, 1874-02-08
SPHERES AND: MISSIONS.
The Domestic Virtues Of the Sterner
Sex.
How the World Treats Our
Memories.

| It is mistake to consider that it is only tho
restless, discontented souls Of mature years who
are occupied with the subject Of Spheres and
| Missions. The boy who is risking his neck in an
! attempt to emulate the renowned gy1nuast Of
the last circus which visited town, or ia announc-
ing what he intends doing when be is big man
like Papa, has already begun vaguely dreaming
Of = Sphere and the little girl who is intent on
arranging her dollhouse, and taking
its inmates through severe epidcnics,
ia anticipating her Mission. The sense
Of needing some peculiar interests
OF our own goes further back than our memo
| ries. Moreover, the elders are always talking
to children Of their futures. f:Ho1e is the min
lister of tho family" the father says, paternaly
patting one urchin's head. ~ intend Mary shall
have o good musical education, so that she can
support herself, If necessary" announces the
mother. Sometimes these plans and predictions
are founded upon careful study OF the embryo
characters, and SO arc fulfilled oftener, though,
they aro simply the expression Of tho pa
rents hopes and wishes, irrespective OF
the childs predictions, and so come
to an uutimcly end. The daughter
who was to have been such wonderful musi-
cian hates the drumming Of the piano, but
shows infinite patience with the pranks OF the
sewing g-machine, and exhibits decidedly moro
taste in d1eBs-making than in music. The son
who Was destined for the Bar becomes fascinated
with the engravcr's art !; and the boy who was
such wonderful literary genius when he WAS 1G
is selling boots and shoes ten yoars from thon.
But, whatever form individual preferences may
giroit, the
TIE UNIVERSAL MISSION
is brcad-getting. 4 celebrated painter, whose
name have conveniently forgotten, once
queried: ''If getting your living isn't
glorious, then what is?" He, may
hayo meant either that there was
nothing half so sweet in life as
being able to pay your butcher and baker;
or that getting living absorbed go much OF
ones life that it impaired character to the whole;
or lie may not have known himself what he did
mean, but, like any ordinary mortal, said it be- !
cause it sounded we'll Whatever tho artist |
meant. it is true that it is a great element Of
SUCCESS for man to feel that his work suits him, |
aud to be able to carry enthusiasm into it.. It |
would seem as if there was no object on earth so |
bout and yet watch how the born shoe
merchant treats it. How he turns up the !
yellow sole, and smooths it gently, and
points out its thickness. and dilates on !
The shape Of tho heel. and draws
attenticn to the new-tashion cd toe and pinches
the leather, growing eloquent over its texture
Then, when it is on, and the customer Is stand
ing on one leg, like chicken In the snow, how
caressingly the dealer III leather smooths the in
step and the ankle, and how eloquent he grows
over tho titl Surely, Bhoe-dealeIs are born, not
made. Then, again, there is tho Man who has 9
mission to be q farmer He ia happy only when
10 is separated from his nearest neighhor by \
nile or SO Of corntry-roud, and the vlllage-doc-
or is or miles away. He feels rich with
'ome acres OF land out Of which the stumps
md stones must be cleared. His enjoyment
consists in rising before dayhreak aud work
ng so hard all day that he goes yawn-
ng to bed befoEe 8 o'clock. The
cme OF his happiness is reached when he comes
els of patent raapers and threshe:s which, to
ho uninitiated, nre but buzzing, whirriug mass
# lovers, cranks, cogs, wheels, ralzes, and
cythes. Aud yet there is Il popular dclnslon
hat any man could be farmer, just as any
roman could be q lonsekoeper.
Not go very long ago it wasa currently
piuion that
TIE DOMESTIC SPHERE
elonged exclusively to women, but. time has.
DIRECTED that error When one sees how deftly ! (
aen run sowing machines; in what Wholesale
aanner they wash windows and scrub floors,
ow accurately their long. strong arms can throw !
heets aud countorpanes to the opposite
ide Of q bed; how well they are adapted by ua- {
t bre2d,- is readily understood why thoy
ave at last risen and claimed their rights. The l
nly constitutional hindrauce in man for the do Z.
nestle sphere is that lie is IN automaton- Let ]
oal in the furnacs every night in December, aud
9 will put two in every night till the lat Of May,
o matter If tue thermometer stands at 10. If !
le sets him to pecling apples, he will pare till :
1e barrel is empty, it she does not think to s
ome cut md stop him. He hasn't what good I T
ousewlses call Judgment Tho same un- 4
elhshnces, the same spirit OF self-sacrifce, ! !
hich has always been supposed to be strictly
,minine trait is observed in men naturally ! :
1apted to the domestic sphere. There, for in !
ance is the husband who unostentatibusly :!
ecps the books ia tho background, while his !
ife runs big millinery establishment or ladies' 7
Again, there is the husband and
ther who stays at home and looks after tho
ty fitting herself out for medical missionary,
ID the Oldest boy is shoveling coal and SNOW to r,
" the expenses there. It would aecm to be
gh time that somebody gave credit to the T
erner sex for these domestic virtues which they
lye 60 long been believed not to possess. It
There seems to be for most persons
MISSION IN MARRYING. y
One OF tho couple generally requires ballast,
ID the other ia often nothing but ballast. D.
lere is the wife who would wake q Coleridge -
f OF Kubla-khan dream to ask him how u1l- III
r tho sun he came to have u hotel-napkin in
pocket. On the other hand, there is the wife Il
10 devoutly believes there IL not in the world |
great genius AZ her husband, and the reason Al
his ill-success is because OF jealousy Of Ills
mpeerB. Is he writer, then she discovers II
at the main idea Of any current essay or story
s suggested By something her husband wrote.
lie musical composer, every popular air is a.
ly stolen from ons Of his compositions. y,
70 husband is apt to say his wife is -
. inspiration OF the bcst things F.
evor wrote; and probably her unqualified
niration aud unswervihy belief jim his
wers hara strengthened him when nothing Dr.
% would. The critics praise il elixir to -
MUS, but its daily tonic is tho unqnestioned ~
mage of soma loving heart. On the other nc
I'D, il the wife owns all the talent, it is
using to see how dayoutly, al1 his life long, | Is
husband believes that there never was such |
wonderful woman. He never can by any
lnce, quote ono Of har witty sayings, but will
for hours almost silent, enjoying her chain
,tn1ng style Of conversation. Everybody
nders how the marriage happened. It hap
led because the mission OF such women is
hare large circle Of acquaintance, an open
LEO, and some social pleasures going on, and
Y the centre of it and that was just the
le Of mau to allow it. She WAS fascinated by
t same silent stolidity which spectators be-
red would repe1 her. She believed all that be
!, and what he didn't say she believed too
p for utterance.
ia amueifg to see the stress which ancient |