
clergy" Married TO noble and affection
ate woman, q true man will SILK neither
In his own estimation nor in the estina
ton Of those whose esteem is valuable or
account of his poverty. II Is only the
corrupt and ignorant who attach di,grace
10 poverty, or feel respect for mere wealth
Some one has declared those only to be
poor who feel poor, and no sensible man
or woman can feel impoverished who has
gained the life long companionship OF
| laviog and congenial nature, whom neither
sickness nor sorrow, nor things present
nor things to come, can estrange. Chicago
| 2rtb1ne.
. -
Relative Rank Of Cities.