Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-01-16
TaImage ON Marriage.

such splendor Of womanly manners,
or multitudinous instances of wifely,
motherly, daughterly, sisterly devo-
ton as it owns to-day. have not
words to express my admiration for
good womanhood. Woman is not
only mans equal. but in affectional
and religious nature, which is the
best part of us, she is se,entv-five
per cent. his superior. Yea, during
the last twenty years through the
increased opportunity opened for
female education, the women of the
country are better educated than
the majority of men; and if they
continue to advance in mentality at
| the present ratio, before long the
majority of men will have difficulty
in finding, in the opposite sex, suf-
ficient ignorance to make appropri-
ate consort. If / am under delu-
sion as to the abundance of good
womanhood abroad, consequent up
on my surroundings since the hour
| entered this life until now, | hope
the delusion will last until embark
from this planet.
While it is not demanded that q
woman be Christian before mar
riage, she must have regard for the
Christian religion or she is a bad
woman and unworthy of being your
companion in Il life charged with
such stupendous solemnity and vi
cissitudes. What you want, oh man
in wife is not butterfly of the sun
shine, not a giggling nonentity, not
a painted doll, not gossipping CAD
about, not q mixture Of artificial
ties which leave you in doubt as to
where the humbug ends and the wo-
man begins; but an earnest soul, one
that cannot only laugh when you
laugh, but weep when you weep.
There will be wide, deep graves in
your path of life, and you will both
want steadying when you come to
the verge of them, / tell you. When
your fortune fails you will want some
one to talk of treasures in heaven,
and not charge upon you with bit
ter II told you So" As far as can
analyze it, sincerity and earnestness
are the foundation of all worthy
wifehood. Get that and you get all.
Fail to get that and you get nothing
but what you wish you never had
got.
He who has no reason for his wife
ly choice except pretty face is like
a man who should buy farm be-
cause of the dahlias in the dooryard.
Beauty is a talent, and when God
gives it He intends it as benedic-
ton upon woman's face. When
the good Princess of Wales dis
mounted from the railtrain lastsum-
mer, and | saw her radiant face, /
could understand what they told me
the day before, that when at a great
military hospital where are now the
wounded and the sick from Egyp-
tian and other wars, the Princess
passed through, all the sick were
cheered at her coming, and those
who could be reused bv neither doe
tor or nurse from their stupor, got
up on their elbows to look at her,
and wan and wasted lips prayed an
audible. prayer: "God bless the
Princess of Wales Doesn't she
look beautiful 2"
But how uncertain is the tarrying
Of beauty in a human countenance.
Explosion of a kerosene lamp turns
it into scarlfication, and o scoundrel
with one dash of vitriol may dispel
it, or time will drive his chariot
wheels across that bright face, cut
ting it up in deep ruts and gullies.
But there is an eternal beauty on the
face of some women whom rough
and ungallant world may criticize
as homely, and though their fea-
lures may contradict all the laws Of
Lavater on physiognomy, yet they
have graces Of soul that will keep
them attractive for time and glori-
Gus through all etenrity.
There is q time when the plainest
wife is queen Of beauty to her hus-
band. She has Gone the work Of her
life. She has reared her children
for God and heaven, and tho some
of them may be a little wild they
win yet come back. for God has
promised She is dying and her hus-
band stands by. They think over
all the years Of their companion
ship, the weddings and the burials,
the up and the downs, the successes
and failures. They talk over the
goodness of God and His faithful
ness to children's children. She has
no fear about going. The Lord has
sustained her SO many years she
would not dare to distrnst him now.