The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-01-16
Slgnor Max
From the Detroit Free Press,

signcr Max
From the Detroit Free Press.1
; very often hear men express regres that
they ever married. That may be natural
and excusable state of mind IN the man who
} is hopelesly tied to virago or to one OF that
. heartless and too numerous class known as
Society women, TO whom children are an
: affection and the domestic life o mere con-
venfence.
cannot speak from personal experience,
!, but observation has convinced me that mat
rimonial partnership with the vlrago is far
less deplorable than a like contract with the
woman of fashion. Such creature seems
to me the most urlo7ely and unworthy pro-
duct Of our civilization. Weak and silly
competition with other women of her class
involves utter waste Of that priceless time
which every good and wholesome impulse
would persuade her to employ in the angels
office Of making home happy, were she not
debauched by the frivolous follies that make
up the sum Of the fashionable woman's life.
Our social organization is such that we can
afford q kind Of good natured or Indifferent
contempt for the society man. He is a milk
and-watery growth who, if he lacks brains,
lacks also the capacity and the energy to be
aggressively or dangerously vicious. He SIM
ply dawdles through life, never comprehend
ing its earnesUness or caring (much less seek
ing) to know the ultimate design Of Creation
in chipping him out Of the infinite. Let him
90. His tailor is perhaps the only person
who really finds practical use for him.
Good old Uncle Toby thought the world was
wide enough for himself and the fly too.
Why then should these harmless human flies
exasperate me? listen to their aimless
buzzing and am comfortable in the thought
that they have no sting. When have been
busy they have sometimes tickled my nose,
but, bless you, can easily brush them off.
| The acon,an of fashion is much more Sc
rious problem. She has vast capacity for
both positive and negative harm. She is the
| incarnation of cruelty. Enforced obedience
to her autocratic commands makes an abject
slave Of her husband; renders his home in
| tolerable robs him Of that consoling COM
parionship which should be his by right at
least of his marriage contract, and schools
her unhappy children to skepticism regard
ing that hottest of human emotions. the all
| beautiful mother love. l shrink from fur
ther contemplation of her now, but mean
to one day show you her image as | see it
under the guise she wears for that Society
| to which she has transferred the high ALE
glance that by every law of life and love be-
longs elsewhere.
! turn from her with inexpresslble satisfac-
ton to the just, the self-sacrificing, lovable
and womanly women in whose very atmos-
phere is peace, and who carry in their train
those domestic virtues that are the crown OF
womanhood and the gentlest benedction
under which manhood bows in reverent love
and alteration.
By domestic virtues Go not mean simply
that training which results in well-ordered
house keeping, as the preparation OF tempt
| ing dinner, the maintaining Of clean kitch-
en-, the pretty decoration OF the parlors, or
| thoughtful espionage over rebellious shirtbut
tons Those are certainly virtues that none
Of US can afford to underestimate. Indeed,
sirs, we cannot be sufficiently thankful on
that score. Let us confess it with becoming
humility, and IN the proper spirit of graft
tude for material blessings. -
The woman of domestic virtues is to her
husband and children the object OF interest
and admiration, as well as of love. Her
gentle vet firm administration of home at
fairs is never questioned. Those whe per-
haps might question if sufficiently tempted
have learned too well that hers is the wise
little head to plan, and hers the deft hands
to execute her plans, if so be the need; and
thus she reigns with benignant sway, queen
of the realm Of hearth and hearts. Her
I presence is pervasive. You enter home
stranger, and you are at once made to feel
her essentially. All the fragrance OF the
sweet atmosphere OF home endowed with
her presence is an emanation OF her woman
ly nature. She may not be ''brave in silks
and laces,'' but you can rely upon it she is
that artist by instinct who adorns her raj
ment whatever it is. 1 have seen her when
she made a simple calico dress look regal,
!
piquant beauty with her arms up to the ell
bows in the family bread-tray. To me she
is the genius OF Content. Her very house,
cat purs with seeming consciousness that
the world is wagging all right, and her
knowing old silver-gray parrot sputters his
satisfaction whenever he hears her voice or
sees her face. He calls her ''AIistress Love
; w.: and solicitously asks after her health as
; regularly as the morning brings her and day
light into his presence. You trace her infiu-
ehce even in the pictures and medallions on
the walls. They are her Intangible sentl-
ments made tangible. You look into her
books, and you somehow begin to fall in
love with the world. Heaven save her and
send US more Of her Toots said of Susan
Nipper that that re markable woman could
not too often be repeated. wish to go upon
the record as applying that sentiment to the
woman of domestic virtues; that leads me
back to the thought suggested by the first
sentence in this epistle:
do not know why most of the fellows
whom have heard weakly regretting mar
rage wish themselves out of it.
The fact is, most women are no less beau
tiful in character than the one last descriD
, ed. The majority of men who rail at mar
rage do so thoughtlessly, or.in spirit OF az
fected cynicism, never meaning to infiict
pain where such iippant railing must OF ne