Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-02-05
" HANNAH ANN"
DISSERTATION ON wIFELY
DUTIES.

DUTIES.
Which Don't Exactly Agree With the
| Views Usuaily Expressed by Writers
ON th Same Subject.
| BY "HANNAH ANN"
For the Sentinel.
Joshua says I've got little book
learning but not bit of common
sense. He says, for instance, when
ever he chops wood (and let me
whisper in your lug" Joshua forgets
that little job few times too often) he
has to label some of the logs "too
heavy, for if I didn't see that on 'em
I'd Kill myself trying to lug them in.
If he is correct, you must look over
all short coming in this epistle for I
really. don't know what Is coming.
The other day / read in paper, a
communication from lady, giving us
married folks a very palpable hit
about not keeping posted" She
said we had plenty of time for mental
Improvement, and gave her own ex-
perience. 1t seems she kept her house,
her children, AMI her husband in a
most wifely style, cooked unexcep-
tionable dinners &c, &C., &c. Besides
doing all 1hi5 she kept herself posted
in all the correct literature of the day
that she might be able to converse
with her husband when he came home
from his store, or office, or shop or
something, tired, hungry, and per-
picked. She may have done all
that, she may have been mart
| IL T
to confess 1 can't do it.
Then Joshua he puts in his oar, "Han-
nerap, why don't you women read the
papers? The reason woman's tongues
are always wagging about their eigh-
bors, is because they. know nothing
else to talk about. Read the papers,
and then you will let your neighbors
i alone" [ wish every man would
play Darby" for one day in his life,
and then he'd find where the time
came in for reading.
| And as for getting up extra nick
nacks for Joshua every meal
when he's got an appetite like an
ostrich, that's nonsense. And
! as for meeting him with a kiss and a
smiling face, in the proverbial neat
dress and white collar, that's nonsense,
too. Now just let me tell you Joshua
is not to be grinned at by old maids
who have no teeth, nor by women who
have husbands either, and the woman
who tt inks she has better Joshua
than have is-mistaken, that's all.
Now he can attexd to his business, and
it don't prevent any of the neighbors
from dropping in. and talking poll
tics. II don't prevent Azariah Griggs
Of rainy days and cold days, and lots
Of other days, from spinning big
yarns, or Joshua from listening, and
both from haw-hawing all day long.
AS soon as hear him coming must |
drop my work, smooth my hair, and
my brow, forget the wearincss of many
steps, and the noise of boisterious chill
dren, and crying babies, whose chatter
has been ringing in my ears all day
and take a few more steps to welcome
Joshua homer
Now, a sensible -.man won't
} expect his wife to dc
all that, and there is no use
for people to waste paper
. and time telling Us to do it
Men wouldn't appreciate it, if we die
it. The poets tell us about "beauty
forever unchangingly bright but its
sameness wearies us. Joshua don't
expect it, and if he ever did he foune
himself at sea without chart. lode
wives, husbands and lovers don't ex
ist outside of novels. That's an opin
ion fire wont melt out of me. It's al
human nature, and mans man
9 and woman's woman "for a that
and twice as much as a. that"
: Now that l have delivered
. my homily, perhaps you would
like to hear how we hardy
patriotic SONS and daughters o
; the mountains are getting along
Away up here where the skies ar,
seldom blue, the earth never green
: and the wind howls tiercely for NOR
J than half the year, we look out from
: our mountain Businesses upon th
: great world below and beyond us
We feel safe from war, or pesti
:. lence, or earthquakes, or cyclone.
The great political wave scarce cast
its spray upon us. We endure tn
winters, enjoy the summers, and liv
our own lives. Provisions are highe
here than almost anywhere else
Wheat and rye look uadly, and bus
! ness men look blue. But Joshu
u looks midling cheerful tonight, MOI
witistanding didn't welcome hir
home after the days toll with a smil
and a kiss. While I am sitting i
one corner writing this, he is sittin
q in the other with banjo, and tn
lt strains cf"Molly, Molly Melancholy
are bowling through the the hous,
while the wind is howling withou
If that banjo don't wake up the bab,
- I'll try to stand it as long as Joshu
Ii can. He >stops long enough to sa,
1t ..See here, Hanneran, [ don't care ii
OF milliohth part of centimetre aho,
all that grinning and kissing YOU,
N written about. Grins and kisses don
:, put money in fellows pocket. B1
= = / Amt going to have any insinuatiol
e cast upon my musical performanc
Ill Orphens hadn't been married sew
years, or he would never have tax,
g. the trouble to hunt Eurydice."
n by the way, will you tell Mrs.
It's its G. u. (D of Oregan, Joshua's' nan
n isn't John?
:, Grayson Co., "a, Jan. Both.
). Good +. Asd-yice. d ~
y From The Pkiladetphia cdii.
The surest way to add-Adyerti