The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-07-06


Upon the whole, IL is dreadful bother
TO be woman, and do the business up in
good shape.
In the first place you have got TO look
we'll. or else you're nobody. A man
may be homely, and still be popular.
Whiskers cover up the most Of his face,
and, il he has got large mouth. nobody
mistrusts it aad, il no wrinkles bad in tho
forehead, his friends speak Of his many
cares, and OF his thoughtful disposition.
aud tell each other that his wrinkles are
lines OF thought. Lines Of thought, in.
deed, when. in all probability, this fore.
head is wrinkled by the habit hc has got
Of scowling at his wife when the coffee is
not strong enough.
A woman must always be in good order
throughout. Her hair must be fringed
and banged as fashion demands. and she
must powder, if she has shining skin
and she must manage TO look sweet, no
matter how sour she may feel; and she
must hang just so, and her laces must be
always spotless, and her boot buttons
all in place, and finger nails clean, and
she mustn't whistle nor climb fences, nor
stone cats, no swear when she is mad.
She cant go out alone, because ladies
must be protected. She cant go anywhere
when II rains, because her hair won't stay
crimped, and she'll get mud on her pet.
ticoats, and things. She can't be Free.
mason, because she would tell their secrets
and everybody would know about that
goat and that gridiron. She can't smoke,
because it is unwomanly. But she must
get married before she is twenty Ave, or
everybody will feel wronged People will
sigh over her, and wonder why IL is that
men "don't IKE" and all the old maids
and widows will smile Significantly and
keep quiet.
Oh, these smiles aud these significant
looks! They are ten times worse than open
slander.
1t is terrible thing to be an old maid
terriblel Everybody knows it is, and the
women who are married to drunken hus.
bands, and who manage to quarrel with
them six days out OF the seven, will groan
in agony Of spirit over the single woman,
and calls her "that poor old maidl'
Awoman must marry rich, or she doesn't
marry "well." To marry well is the end
aud aim Of a womans existance. Judging
from the view which people in general take
Of the matter.
1t is everybody's business who woman
marries. The whole neighborhood put
their heads together and talk over the pros
and cons, and decide whether she is good
enough Tor him. And they criticise the
shape OF her nose, and the way she does
up her hair, and relate anecdotes OF how
her aunt Sally used to sell beans and but.
termilk.
A woman must wear No. 2 boots on No.
3 feet, and she must manage to dress well
on seventy five cents week, and she
mustn be vain, and she must he kind to
the poor, aud 30 regularly to the sewing
society meetings. and be ready to dress
dolls, and make aprons and tides, for
church fairs
She must be good cook, and she must
be able to '',lo up" he husbands shirts 80
that the heather Cbinee washman would
groan with envy. and gnash his teeth
with the same unholy passion. at the sight
Of them.
She must always have the masculine but.
tons in the family sewed on so that they
never will come oil while in nse, and she
must keep the family hosiery 30 that no
body would mistrust that there were toes
inside of the stockings when they are on.
She must hold herself in continual read.
mess to find everything her husband has
lost-and man never knows where any.
thing is. He will put his boots carefully +.
away on the parlor sofa, and when he has
hunted after them for half an hour, he will
appear to his wife with a countenance like
that Of an avenging angel, and demand TO
know "Nhat in thunder she has done with /.
his boots?
She must shut all the doors after her /,
lord and master. and likewise the bureau /.
drawers, Tor a married man never WAS
known 10 shut drawer II would be as
as for a hen to go in swimming ,
Tor recreation.
She must go to bed first ia cold weather
so az TO get the bed warmed. Her husband
Il he is wise man. never asks her 10 do ;
his, bnt he sits up .'to finish a piece iu /
he paper" and waits while she gets the |
sheets to comfortable temperature.
All. there are good many tricks in the /
.rsde OF so called Giving togetherl'
A woman is expected 10 take care Of the Z
Daby, even after the infantile wonder mul 1
iplies into q round dozen. And II he 1
lonbl.s up with the collie. or the trials OF '
,utting teeth, necessary evils OF the /
humps. the measles. the wbooping cough !
md scarlet fever, and rash aud throat dis d
emper, aud short sleeves, aod bare legs. 1
md pins sticking into him, aud too much a
andy. and bad temper. why her husband /
ellis her that "he does wish she'd try aad /
luie, her baby And he says il just AZ i
be fully believed that .be alone sas f~.
,ponsihe Tor H. being 10 existener: aud as &
I be thought she Sas considerably TO 1
dame for IL, too. I
And wLcn she has the headache, nobody d
links pf mending it! A woman Is always