The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-01-09
otinel.l
W0MANLY AID.
BY MRS. SALLIE A. RAMAGE.
For the Sentinel.

If could talk this morning TO every hus-
band aud wife in indianapolis L would urge
upon them one precept, "Be kindly affec.
tionate. one to another" and would repeat
and reiterate the message. l would like to
tell them somewhat of whatI have seen, and
plead with them to be warned. The year
just beginning Will in all probability be
time of anxiety and pain for many families,
and it Will require strength OF mind and
purpose to keep hundreds OF poor human
lives from stranding on the barren beach of
desperation and despair. Il will be fnan-
cially hard year Men will have TO econo-
mize and calculate as never before, and many
Of them will go down in the struggle They
will fail in business will lose the savings Of
years, and find themselves poor and i'm
poYerished when they expected wealth and
pleasure. They will feel like giving up the
ship, and letting it drift as fate's adverse
winds may direct. They will be numbed
and bruised by the shock, and they will
stretch out their hands for support. Happy
may they count them selves if they find il in
their families. There will be scores of men
who will have to work on smaller salaries,
will have to be content with less money, and
they dread not the change for themselves so
much as for their loved ones They think
with pain of the innocent children, the
trusting wife, the aged mother, and they are
anxious for their welfare They are in doubt
how the trouble will affect the home
know the old reproaches that are hurled
against women by the world, that they are
careless of their husbands and fathers; that
they fret and upbraid them for any trouble
Of this. kind, but do not propose to indulge
in any such talk 1t is neither agreeable nor
profitable. 1t may be true, but there is
no need for its repetition. 1 would
on the contrary rather aid them in turning
over a new leaf, and want to do this as far
as l can to-day. / take it for granted that
every wife loves her husband, and every girl
her father and brothers, and l insist on the
presumption, as well, that these are in turn
loved by the men of the family think any
other state of things is so rare that it must
come within the province of some one else
to talk about. Then would it not be we'll
for these husbands and wives to frankly and
freely and lovingly review the past, and be
assured of the PRESENT. Let there be some
understanding about business affairs, some
idea at home OF finances, Of the profit and
loss of the past year, and fair understand
ing OF the present one. II expenses have
been too great, let there be no reproaching,
but the very knowledge OF this to the
loving woman will be her guard in the
future. She Will be more prudent and
careful If she knows that her husband needs
her aid. Let HIM tell her just as how stands;
from what quarter he expects trouble. and
she will with willing hands help him to
build a barrier against the foe. Let her
share in the sorrows; she will be stronger
for it, and she will not be so utterly pros
trate when the storm of alversity breaks
upon her head. Let her know how far she
can go with safety, and she will advance
only as her husband leads the way. have
seen wives so ignorant of their husbands
affairs that the common gossip of the street
in relation TO them would have been strange
news And / have heard the blame the
world has given these women, when finan-
nancial ruin aud disgrace overlook the men,
and the wives shared the sorrow that was the
more terrible because il was so unexpected.
have wanted to defend them, but of what
avail would it have been. That great
critic, society, would not heed the truth.
There have been women who listened to no
warning, but dragged their husbands down.
This l admit; but they are not the great
majority; they are the exceptions. Now, for
1873 1 would have this free talk, and then 1
would make fui; calculation for the future.
Retrench here and there, lop of luxuries