The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-12-09
THE MODEL HUSBAND.


A Woman Who Thinks That Marriage
A clever French woman. writing to
tho husband Of q friend. piquantly
puts the question thus: .
''You. sir, have supposed yourself a
model husband, and in many respects
you were one. Nevertheless, you have
one point in common with the great
mass of your brethren, namely. to
form very precise idea OF the duties
which marriage imposes on your wife
and very vague idea of those which
it imposes on yourself. Marriage is
not . monologue. but dialogue.
You have studied only ore part, and
that not your own part. You are too
sincere, sir, not to admit that your
conception of marriage was simply
this: to add to the customary satisfac-
tions of your life an agreeable &C.
cessory in the person of worthy and
graceful woman who would adorn
your house, would perpetuate your
name, and would bring you, in short
without much trouble, an increase of
comfort and responsibility. You. like
all your sex, would like to fndin Paris
or in the provinces or abroad,
that marvellous woman who would
make all the sacrifices and require
none of you. You have not found
her, and no ono will find her, for this
rare bird that you all dream of-the
family woman--implies o bird rarer
yet-the family man. What do I mean
by family manp tits not q man who
works tapestry sitting at the feet of his
wife, who arranges the bill OF fare,
writes the invitations. places the lamps
and winds up the clocks. We call a
family man him with whom we read the
same book, see the same exhibition,
admire the same painting or landscape;
him who makes for us an intellectual
life besides his own, or rather within
his own; him who associates us, if not
with all his occupations, at least with
all his leisure, and who consequently
cherishes no taste nor pleasure, no in
tcrest of heart or mind which he is not
willing or able to share with US; the man.
in short. who, when he marrles, frank
ly devotes all he has to the interest OF
the family without any selfish reserve.
Be such a man, and you will attach
your wife to the home by attaching
yourself to it. Your home will be moi
only in your house; you will carry il
with you like domestic altar. 1t will
be wherever you shall DO with her; il
will be in your heart and in yours
wherever you mingle in affectionate
intimacy your thoughts, your impress
sions, your enthusiasts, your beliefs.
your charities.
Certainly, sir, marriage is an en-
terprise which promises inestimable
benefits; but there is a bill of expenses.
Have you read it? fear not; since,
if you had, you would have seen there
that a large part of the education Of
the wife should come from her husband
that it is for him to model to his wish,
to shape according to preference, to
raise to the dignity of his sentiments
and his thoughts. this young heart and
mind which seek only to please him
you would have seen there that it is
both prudent and agreeable to add to
the bonds which unite wife to hel
husband those which unite pupil tc
his teacher, his guide, his friend.
II hear the objection you make.
This young heart, this youthful mind,
will not consent to your arrangements.
They will oppose to you their futile ed
ucation, their love of dissipation, Of
vanity, of coquetry; in short. the incur.
able frivolity of women. lido not be-
lieve in the incurable frivolity Of WON.
en-, neither do you, for you often see,
as l do, their frivelity Transforming
itself under the influence of affection,
of pity, of faith, of misfortune, into
austere devotedness and firm sef-ab
negati0n Why may it not yield tc
tho sweet authority of first love, SC
powerful over the heart of women that
it reappears through every thing a.
she lives? - through outrage, resent
ment. vengeance, remorse.
mo! ayow it. you have not made
this attempt. You have hoped that
this child whom you married would
become at once an accomplished
woman merely through the influence
of the sacrament of marriage. Well
sir, this miracle was one which yot
yourself should have undertaken Il
perform. Consider whether you car
not yet accomplish it Cor. De Nome!
(La.) Register.