Middletown transcript., 1874-03-21
The Responsibility Of Women.

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Under the above caption, Appleton's
Journal. Of recent date, contains On ar,
ticlg which hsrm9nizes 20 eppptetely with
our own views, some OF which were sug-
gsstcd in recent editorial. and which are
50 appropriate to the present condition Of
society, that We shall make copious ex-
tracts from it. ! i AZ, !,
Its certainly far better TO rrevent bad
habits by proper ''home rule" than to-
engage in the Intellectual effort OF breaking
up tho sale Of liquor whilst the dcmapd
for it is 70 great. Let mothers and wives
furnish happy, cheerful homes for their
sops and husbands, and the ''infernal
trafc" will csass in q large degree for
want of customers. g A'.rGt b
ut is offered az an excuse for the recent
very cxwaordinary proceedings agsinst
liquor sellsrs, that women are peculiarly
sufferers from intemperance among men.
The driuking-slop, itis alleged ssdrces
husbands and sons from their homes,
tempts them to the spending Of wages
needed in their households, and is the
fruitful cause Of vast domestic misery
which falls heavily upon the women Of the
family.
No doubt, this is true. But we uccuse
women Of being specially responsible for
this condition Of things, We charge that
men, especially young men, are seduced to
the drinking shop because it possesses SUI
psrior attractions to their homes. We in
dict women, both as mothers and as wives,
for such neglect Of their duties that their
husbands and sons haze been driven a.
broad, in the pursuit of those pleasures
and felicities that women arc under moral
obligation 10 provide in 'be household.
When we hear woman complain that
her sons have drifted away from, the do
minion of her influence; that. while edu-
Gated at her side. they have come to prefer
the companionship Of the vicious to that
of her-thcn we know that this mother
has been unequal to the duty imposed up
on her. Where there are no distinctly
inherited depravities, there has been some
fatal neglect in the home training that has
permitted this deplorable result to come
about. s.
When we hear of the husband who
ccaselessly seeks for his ftlicities abroad
who prefers the public house, 7 the club. or
boon companions, to the society Of bis
family, then we are assured that in some
way the home, which ought to be 6rst in
bis affections, has failed to assert that do
minion over his heart which, il rightly
conducted. itwould have been sure to do.
The average American iHterior is op-
pressively dreary. Men cat and sleep in
their houses because it is more convenient
to sleep and eat thero than elsewhere but
beyond this. the ordinary ''roof-tree" is
utterly without attractions. It is without
attractions, not 60 much from neglect as
from pcryerse determination that its
whole economy shall be Of the most pinch
ed, stintsd, narrow. and cheerless eharac-
ter, such as only dull Imagination, false
economy. cold sympathies. and selfish
tastes. can make it.
|, Go into our towns and villages and see
the so-called hones. Watch aud discover
the theory under which so many Of them
are conducted. A window is never open
ed; door never stands ajar. During
the day the gforfous sun Is never permit
ted to enter their dsrkened chambers; a,
night 4 feeble light through window
shows how the family dismally burrow in
corner. Enter, and you will discover
that the house isihospitableg to the strang.
er. and gives no indication that it is meant
to be enjoyed by its inmates The par
lors are chill with an atmosphere that
rarely knows human presence The
passages echo the sound Of your footfall'as
| If startled by the unusual Intrusion The
women are gatheredjn the kitchen .lw bcrc
the stcve-heated air aud the odors Of the
cuisine are sickcning and unwholesome
and the men are anywhere out Of the house
anywhere to escape the appalling dead.
nessthat settles upon the place. : ~
I In these houses. the women would-rath-
er their sons should idle the day AZ the
post-oficc, the village-store. or the ale.
house, than let the sunbeams enter theil
parlors. and fade the carpets. They would
rather their sons and husbands should a,
night enjoy thengood choer Of The public
house. than light an extra candle. build ,
glowing 6res OF permit social bildrity
within the awful shadows Of their shut u
apartments. In these homes the whole
art is to discover, the srt, Of not TO live
To keep all things.neat. and orderly. ssd
circumspect; to present no flaw for thu
edi6cation of Mrs. Grundy; to suppress
hall impulses all tastes. lall pleasures al
heartiness. all lifs--these things seem Il
fbe the great purpose of the ascetic womer
who control them. Il is no wonder thai
men escape from Athent 1and prefer ever
the coarse amusements Of The public koust
for 10 lice j. the necessity Of the mason.
line natnrs, fad any +fcrm o. liz Is bettel
thas apasby and cbilf. / g a. llaet,
| Women who have sons 10 rear and
dread the delnnalisipg .insoenccs bf bad
assoejates, ought to understand tho naturs
Of young manhood. 1t is excessively
restless. II ia disturbed by vague ambi
}tions, byythirst for sction .rby longing rfol
excitement, BY frrepressibIe desires t