The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-01-25
VOL. 1X.-NEw SERIES.
For tho Times,
FARMERS WIVES

There are many ways in which n wife can
help her husband. So very many that l fee
quite at n loss from which to select Of tho many
that comes thronging to my mind Some think
it necessary to so with him to his daily labors
and there, side by side, keep her row up will,
his. Not so, think, even Of the day laborer.
The wife is the home-kccpcr To her is intrus-
ted the care of tho whole house-tho children
and the family expenses-and, if she be true
wife-one who feels the responsibility of her po-
sition-she will sec to it that iLc house is al
wuysur1gnyJ vrvvsst ~
behaved and respectful, and the family expenses
no more than can bo got along with, ,oithout
stint; or, in other words she will see that every
"'edge is made to cut" by giving everything per-
timing to household affairs her personal super
vision, and often doing the lighter work herself,
for there arc some things hired help never will
do SO well as the wife and mother, because she
knows so well the wants and tastes of her house
hold and there arc many things it is absolute
ly essential she should do with her own hands,
be her husband rich or poor. Let q husband
plan never wisely, or work never 80 hard,
unless the wife enters into his work with her
whole soul and assists him by her loving coun-
sells, and unite her efforts with his, for the mu-
tual good Of oil, his work will go for naught,
and they will doubtless live along from year 10
ycnr In ,Sliftlcss scrambling sort of q way,
never seeming to realize just Where the trouble
lies, and perhaps lay the fault of their lack of
prosperity to "bad luck" which consider only
another name for Jad management.
But sometimes the fault Of the whole thing
lies with the husband. Some there are-and
1 have one just such in my mind now-who
seems really born to "bad luck" and l would
often say 20 myself, when would hear of this
hard working mans i'll fortune: we'll, surely, he
must have been born under an evil star, for
nothing he lays hold of seems to prosper. Ills
hogs always take the cholera and die his wheat
and oats wiH have the smut and rust, the river
overlows his corn, and then lie is sure never
to hit the market ut the right time, so his small
crop of cotton is sold on a declining market
But after awhile looked dccper-I looked for
the cause of oil this-and found that this man,
-thnnah reall frugal, well
meaning man, had missed his voeatiOn Ia lifs,-
and was trying with all his might to do that
which by nature, habits and education, he was
wholly untitled for.
This article was begun with view of treat
ing only the feminine side of the question, but l
find that the interest of each arc closly in
terwovcn, so nearly allied, that to speak Of one
must necessarily say something of the du-
ties and obligations of the other; so, if should
happen to tread on the corns of some sensitive
Benedict, trust he may not lay it up against
mr. buf tl,nr ,,iy n,pc fn in
his behalf
In my last article on Farmers Homes" |
give the outside picture of q country home and
promised to tell the wife how she might embcl-
lish, adorn and render that home pleasant and
attractive to her husband and little ones
We will imagine it is the close Of long hot
summer day, the tired husband coming from his
day Of hard work, and met at the door by his
pleasant smiling wife, not 'rih a kiss-thcy have
been too long married for that, and each is too
sure of the others affection to need these daily
little props to their lovc-but rather is he met
at the door with glass of icy cold crystal water
just from the bottom of the well, or from the
cool spring which gushes forth from the roots
Of the big hickory at the foot of the hill which
is infinitely more refreshing to tired husband
than kiss from the lips Of her he loves more
then all the world besides Life is hard strug-
gle they are fighting side by side, and havo
learned TO appreciate these more substantial to-
kens Of each others affection. Her work at the
hot steaming stove is all DONE she saw to it
that all that scar Ssose and smell Of half done
meats, should all DC over before he came so
that no unsightly sounds or nauscating odois