Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-08-14
FOR the VERMONT FARMRR.
HOME; ITS INFLUENCES AND
-.s.-, DUTIES.

begin to think that this discussion must
be interesting to the readers Of our home
paper, the FARMER, as we have so many
hands at the bellows, and they all blow
pretty we'll, too. think in time there will
be brisk FIRE in the hearts of the farming
community, especially our wives and daugh-
ters, to know what our duties are and are
not, and il each one finds out their whole
duty, aud does it as the Good Book tells, "if
ye know these things happy are ye if ye do
them" perhaps we all may be more content :
ed with our lot, whatever it may be or
wherever it may be cast. Now | do not
think that honest labor is degrading, either
in man or woman, for many reasons that |
have not time to mention here, and what is
worth doing at all is worth doing well, but
if +" man is woman's natural protector Il
think sometimes it is the reverse0 | don't
think he "protects her very well to allow
her to do out dsor work, or mans work, that
iSIuIes stIVugtu phu huoOi0'
If woman is going to do mans work and
vice versa, so be it, but if not let each one
know their part and stand to it. do not
think. that doing mems wOrk-such as has
been mentioned-will make us appear more
awkward in company, with less grace or
refinement, and our toilet may be just as
perfect (if We have the time to make it so,)
but | do not think it woman's place. If a
woman is attending to out door work, she
must be, as a natural consequence, careless
Of the inside and of her own personal attire
Every day brings its work, and plenty of it,
too, as every woman knows. If she does
that and does it we'll, and has spare time,
there are things to prepare for winter, pen-
ty of sewing and knitting, bedquilts to be
made also rag;carpeting to keep our feet
warm and make room look homelike and
comfortable, aud many things too numerous
to speak of here. If you first have all the
essentials done, and still have more time
and feel so disposed, you can spend few
moments every day in making some pretty
fancy article that will add much to the looks
Of room, but if you can say with the young
lady who had finished her education, A" thank
my stars, have got through them all !"'and
still have leisure hours, you can improve the
mind, study, read the news of the day, know
what is gsing on under your own govern
ment, what the head Of the nation is doing
and the laws of your state; know who you
want to vote for, providing the time comes
that woman can vote be ready accept the
good advice the old lady gave her daughter
on marriage, +" better be ready and not get
married, than to get married and not be
ready"
Who ever saw farmers wife spend the
amount Of time reading that her husband
does. No indeed she does not get the
time to spend her work is constant employ.
ment. mind aud body Methinks a man
would be justly proud Of his wife in intro
ducing her to his friends to see her and
children neatly attired aud as neatly behav.
ed, the house in order, rather than the re-
verse, picture what you may. "Order is
heavens first law" Ii in our late civil war
the soldiers had not known their places and
kept them, and done as they were ordered,
we might not have come of cOnquerors, but
having head and Obeying all orders we
gained the day, apd ! think woman will