Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-02-19
For The Watch
Farmers Wives.

0 =
to make you-as you then said-one Of the
happiest men in Chrsteudom. But even
if she did, in her maiden modesty appear
reluctant to give the required promise, it
was n6t because she cared nothing for you.
perhaps you may think this mere guess
work, but assure you | am well posted in
regard to your doings in early manhood,
and now, after the lapse Of years | have
returned to the old homestead, | caunot but
recall the scenes wherein we shared so
many ioys-the sorrows if any are forgot
ton-and compare you, as you then was
with what you now appear to be.) No; |
think she was proud Of you proud, be-
cause she thought you good, aud noble
and true. Do you remember the promises
you made her2 Have they all been luldlled2
Have you forgotten the bright pictures you
two painted ? how in after years, the little
old house was to be exchanged for another
| like the more pretentious one Of Squire
Peck's how by using economy in the drst
years Of married lie you would the sooner
be able to surround yourself with the luxu.
ries you 50 much onyied your aforesaid
neighbor, Squire Peck2 But with The az
rival Of little children your cares increased
as did your expenses ; you stroye to give
them a good education you wished to have
something for them to start in life with
not to be SO destitute as you, when FIRST you
started forth. You also wished to have
enough to make life comfortable in your
declining years. Those we're all noble
things to strive for. honor you for the
spirit that prompted you to such noble en-
deavors. But my friend, have you not
gone little too far, | might say, out Of
the way Have you not long since reached
the acme Of those desires If judge cor
rectly from what little you have told me and
what your neighbors say, you have far out
stripped neighbor Peck in the road to for
tune. Appearances indicate the fact; you
have fine buildings-your farm is under
good cultivation everything wears an all
Of prosperity. But in your inside life
has everything reached the point that out
ward appearances show ?
In the few times | have been in your
home | noted things that caused me to
think you were not SO happy as you had
planned to be in days gore by | trust
you will pardon me if speak plainly, but
if | speak at all it must be to the point.
The fault, | think, lays mostly with you.
10 your desire to gain wealth, you have
let acquisitiycncss be your almost only
monitor; that has constantly been iucroas-
ing in power, while other faculties which
should have been used to counterbalance il
have lain nearly dormant.
Time has changed your wile's appear
ance more than yours. 1t is not to be
wondered at. You little realize the care.
, and yexations she encounters in her daily
household duties. From Monday mornin,
= until Monday morning she has little or nj
rest The Sabbath brings yearly as mucl
toll she wishes her children to attenl
church if she cannot; as their place o
' worship is several miles distant, they vii
be late if they stop to do their accustome,
duties; she takes all upon her shoulders
When everything is accomplished She can
not 60 if she would she seeks her bed t
indulge in few minutes quiet slumber, t.
be broken by the return of the family iron
church, accompanied, perhaps by neigh
Dor whom you have invited to dinner. L
due time she has prepared the repast. A
you are seated at the table you wonde
why she looks so flushed and heated VII
r. she entertains her company with less tina
) her usual spirits but you soon cease t
think of the matter.
You keep dairy large enough to neces
state the churning of your cream ever
other day; which butter has to be worke
over twice ere put down in the tub. Thu
she handles churning of over thirt
pounds each day this, with skimming tn
milk and the washing of some forty or NOR
milk pans, combined with the other wor
Of washing, ironing aud mending, sweepin
and putting the house in order, baking an
preparing the meals for seven persons tire
times a day, with the many other thing
that are constantly coming to hand tbs
must be done, is what you wife has to d
week in and week out the greater porto
of the year.
! My friend, ease your wife of such har
duties ere it be too late. hear yol
: girls say, although not quite in their teen
u I, that they would "never be farmers wives
" Already they are looking forward to Il
time when they will choose some other tia
a farmer to walk through the journey
life with From their standpoint Of yiey
? ing a farmers life, it seems to have but fe
pleasures, compared with its trials the
have good cause to think so their mother
81 life is sad lesson. judge that your 50
be thinks he will never marry until he is SUI
his wife will not be the slave his moth,
is Now that you have property enoug
to grant all the desires you named in II
halcyon days of courtship, would it not
better to spend the evening of your life
less hard work? All, my friend, there
>, a great difference between your circur
stances thirty-hve years ago and now b
tween your duty then and now
- Rise up cut of the old beaten track al
show the world that the farmers calling
indeed, the noblost of all that though
takes many hard knocks at first to get u
der good Roadway, in the end it will q
- you the greatest ease, the best living, al
the most joys Of any industry pursued
T, man and, what is more to the point, sht
that you know how to appreciate such BIZ
sings. by their right use.