The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-02-08
After Marriage.

seriously considered by some of our old
est and most respected colleges, and has
in few instances been decided in favor
of admission, Possibly, the next gene
ration will see every prejudice fade away,
and the colleges of our land open alike
to all. Whether such a step would or
would not be wise one, we shall not at
tempt to decide; but, certain it is, there
would be more to say in its favor were
the advantages which the women already
possess more thoroughly appreciated and
enjoyed. 1t is but small number of
our young ladies who go through with
the course of study prescribed in the nu-
merous seminaries throughout our land,
and of those who do, many seem to feel
on leaving school that their education is
complete, and that they have nothing
further to do toward the improvement of
their minds. If only they read the latest
novels, and keep up their music SO that
they can entertain their friends, they are
content. There is a world of gayety and
enjoyment before them, which they have
no idea of rejecting for the investigation
of scientific truth, or for adopting thor
ough course of reading.
But it is after marriage that women
most neglect the cultivation of their
minds. 1t is sad to see young wife,
who has received good education, grad
uating perhaps at the head of her class,
who has acquired several languages and
become fine musician, drop her ac-
quirements one by one as the cares of
married life increase. We do not mean
to assert that the previous discipline Of
mind is of no avail to her. 1t certainly
8 of priceless value; but what a pity,
after few steps have been taken in the
requirement of knowledge, to stand still.
or, worse yet, to be conscious of CON
stantly losing ground. We assert bold
ly that in most cases, even if the mother
IS blessed with five or six children. a
half hour or more can be found each
day for reading or for practice on the
piano. 1t is simply a disgrace to any
woman, who was an accomplished player
ut the time of her marriage. to neglect
her piano till she is incapable of playing
anything correctly. Her husband NAV
not say word, but nevertheless he will
not forget how well she used to play
when he first knew her. nor fail to no.
tlce that for some reason-probablv be-
cause she is too busy-the piano is al
wavs closed and silent now.
A half hour a dayl What a small
fraction of our working hours it is !!
Not more than one-thirtieth at most. and
only think that in year you have read
or practiced fifteen whole days of twelve
hours each ! If the plea is made that it
Is impossible to find even one half hour.
then we say there is too much time spent
on tucks, ruffies, and embroidery, which
the children and the mother would be
quite as well off without; or else the
wife is deluding herself with the idea
that her husband would rather see the
stove shine like FURNISHED steel each day,
and the paint free from a single hy-
speck, than to have her-if he is at all a
man of culture-a companion in its tru-
est sense, one who can converse intelli-
gently on the topics of the day. discuss
new books, or make him and the little
ones happy by sweet strains of music
Far be it from us to underyalue a neat
and orderly home; but, my dear tired
woman, if you have soul for something
better than mere drudgery, let the stove
go with one or two blackings week; no
&c thn i
every day; when you are expecting com.
pany, don't kill yourself making fodr or
five kinds of cake and the same variety
of pies, tarts, and puddings; your friends
are coming to see you, not to get some
thing nice to eat; do not fret if you have
but three instead of dozen or twenty
tucks in baby's white dresses, and try to
be happy though your little girl of eight
years should go to school, as you did
once, in plain, untrimmed dress. She
will get enough of looped overskirts,
rows of velvet, and ruffies, after she is
older, never fear
A woman once told us. with self-sat-
isfed air, that since her marriage she had
not found time to read a single book
through. She had previously been some
thing of scholar. and well versed in
literary matters; but after she married,
she became interested in other things.
and, to speak the truth, lost her inclina-
ton for books, for, had she chosen, she
had time in abundance. In her case.
there were no little babies in the way.
We once heard of woman, whether
married or not we can not say, who was
so fond of darning, that when she had
no work of the kind on hand, she delib-
erately cut holes in her old clothing to
furnish her employment. For the credit
of our sex, we will hope that this story
is not founded on fact; but. really, is it
much worse than some things which we
know to be true? Think of our New
England sisters who spend every spare
moment cutting up old garments for rag
carpets, or making patchwork quilts of
the most intricate patterns. When re-
siding at the East, We once saw a quilt
so pretty that we determined to make a
similar one. After whole afternoon of
steady work we succeeded in finishing
one small square, and then We laid it
aside, feeling that never for years had
we so completely thrown away our time,
and yowing never, nerer, so long as we
lived, to touch patchwork again. Why,
a beautiful white spread can be bought
for a small sum, and is our time of so
little value that We can spend weeks and
months trying to save that amount, and
in the end producing a covering not
nearly rs satisfactory as the other? With
what infinite scorn would our husbands
meet the suggestion that they should
toll hard the same length of time for a
similar reward. They could earn what
we had saved in half day. Thank for