The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-10-07
THE FARMERS WIFE,
.InNI- -

$500
ALONE
A farmer without wife is like half a
pair of scissors. No man amounts to
much without one; but for farmer a
was Adam created than the Creator said,
cit is not good that man should be alone;
l will make helpmate for him. Who
ever, since Adams day, has attempted
to get along without wife has found it
mot good" A woman rounds out the
life of man, supplements his defects,
shares his troubles, doubles his joys,
sweetens his toll as we'll as his tea, is his
truest friend and advisor-in short is his
''helpmeet" The Shakers maintain that
the idea of quality extends to the God
head, and that it runs through all ami
NAL and vegetable lite there can be no
doubt. Science confirms the Scripture
principle, "male and female created He
them - and extends it to everything that
has life. Whoever, therefore, attempts
to live in contravention of this universal
law will find that he has a hard row to
be considered, without further proof, as
an odd half of a pair of shears.
In the circle of our acquaintance, which
is not limited, we can call to mind only
two farmers-one an Old bachelor and the
other an old maid-who are making this
venture, and awkward work they make.
In pecuniary view, both are doing well;
from the standpoint Of comfort. manhood
and womanhood both are doing misera-
bly,. Think of the old ba ,helor making
his own bread and butter, and eating it
in silence; working all day and coming
home at night to his bed and board of
single blessedness. There is no comfort,
no maniiness i'll such life, unless it is
the miserly happiness of boarding wealth
for heirs he knows not whom.
The farm life of the old maid must be
still more miserable. Woman can do a
great many things. and do them better
than man, but she never was made to
run farm. She has various and increas-
ing rights, but following the pillow, driving
oxen, managing bulls, and breaking colts
| are not among them. She is an indis-
pensable helpmeet to the farmer. but her
| sphere is domestic one, literally dOmes-
tic, that is belonging to the house. When
she takes upon herself the prerogative
of mingling with the men in the field,
| ing about the breeding of stock, and dis
playing her equestrian skill on the road
or race course, she unsexes herself and
becomes man in petticoats.
Solomon says: Whose finds wife,
finds good thing" But some men who
have married shrews and slovens have
been inclined to dispute the wisdom of
| Solomon in this proverb, but the trouble
is, they married women not wives. A
wife, including all that is signified in the
name, is good thing always and to the
farmer is especially good, as she is such
an important factor in his business. She
does not. as in the days of Solomon, seek
wool and flax, nor lay her hands to the
spindle and hold the distaff, but she look
eth well to the ways of her household
and eateth not the bread of idleness.
The farmers wife is empatically a
the care of the dairy, in addition to the
ordinary routine of household duties.
Her sphere of action, though strictly do
nestle, is wider one than that Of the
ordinary housewife. AS her husband,
in virtue of his ownership of land, which
he subdues and tills, is entitled to the
name of landlord. with all the cares and
honors which the name implies, SO she is
entitled to the name of landlady, and
must assume the responsibilities as well
as the respect that 60 with this position
and title. That there are unusual dnties
connected with the station is manifest
from the fact that there are many women
desiring to find husbands, but unwilling
to marry husbandmen, because they dis
like to do the work-drudgery as they
call it-peculiar to farmers wives. All
such have yet to learn that she only is a
true wife "who doeth her husband good
all the days of her life, who girdeth her
loins with strength and strengtheneth
her arms, who stretcheth out her hands
to the poor, who is not afraid of the snow
| Go 10, oil bac Ln,cabn1l
are clothed; who openeth her mouth with
wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of
kindness, whose children rise up and call
her blessed, whose works praise her"
Such is Solomon's picture of a good wife,
and it was evidently intended for the wife
of husbandman.
We will not say that the wife of a
farmer holds position above all other
wives, for we find in every occupation
those who, with the relation of wife, as
sumo great responsibilities, do honor to
their husbands, are ornaments to society
and bless mankind We do not say that
the position of farmers wife is one pc
culiarly adapted to a life of usefulness,
and we would like to ask the frivolous
and fashionable girls who scorn the hand
of husbandman, whether life spent in
useful employment such as the average
farmer expects of wife, will not, in the
retrospect give more satisfaction than one
spent in the gay rounds of fashionable
society The question needs no answer.
The answer goes without saying.
The position of the wife of farmer is
not only one of usefulness. but it is also
very stable and independent. Farmers
seldom fail; we may say never, or hardly
ever, if they attend to their legitimate
business. Certainly, the risks of agricul-
ture are less than those of other callings.
The farmer may not have the wealth and
display. the style of the merchant and
manufacture, but his wife does not live
in fear of panics and sheriff's visits. The
soil always responds generously to gener-
GUS culture, and her cellar and pantry are
never empty. She is sure of comforta-
BILE living, let trade be ever SO much dis.
turbed. Such independence and freedom
from risk are far more conductive to hap.
piness than all the wealth-with its cor
roding cares-which railroad stocks
bought and sold have ever earned. II
we had a dozen daughters, we should
consider them more fortunate if comfort.
ably settled on farms than if married to