Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-02-12
COMMUNICATION.

Mr.. Editor-I am farmers wife, ana
feeling natural interest in whatever
concerns my husband and his occupa-
ton, do my best to make him happy
and to promote hisprosperlty. we are
both economical in our expenditures,
but not so nggardly as to bsgrudge to
each other any reasonable comfort or
innocent enjoyment that our limited
means will allow Among the few lux
uries of my secluded life. is that OF oe-
casionally looking over newspaper IN
the evening, after my days work is
done; and, OF course, l read the Regis
ter which comes to us so regularly at
the close of every week with all the
news of the neighborhood. Having
now introduced myself to you, l want
to say few words in reply TO little
piece in the Changers column OF your
last paper, signed with star, the wri-
ter of which is rather hard on us poor,
defenceless women and on farmer
wives especially. He assumes that we
are all weak and willing slaves OF Fash
ion and presumes to tell us how we
ought to dress and "wherewithal We
shall be clothed" He even goes so
far as 10 intimate, that we keep our hus-
bands constantly in debt by our extrav-
agance and comes to the sage conclu-
sion that we ought never to think OF
wearing anything better than calico
whilst they are in debt. Now, If what
he says of US is true, we certainly de-
serve his censure and should be made
to expiate our sins in something worse
than calico-sackcloth and ashes, in
that case, would be too good for us. But
fortunately there is no foundation In
fact for bis insinuations. We women
are no more responsible for the hard
times and husbands embarrassments,
than we are for Jay Cooks failure, light
harvests and last weeks hurricane. l
only wish l had time TO tell you what
| think are the chief causes OF our far
mers being so much behind hand and
how little their wives are 10 blame tor
it,your star correspondent to the con-
trary Notwithstanding. But the baby
(bless his little hearty is kicking up his
heels in the cradle and wants me to take
him and besides, / have to see about
diuner. l must say, however, that the
women of our county, so tar as know
them, are, without exception, the most
prudent, painstaking and selt-sacrlhclng
set Of people 1 ever saw. Their lives
are spent in wearying, worrying,never
ending, still beginning round of domes-
tic duties and drudgeries. Day in and
day out, from morning until night, us
little else with them than work, work,
work, and what do they get for it:
Their "uicfuuls and elOihes| And l
must say further, that, if your cores
pondent will take the trouble to COM
pare the price paid for his everyday
suit Ito say nothing of his Sunday cloth
ing) with that of what we women habit
uaIly wear, he will find, its cut as fash
ionable and its cost greater than is the
case with ours. And, so, as example
is better than precept' and as "sauce for
the goose is sauce for the gander L sug-
gest to your fault-finding correspondent,
that, for the future. he shall set the ex-
ample of economical dressing, by wear
ing nothing but shoddy and tow-linen,
and also, That he shall, by no means
omit, to cut them out and make them
up for himself.
Respectfully yours,
MARTHA.