Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-03-05
CONNnBLAL RECIPROCITY.

| Woman's heart is her true sphere, and
when well rounded with sweetness, SYM
pathy and love makes her "thing OF beauty
and joy forever" Her highest ambition in
life is to love and be loved Home and
love are the two poles of her existence and
themagnetism which preserves the equipoise
of her nature reaches the meridian of its
power when the light, joy and beauty of one
blends with the peace, security and happi-
ness of the other. They constitute the shrine
of her idolatry upon which she offers the
wealth of her affection and all the earnest
ness of her nature. How few charms and
attractions would life present without the
ministering presence of woman. How for
lorn, hopeless and barren would be the hui
man heart without its world of affections,
whose central warmth and effulgence radate
from the tender graces and sweet charities
woman's constancy and devotion. Woman
values affection above all things else, and
without it freshness and glow of thought
and sentiment fade away and finally fall
into the "sere and yellow leaf" The real
test of woman's attractiveness begins when
she assumes the duties and responsibilities
of maternity-when she yields up the health
and buoyancy of her nature, hope and cheer
fulness, faith and virgin love, with all the
mystic localities Of budding womanhood,
to another's keeping. Upon this die she
stakes her all of future happiness, and while
sorrow turks at the heel of happiness in all
conditions Of life, yet the beauty and purity
of woman's life and history show forth in
their true and perfect light and becomes con-
secrated by marriage and maternity to the
grand mission of her nature. There should,
however, be no period in womans life when
the graces Of person, mind or manners should
be surrendered for the exclusive round of
household duties. She should be the COM
panion, friend and mistress of her husbands
affections. She should ever aim to animate
the spirit of gallantry, sentiment and ten
heart by the sweet memories of courtship-
the gentle agencies and engaging ways of
maidenhood which find soul and expression
in some favorte songs or revive a lingering
memory Of some fond act Of early love and
alteration.
1t is an easy matter for incompatibilty Of
temperament to drift into positive dislike
and convert the connubial state into hell
on earth. The Indifference, unkindness and
want of sympathy which men show towards
their wives, proceeds more from want OF
thought than want of feeling. The dis
turbing element in the uni on of the sexes is
that men demand too much and expect
their wives TO preserve intact the gentle in.
tluences and graces, the radiant freshness
and bloom of early marriage. They are
quick to perceive the waning attractions o.
their partners, and the ferver of first love is
suppanted by apparent GOODNESS and in
difference. The wife is no longer charm
love, but because his own feelings, his
wonted kindness and sympathetic tender
ness have changed. Does it ever occur t.
him that women need change and variety a.
well as men? Does his selfihness and egotisn
ever permit him to dwell upon the contras
between his untrammeled liberty of actor
and the unvarying, dreaTy monotony O
her lileY The wife's errors and follies ar
generally traceable TO the husbands tyrann,
or transgressions Women have right L
demand appreciation Of their virtues AM
reciprocity of affection. Men should recog
nize the fact that loyalty, liberty and devo
ton are not all onone side. They must re
member that love, sympathy and iorbearanc
are necessary to make "two souls that are a
single thought and two hearts that beat q
one" They should not forget the halcyo
period of their lives-the mellow light G
peace, happiness and serenity resting upo
them and still filling the heart with il
tender influences. The old days with thei
wooings, poetry and romance, the bright
witching glance that put sunshine in tn
heart, and the voice that made music for tn
ear-al these hallowed memories SHOULD
to love, honor and protect-whose lives ar,
sanctifed and made holy by joys and sor
rows shared in common. Men should stan(
between their wives and the rough contac
and vulgar cares which ever disturb til,
equpoise of their finely balanced, delicate
organism. They should endeavor to max,
their lives happy by steady yielding of thei
love, and crafty the refinement and dainti
ness Of their nature by attractive picturesqu,
surroundings. Let the love of the beautiful
born within woman find room to grow ant
expand undwaried by dearth of affection
and when the storm-lashed pillows of ad
versity break over you, you will always
find her amid the surges of life near to you
heart and even with your lips.