Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-06
The Angel Of the Household.

All women are not angels, but the idea
of male angel, except as a mere matter
of grammatical gender, is not attractive;
in fact it is, with all due reverence, just
the least bit groteSque The angelic is
associated in the average mind with
femininity. Some females, indeed far
too many, sad to say, belong to the sin
lister train of the fallen Light-bearer.
The majority, however, there is reason
to believe are good, or mostly so-at all
events far better than are the common
run of men. Probably the best of all
earthly angels is that unwinged angel of
the household, the good wife and
mother. Home is the woman's king
dom, and it is here that her virtues
and manifold charms and graces shine
most sweetly and serenely. All sensible
men will acknowledge that nowhere in
all the world is there aught more precious
than kind and judicious wife. As
counsellor. as comforter-in one word, as
helpmate-no human minister can take
her place The family is the true i'm
peTiuBa in imperi0 of the common
wealth. 1t is the earliest of social
politics and the richest in those
subtle but puissant forces that
impel humanity in the onward and
upward road. The quality of civili-
cation is determined by the character of
its domestic interiors. In these is the
power behind the throne Ii is not in the
forum nor in the cloister that the spirit
of:.an age finds its inspiration, or that the
genius of people is formed and guided.
The c0nsBaunis senSus of nation, such as
now constitutes the real governing aII-
thority of every Christian realm, regal,
imperial or republican, is but the aggre-
gate popular sentiment, and of this the
springs and sources are in the homes of
the people. And the home is what the
woman makes it.
To properly fulfill the multiform du.
ties of the household is no easy task.
Nowhere is there more abundant scope
for the exercise of that tact and common
sense in which women so generally and
so far excel the sterner sex. The re-
sponsibilitY of this indoor life is such
that few men are competent to meet it.
Nine times out of ten the husband and
father makes a miserable mess of it
when he undertakes to bring his supe-
rior intellect to bear upon any one of
the numberless petty but en-
domestic management. Difficulties
and disagreements that womanly
wit solves somehow quietly and success
fully, the man of the house frequently
finds beyond his faculty to comprehend
and deal with. This statement is CON
firmed by the experience of any man who
ever undertook to keep house for single
day without his wife, or to take the reins
OF family government into his own hands
for that length of time. Whether it be
the servants or the children he attempts
TO manage in her stead, the results are
ordinarily not calculated to augment his
self-conceit, and if he be not preternatu-
rally obstinate, he is only too glad to sur
render the sceptre to the rightfnl queen.
But it is not merely in the better apti-
tude to deal with infantile or mental il
logic perverseness aud imbecllity; in the
intuitive knowledge of the right thing
to do when small 8nnoyances and incon-
veniences arise, and in the sagacious adj
ministration of the multitudinous other
matters of household economy, that
good wife is treasure to her husband.
He would do well in most cases to con-
suit with her in regard to his outdoor
affairs; and it is particularly his duty
to do so as to all such plans as
involve any important step that
might affect tee welfare of herself
and her children. There can be no
harm in any case in asking her advice,
even if it Is not followed. Very often
great advantage will accrue from the
suggestions of a shrewd woman. This
is especially true in matters which re-
quire prompt action. When sudden
and unexpected exigency occurs, and |
something must be done, and done
quickly, the sharp and agile wit of a |
loving wife is most valuable reinforce
ment to even the sturdiest masculine
judgment. 1t may point a way out of |
mis- bewilde-ment which he would
never have thought of by himself
If husbands were more candid |
with their wives, it would be better
for them. The fear of indiscreet expo
sure of his secrets is no sufficient reason
for keeping them from her who should |
be the partner of his joys and sorrows,
and to whom it is his privilege to go for
consolation and encouragement. 1t is /
in trouble, in distress, in sorrow, that
the woman's nature takes on a wondrous
strength. Far beyond the courage and
fortitude of man is her ability to suffer
and be strong. There is no human
ministry vouchsafed to man which, in
its wealth of tenderness, its glory in
Self-sacrifice, its ineffable unselfishness,
approaches that of woman.