St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-03-02
Letter TO u Bridegroom.

To become a husband is as serious a
matter to a man as it is for ii woman to
become a wife. Marriage is no child's
play; it brings added care, trial, per
pleXity, veXatiOn, and it requires IL
great deal of the happiness which le-
ultimately springs out of 1t to make
the balance heavy in its favor. Very
few people live happily in marriage,
and vet this is not because unhappl-
ness is german to the relation, but be
cause those who enter it do not know,
first, how to get married, and, second,
how to live married happily. You have
already made your choice wisely, !
am bound to believe. Those qualities
of character which have attracted you
to choose as You have should make
your love grow daily while You live to-
gether.
As to the second point: If you wish
to live in harmonious union with your
wife start ont with the avowed recog-
milton of the fact that she is your COM
paniOn and cOpartncr. Marriage uSu-
ally makes the wife neither of these.
In many instances she sees less of her
husband than before she married him.
He comes, he goes, he thinks, he reads,
works. and under the stimulus of bust
ness brings all his powers and faculties
to the surface, and is developed there
by-nOt always SymmetrlcallY, but
vigorouslv-not always tremendously,
but with increasing power. Married
men do not usually shrivel up nor put
on IA look of premature age, but wom-
en- frequently do, and it is plain to me
why they do.
Married women are shut up in hOus-
es, and their chief care is for things
that have no inspiring influence. Then
| time is taken up i'll meeting the physl-
cal wants of their families cooking,
washing dishes, keeping the house III
order, sewing, receiving company II II
one of which has in it II tendency even
| to culture and elevation. Married
women are devoted to the house, and
/ this means life of veXation and petit
ness. 1t gives no sort of stimulus tc
| the spirit. So the husband, who is out
of doors, active, interested in measures
which affect the public good, coming
/ into contact with men greater than
! himself, who inspire him to better pur-
poses and noblcr ends of labor, de-
| velops into manly beauty and grows in
character, while his wife at home, who
has as faithfully performed her share OF
the work, withers and decays prema-
/ turely.
Treat your wife exactly as you would
like to he treated if You had to live I'M
der her circumstances, and yOu will not
go far wrong. Do not entertain the
silly notion that because she is of Il diff
ferent gender from your own that she
is therefore different in her wants
feelings, qualities and powers. Do moi
he the victim of any social policy
Stand up bravely for the right, give
your wife IA chance to live, grow and be
somebody and become something. Try
to be thoughtful, considerate and for
bearing. You will have new duties
and they will bring new trials. TAX
good care of your health and hers. b,
simple, both, in your habits he carefu
in your expenditures be industrious
If you keep good health aud are frugal
blessings will come from your uniteC
love, and You will grow happier an'
better day by day as the years pass
1Dr James G.. jackson.