Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-06-04

n rev NOFuh 10 hAuhbbuuhs
We have frequently read advice TO wives,
and very good advice too, and as 1t costs
nothing but little arrangement Of ideas
oflen uppermost in our mind, we would
like the privilege OF saying few words TO
husbands.
We know there are many husbands, no.
BILE men, who faithfully perform their part,
who cherish their wives as themselves, and
whose lives are above reproach. And we
know there are worthless women living
lives of ease, recklessIy spending what
their husbands earn by hard work and
care-fraught days and nights but II is not
of these we speak, but the far greater class
of working women who bear more than an
equal proportion OF life's burdens.
We have read much on the subject Of
making home happy, and it is generally
considered to be something the response
bility Of which rests wholly with the wife.
All, but we don't believe it. 1t takes more
than one to make home happy, although
one can make it miserable. One great
cause of unhsppiness in the household
seems TO be that women do not smile
enough.
What If there he nothing TO smile for.
We have certainly seen some overworked
and unappreciated ones who TO our think
ing, had not much TO smile for unless ii
were that good God would presently take
them home to res: who made home neat
| always, and tasteful, as they had time and
means 10 IL; whose meals were well cook
ed Qf that will preserve love-, and who
were models Of economy; but it was
thankess service, patiently rendered. And
their husbands were not intentionally un-
kind, but unthinking, and probably indif-
| ferent, just such men as the world is full
of-men who would very quickly detect
the first symptoms Of overwork in horse,
but would suffer the women they call
their wives 10 toll until a malady-physi-
cal, mental, and perhaps morals fasten-
ed upon them that no earthly power can
remove. We have often wondered that
husbands could not see and value moro the
services OF wife, into every one of which
is woven so much of her life-strength and
vitality, and why they could not some
times bear with hasty word uttered in
weariness, for which they claim so much
toleration themselves-why they cannot
sometimes see what it is that takes the fire
from the eye and the elasticity from the
spirits; and, in short, why SO many men
must expect so much in tho way Of COM
fort, and encouragement and give as little
as possible in return.
1t is said that a man comes in at night,
tired from business cares aud annoyances
to rest and no matter how cross or alb
stracted he may be, his wife must be all
smiles and pleasantness. What right have
you, husbands, to drag insyour cares and
place the burden upon her who, perhaps,
was up half the night with the teething
child while you slept, and whose whole
day has been one round of never-ending,
wearying work. And, worse yet, what
moral right have you to bring home the
i'll temper others have caused, and vent It
on the woman you professed before God
and man to love better than all the world
besidef Why should you give her sharp
answers and hasty language that, if given
TO business acquaintances, would justify
them in putting you from their presence,
and simply because she complains, lament
that her temper is not as good as it used to
be when you married herr
Surely it was not so with you in your
counting daysi Were you not very thought
full Of her then? Were you not interested
ir she only had a headache 7-and her head
never ached then as il has since, or heart
either for that matter. Did you not re-
member the holidays and birthdays with
some little token, which, however small,
was cherished for the giver's sake3 And
If you heard her express a wish for some
pretty trihe, or new book, did you not es-
TEEN it pleasure 10 get it for her? Now
she gels nothing without asking for it, and
sometimes not then. If she is depressed,
do you kindly inquire into the cause, or
does she bear all her burdens alone, and
yours alsof If she complains of physical
weakness, do you see that she has The rest
and attention she needs, or do you call il
womln's nervousness, and forget it the
moment you close the door afler your In
those days you used 10 tell her how dear
she was 10 you. Perhaps it is years since
you have told her anything of the kind, al
though there are many reasons why she
should he dearer now than then.
Ifyour wife is silent and undemonstra-
tive, it may be because she is too proud to
beg for what you do not voluntarily yield.
If she is changed from what she once
was, there is some good reason for it; and
it would be well If every man knew that
| the best part of woman's life dies out
when she discovers that marriage is the
end instead Of the beginning Of love.-RU-
| raj NeD Yorker.