South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-08-27
2 ARLOR DAU GHTERS
By a. BACHELOR.

. ~ IL.
L have short story to tell you; and,
/ perhaps, ut the close of il, we will find
moral and, perhaps. a sermon.
/ A few days since, L called upon
young lady. | may as well say That.
having been considerably ''impressed''
by her beauty and brilliant conversation
. at several evening social parties, l had
resolved to prosecute the acquaintance.
will not Affirm that there had not float
cd vaguely about in my brain. certain
! pleasing rose colored Bachelors reve-
ries,' in which figured conspicuously the
beaming face & elegant figure of Miss +.
/ BE that rs il may, l called and. be.
my ushered into the.sparlor. l sat down
and awaited with some impatiencc the
appearance Of the lady.
My attention was soon arrested by
voices in an adjoining apartment, and
the door being ajar, | was, perforce,
/ listener
"Oh, Carrie" said very weak voice,
'if You would only have assisted me
three hours n day, this attack might
have been averted but now It's too late.
know that weeks, if not months of ill
ness. are before me. | am all tired out"
n.y. HipbhOi, iCDIlcO ~ NDite. al
most petulantly-I had admired it the
evening previous for its spirited yet an
mated tones. "Why, mother, nobody
does kitchen work now; at least. no.
body that is anybody. Just think of
Mrs. Smythe, or Miss Brown, or Mrs.
! Soue, associating with your kitchen girl
with her dingy hands. Why the idea
is absurd; and, besides, l hate house
work
Well replied the invalid voice, Il
don't know what would have been
thought of your assisting me about the
house q few hours each day, but | do
know, that for want of this help, | am
now i'll. Yes, Carrie, for the want of
your help, l have been obliged to over,
task myself
Miss r, soon made her appearance.
with her winning smile, gay laugh, and
brilliant rcpartee but. somehow, the
image of her overtasked mother con-
stantly came between her and my pre-.
vious admiration; so, after few ill-at-
ease attempts ut conversation, | took
my leave.
As slowly walked away, musing, "a
change came DER the spirit of my
dreams" A daughter who "hatcth
| housework' to such degree, "a to al
low her mother to get "all tired out"
and ill, from being "overtaslled," could
such daughter become that most ines
| Unable boon this side of Heaven, Il good
wife?
What if her husband had wealth. and
fillcd his house with troops of servants.
| could he have quiet, neat, we'll order
cd home? Would his children have n
true mother? No. A parlor daughter
will make parlor wife. Brilliant, ras-
cinating-a rare and costly ornament
challenging the admiration of the world.
1t may be, but never the holy source and
centre of the comfort and peace Of her
family.
And thus rudely my rose-colored rev.
cries were changed TO sombre hued real
tiles. | quericd. was Miss +. an excep-
ton to this rule? How many young la
dies of my acquaintance were really
''helps to their mothers i'm domestic az
fairs? How many would not blush with
shame ut being seen making bread-not
cake, but bread? How many could cook
and get on the table good dinner, or
supcrintcnd and direct such IN under.
taking? How many 20 whom the old
fashioned dish.cloth is not horrid
thing? How many could starch and i
ron shirt-bosom or collar, so il would
look respectable?
Alas how few could / recall who
would not properly be numbered in the
/ long list of those 10 whom these things
were not only mysteries. but absolutely
/ disagrccables and undesirabcs.
say "alas - for it is a sad thing. not
only for IA young men. the future, hus-
bands Of these frail files of the field
who toll not. neither DO they spin but
20 the daughters themselves.
Look at thcm-look at yourselves,
young ladies'. Where is the round.
plump solid arm and cheek Of your
/. grandmother. 1T your age? Where is
hor power Of endurance. her cxuberant
spirit depressed by no circumstances (:
her energy and sclf-rcliancc. equal TO her
emergency; where in the future are you
10 obtain strength to pass mscalhcd
through the per.ls Of maternity, rs did
she?
Look around you at the young wives
and mothers what pitiahlc specimens
Of feminine humanity what discourage
cd dlsheartened objects Of COmmisora.
ton; what traces of pain and illness
arc written upon their shrunkcn visages
before the fifth anniversary Of the "hO.
neymOOn."
Look at tho unhappy countenances Of
half the young husbands you meet DO
they not speak ofplcasiug anticipations.
followed by unpleasant rcaltics2 How
many husband who in his bachelor
days fondly dreamed or q blithc. cheer
full neat, housewife, whose lark like
song should testify each morning that
household duties were wcll-spring OF
pleasure, has found, by sad experience.
The wide difference. between romance
and reality! And how many q Young
man OF manageable age and fine pros.
poets. seeing the rude dispelling Of this
or FI.aN Il