The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-02-09
WOMAN AND HER MOODS.
ny MRS. A. Z. BARR.


ny MRS. A. E. BARR.
1--WE have no more right to fling an
unnecessary shadow over the spirits Of
those with whom we have to do, than we
have to fling stone and injurc them" 1"
Yet this "hinging shadows" is a common
vice, and one to which women are partic.
ularv addicted What au incllculable
blessing ia merry, cheerful wo nan in q
household One whose spirits are not
affected by wet days or little disappolnt.
ments, or whose milk Of human kindness
does not sour in the sunshine Of prosperi.
ty. Such woman (no matter how dark
and stormy it is outside) brightcns tho
house like a little piece Of suushiny
weather. The magnetism Of her smile
the electrical brightness of her looks and
movements, infect every one. Her child.
rem 20 to school with sense of some
thing great to be achieved her husband
goes into the world in a conqueror':
spirit. No matter how people worry and
annoy him all day, far off her presence
shines, and he whispers to himself AT
homo | shall fud rest So, day by day,
she literally renews his strength and
energy, and if you know man with {
bcaming face, kind heart, and prosper
Gus business, in niue cases out Of ten you
will find that he has wife of this kind
For nothing is more certain than that he
who is married, as general rule, mus
ask his wife's permission, if he would be
wealthy and happy Blessed is he who
hath a cheerful wife The world may b,
valley of strife" to him, but his homo
is u land of Beulah, haven Of rest ant
quiet. Nay, | sometimes think that yo'
may know such homes by outward signs
The general exterior has look bes
explained oy thar thrilling word, "com
Portable" The windows, open to tn,
sunshine, have fright, hospitable look
which is almost an Invitation to walk in
If you are free to accept the invitation
you may reckon safely on the kind o
servant who will open the door for you
for there is no truer maxim than "lik'
master, like man The children are al
on their parole, and are free to come an,
90, both upstairs aud downstairs. an,
in my lady's chamber There are d
show-rooms in this house, and fyou com
to see upholstery, you will De disappoint
ed The sofas aud lounging chairs hav,
seen, and do see, daily service the book
are read. the girls practice on the piano
the boys have left their mark on vari
Gus possessions, and the cat dczes rehec
lively on the rug. You may laug
heartily, or wear Your second.best dres
before this kind OF woman, nay, you Nigh
"wear your heart upon your sleeves,
she would not peck ot it. And after a
evening of good things, am almost sur
you would see the Bible opened, and tt
household gathered, for not only men bl
God loveih cheerful woman, and chez
iuness brings gratitude, and gratitud
brings picty, and piety tcacheth wisdon
and wisdom opcneth her mouth 10 declai
that amily without prayer is like
house without roll
Now, grant all these elements Of happ
ness TO the sulky woman, and she wi
contrivc out of them to make herself AT
, everybody miserable. If she condescen'
to speak at all, her voice is perpetual
going into spitelul italics. General
however, she is possessed by dumb dev
and goes about the house "hingr
shadows over her husbands heart al
her chiIdren's faces, wrapped in mant
of the most irritating sileuce-a silen,
which is most unfair misnomer, 70
/ though she is tongue-tied by the demt
which controls her, she contrives to NAL
the chairs and the crockery, aud ever
thing she handles, speak for her. Ev'
her garments acquire defensive loo
her dress rustles, her shoes creak, h
, face makes you realize that the fable
the Medusa might, after all, be mo
than fable. Her children eat the
r food and escape as rapidly as mt
/, be to school; her husband sighs, al
, as soon as possible follows ther
; You may know him. if you see him lea'
his home, by the nameless shadow on b
brow, and tie weary yet impatient ste
. | have seen him get into the cars an
, buy a newspaper, and slightly shake hin
self, as if to shake off an incubus. Pe
haps he succeeds for few hours tn,
5 be must 60 home again. Shall he II
9 and propitiate this household tyrant
. But how ? l have known good and vii
/. men fling down before it their manhoo
their cherished tastes, their lifelong ha
its. and receive in return recoLciiatit
5 which was an irony, inasmuch as it W
}, followed by long, fearful after sulkin
Q infinitely harder to bear than the primal
S assault.
: remember we'll a couple with who
n | was en- terms of the greatest intimac
t The husband was a gentleman of God
D creation. He filled with honor an il
portant Office under the United Stat
government; he had large private fc
: tune, which he spent generously on b
= family, for he desired above all thin
Q to make them happy. His wife W
J. young, beautiful and had been raised
+ his love from poverty and hard toll. s
;. had splendid home, a devoted husban
;. and four fine children. Her power oy
q her husband was very great, and not I
D weakest of her weapons was this su!k
fearful, injured silence. But she h