The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-07-31
Should Married Women Give All Their
Time TO House -keeping2

Should Married Women Give All Their
Time to HOuse-keeping2
This matter is so bounded by tradi-
tionary customs and prejudices, that
one knows scarcely how TO give it unbi-
ased thought, and scarcely dares to ex-
press the result of that thought.
The writer Of this has studied long
and earnestly upon the subject, and has
frequently found herself involved in a
maze of difficulties, no matter whether
considering the question pro or con.
Even now she must preface her article
by the declaration that she does not see
her way clearly through it. She must,
as it were, feel her way blindly through |
a labyrinth of doubts and difficulties, !
following, as her only certain clew, the |
belief that God created us all purposely
exactly as We are, and that whatever
talents He has given us, we are account
able to Him for their use or abuse.
The family is the institution of nature
and of revelation. This family consists
necessarily of husband and wife, and
eventually of children. In this family
II is the portion Of the husband to work
Thou shalt earn thy bread in the
sweat of thy brow"-and of the woman
10 become the mother of children. In
the earliest days, when this decree was
made, there was not included in the
housekeeping and family-raising any
complicated housekeeping matters. The
making, mending, washing, scrubbing,
baking, sweeping, and all the multitu-
dinous cares of a modern home have
come by degrees, and have accumulated
as the world has become more civilized.
Thus the mistress of a family finds her
duties multiplied ten-fold. She must
be cook, laundress, chambermaid, seam
stress, nurse, and general house-keeper-
doing all those things in her own proper
person, or by deputy, with all the re-
sponsibility resting upon her. This ar
rangement was made thousands of years
ago, and though a somewhat arbitrary
one, it is still accepted on all hands as
the very best that can be made, and the
world has actually come to believe the
arrangement to be of the same divine
institution as that of marriage.
A very large number of people believe
that there is in the marriage service an
implied promise, on the part of the
wife, to cook her husbands dinner, and
sew on his buttons, and that il she fails
to do these properly, she is untrue to
her marriage VOWS.
/ find no fault with this arrangement.
4 NtNA ltDAAAABE DGAAGl III It's BGll-
eral working. / am only, with many
Others, looking anxiously and weariIy
forward to the time when still further
advanced civilization shall somewhat
Tighten these burdens upon women's
shoulders.
With this arrangement, it follows
that every husband owes his wife liv-
ing-as good living and as tender care
as his means will justify. a man must
ever be debtor TO the mother of his
children-never a creditor i'm n pecun-
iary point. II 4 woman chooses, by her
labor and industry, to add to the COM
mon stock, that is a matter for personal
consideration, but something which the
law should never meddle with.
First, then, let US stick a pin here.
The wife owes to her husband the care
of bis family, and as an advanced civil
lizatiOn includes in this the cares of
housekeeping, we must declare as our
hrst deliberate answer to the question
all married women should be practical
house-keepers.
But there are exceptions to all cases
and to all rules. First, there are many
wives whose husbands cannot, or will
not, iulhll their marital obligations.
!H,nealth may preVent-evil habits may
ihulspose them to do so. Then the
woman must take upon herself the |
man burden in addition TO her own.
But are women in no other cases ius-
tlhed IN stepping out of their homie |
spheres?
Suppose young girl has found her
self untitled for sewing and teaching
and has strong antipathies to being q |
servant. She may some day marry.
either because she wishes to secure an
afnH 1fs~fr,.. r.. 4.
from that absurd and old-fashioned no
tion that she really loves somebody snf-
ficiently well to unite her destiny with
his THAT is the pOetieal way of saying
1t; there is no question of buttons, fry
ing-pans and wash-tubs in the days of
courting, and it is barely possible that
they have not entered the thoughts of
either. But after the honeymoon she
awakes TO the fact that she is expected
10 DO all, and more than the duties of
llred servant, and any hesitation or re-
Iuctance on her part in accepting her
ee3cation Is regarded as highly improper.
one may IN her single days have learned
lIaue or profession, and, while not
Mlshing TO forego the happiness of mar
~" NE may still regard with regret
sA.i S,ie i,'iougni oi laying that trade or pro- |
- III aslue' what must she dob ri
~. OIe see no reason why she should
nO1 carry on any business of her own
independent Of her household cares ~ IL
pleases her. II she has learned a trade
which suits her tastes and capabilities
anu which proves profitable, why sbonId
she not continue IL, and with tho ~
ceeds OF her labor hire the holm sbo
needs at homer VIII her home he iase
happy? Will her husband be defraude5
by this arrangement? Does it matter
if there be care, and loving Kindness
and watchfuIness, and consideration.
and comfort, and pleasant words and
bright smiles, and happy gathering of
the family at evening around cheerful
fireside in an attractive room, whose
hands and whose strength have attended