Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-26
Domestic HAPPINESS.

Domestic Happiness.
The happiness of home depends in .
great degree upon the way in which
the marriage relation is regarded. II,
as old Rutherford has it, q man con.
siders that the woman was not taken
from his head to be his superior, or
from his feet to be his slave, but from
his side, to be his companion and equal ;
if so regarding her he conf1des in her
judgment, looks ito her in perplexity,
considers that she has an interest in his
business sffairs, consults her on all i'm.
portant matters, lets her share in his
pleasures and pursuits, and also in his
purse, he lifts her at once to the place
God designed that she should fill, her
heart is fully satisfied, and he finds in
her all he asks for. Such women were
Mary Somerville, Mrs. Agassiz,
Mrs. Prof. Hitchcock, and many
others we might mention. But let
his idol fall from the pedestal where she
was enshrined before marriage, and be-
come simply the household drudge,
nurse-maid, and sempstress, without
the wages; having to ask for all she
needs, and often preferring to go with
out rather than to.ask; thought too little
of to be conversed with, read to, or con-
fided in; the love to the husband dies
out, or is transferred to the children,
happiness is sought outside of home,
and the heart is left bitter and desolate.
With many men the great charm in q
uop,or 10 ~ b,uo haw o1;ppsro o,l 10
pendent. So they take the "child
wife" Dora, and find too late it was an
Agnes whom they needed. Men and
women are essentially different-two
distinct halves of humanity, making
one perfect whole. Something must be
sacrificed to make that whole perfect
If, in the process of growing alike there
is some attrition, it is worth the pain.
Women gain in strength and fortitude;
men in depth and tenderness. "Why
did you never marry?" asked married
lady of her charming friend. because
never found SO splendid man as you
did" "Ah, but 1 took him in the
rough, and have helped make him what
he is" There it is; each takes the
other in the rough. And whether they
become more rough and jagged, or
polished corner-stones in the sacred
temple Of home, depends upon the
spirit of mutual love and forbear-
ance which each brings into daily life.
The mother, occupied with her chill
dren and household cares during the
day, finds heart and brain heavy
at its close. Yet it is great mistake to
meet her husband on his return from
business with sorrowful face, or to
pour her vexations and annoyances into
his wearied ear. Neither should the
husband bring the gloom of the count
ing house to sadden the fireside. That
is a sorrowful home where the children
stop their sports when the father APP
pears, when he orders them at tie least
noise to be seated in different corners of
the room, when he lies down on the sofa
andiall must be perfectly hushed, or,sits
before the FIRE and never speaks.
But if, in closing his front door, he
shuts out business cares, how is home
gladdened by his presence. The children
rush to meet him, they climb his knees,
or sit beside him and their pleasant
prattle and the frolic that follows, di-
vert his mind effectually. The weary
mother escapes for quiet half hour,
and returns refreshed, to preside with
grace at the tea table. This is the time
for telling all the pleasant occurrences
of the day, or laughing over its mishaps;
reading such family letters as may be
shared in common, and telling such
items of news as may interest and divert
the mind of each. Thus living out of
self, and for each other, life takes. on
added sweetness year by year, and homo
is heaven of rest.-Congregdtionalist.