The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-04-10
A PERFECT WOMAN.
BY THE REV. j. 1. BOSWELL

"A
can find her?'
Not in the land of the living my curious
friend-of course not! One such there was,
but she has been dead these twenty five
hundred years, and left no daughter who
was her equal. Her sepulchre is unknown,
and it is in vain at this late day to make
pious pilgrimage in search of it. But we
have her full length portrait taken when
she was in her glorious prime, and in colors
which time will not dim nor accident de-
stroy. A copy of it is in your house, my
friend, laid away, it may be, on some neg
lected shelf-if so, take it down and look
upon it.
1t is the picture of Jewish matron.
She is lady of wealth, and her husband
is leading statesman in the city where he
dwells. He is well and widely known
among the elders of the land. Children
are in the house, and hired servants, and
sometimes guests, and among them all she
moves, presiding genius. She has neither
time nor disposition to pace pubic plat
form and talk about woman's mission,
and talk and talk until her nervous system
is impaired. She has her work-a noble
work-and quietly and sensibly she does it.
Her heart is with her husband and her
children at home, and there she dwells con-
tent and happy. Strange this may seem,
yet true; for she was a Jewess, and lived
not in these wiser times, but very many
years ago.
Good health she has, though she is
wealthy and refined; strong and vigorous,
though more than forty years of age. She
has no need of patent medicines; for
mark this-she rises early, she works stead
lily, she puts her trust in the Lord. and in
consequence she keeps a calm and even tenn
per. She lived in the golden age when it
was the fashion for a woman to be healthy.
Perhaps had she lived now she would have
violated every law of healthy living, in
dress, food and excrcise-grown pale in
overheated rooms-sat up the night long in
fashionable parties, and then, confirmed
! invalid, marvel at the inscrutable decree of
Providence which permits her to be aff1ict-
ed Sickness is sometimes ones misfor-
tune, and sometimes it is ones fault!
This perfect woman is model house
keeper and "looketh we'll to the ways of her
household. ;" She did not marry for sup
port. 1t was never her desire "to eat the
bread of idleness." Perhaps in her early
education she was taught, among other
fashionable accomplishments that of
| keeping a house, and of cooking meal
which would be worth eating. No doubt
for they had not modern civlization-the
young women Of the wealthy classes were
taught that which had some faint reference
to their work in after life. This woman is
not ashamed to put her hands to the spin
! die and the distaff. She was skllful with
the needle, as was seen in the " coverings
of tapestry and ornamental "girdles "
which she sold to the merchants. She
arose at early candlelight to arrange for
the work of the day. Not only would she
say to the servants, edo this" but she
was able to teach them how to bake loaf
or roast joint. She was thoughtful of
their welfare, and of course they tried to
please her. She "giveth meat to her house
hold and portion to her maidens,' and
the portion" you may be sure, was large
enough to satisfy their hunger. She treat
ed them kindly-as though they were hu-
man beings, members of her family, and
not animated machines, hired and expect
ed to work harmoniously at ten dollars a
month. Rather strange her conduct was
for wealthy lady thus to be household
drudge, but then remember she was a
Jewess, and lived very many years ago.
Though she loved her home, yet she did
mansion in the city was her home and not
her prison. Sometimes she went abroad.
Not indeed to retail gossip from house to
house, under the charitable pretext OF
"making CALLS nor yet to spend the pre-
cious hours in cheapening in the shops the
costly finery which she never meant to pur
chase. When she left her home, it was
generally to 60 to the temple, for :" she fear,
ed the Lord" or to the abodes of the poor
and the sorrowing. "She stretches out
her hand to the poor; yea, she reachetl
forth her hand to the needy" She was
full of generous sympathies, and in her the
poor always found friend. Faithful al
home, she would yet find time, or rather
make time, to gather with the great con
gregation " in the solemn services of the
sanctuary. Religion was to her strength,
comfort and joy.
''She openeth her mouth else she
would not be woman" with wisdom;
that is good; and "in her tongue" is
what? Not foolishness; but the law Of
kindness"
Let such a woman talk-she talks tC
some good purpose. Blessings on a woman's
tongue-when its notes are not discordant,
but low and sweet touching the hearts OF
all who hear, like the breathings of al
angels harp.
Well, this perfect woman has her reward
To be sure her life is 4 life of self-sacrifice
but sacrifice is sweet when prompted by
love. She is in comparative obscurity
but that is to her no evil. The world does
not know her virtues nor praise her; but
better than the worlds praise is the fact
that 1.-the heart of her husband doth safely
trust in her," and " her children arise NJ
and call her blessed" In them she lives
and is content to live, till her work Oh eartl
is done and she calmly goes to her rest and
to her reward on high.
Oh! if all the matrons in this age and
land were such as she, how strong would
be our homes, and then, of course, how
great and glorious would be the nation and
the Church. But this woman. Alas. She
belonged to ruder age than this which i:
| so highly polished. She was Jewess, moi
Christian, and she lived many, very many
years ago.
How Pooh EYES ARE MADE.-1 have
during the past two months, seen lace wells
drawn tight over the face in church, botl
morning and evening. l have seen ladie:
teaching Sunday school and in sewing
schools, where the expression of face has