Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-12-04

slovcnly woman is a source of misery to all
about her. Before She is 10 years of age she
is a mistress OF woman's toilet, and of
mans as well. She must be proficient in
book keeping, accounts, housekeeping, cook
ing, sewing. embroidery, music, singing,
silk raising, spinning and weaving, horti-
culture and etiquette. She is trained up in
paths of virtue-not that western female
virtue which consists Of lamcntable igno-
rance of the most important physiologic
facts, hut that higher Virtue which COM
bineS kuowlc ledge. ~sif ct and self con-
troll. she i taught tho principles of diet
ing, hygiene and enough physiology and
medicine To make her u first class nurse
and good doctor for all the trifiing all
ments of the body. For this reason she is
invaluable to both husband and children.
For the same reason she requires neither
midwife nor obstctrician when she be
comes n mother.
She knows from girlhnod the dignity of
womauhocd, wifrhuod and motherhood.
Under such Circumstance it is little Won
der that malpractice. the curse of Christian
civilization, should be unh nown in China.
Prcccpt and example make her realize the
physical and intellectual superiority of the
male over the t, male, and the greater wis
dom of the old than the young. Thus it is
that she accepts with joy the husband her
parents select and renders herself to him
body and soul completely. She carries out
completely the injunction Of st. Paul,
Wives render obedience unto your hus-
bands as they do unto God
What Marriage Means.
Marriage in China means absolute change
to the woman. Her old family ties are
severed. She brcCmCs as much a portion
of her husbands family rs if she were
daughter, instead of daughter-in-law
His parents and ancestors become hers
The success oi her husband or his relatives
means her success. Their promotion to Of
flee or to title involves her ascent in the
social scale. Above all i he fact and the
| prospect that if her sons ever attain dis
tinctiou she receives the same honors. Thus
every Chinese mother. no matter how poor
and humble, Is Il potential marchioness,
duchtss Ct princess through her progeny or
descendants.
In Europe titles descend. The mother of
| Marlborough Is always plain Mrs. Church
i'll. IN China they ascend well is de
! scCnd. y great genius who earns fame and
! fortune for himself, earns 1t in the same
| time for his mother and father and even his
/ grandparents if living Each family I'M
| der such auspices is Il little world in itself.
| Three and four generations live together
| under the same roof While the oldest take
| precedence over the rest, and are entitled to
and receive the respect and love of their
/ JUNIORS. yet all alike loon TO Nnt youngest
/ as the sources of future pleasure and honor.
Only in China is it that the grIndsire can
/ be seen dragging n wagon for his baby
| grandson, teaching the infant idea the myS-
teries of mud pies or playing horse, bear
| and lion for the youngsters edification.
| The young wife, especially after she is a
| mother, finds in these surroundings the
practical application and realization of the
education of her entire pre-marital life.
L., hnF h
bors and is therefore unfamiliar with the
pleasures of scandal and of gossip She
bases her daily life upon the teachings OF
San Chung and Su Deb, the great poets OF
domestic ethics. These she has learned by
| heart in her youth and teaches her chill
dren in turn. They are simple and pretty
lines which inculcate parental self sncrl'
flee, paternal and maternal love, hlial az
lection. purity OF mind and body, mildness
of speech, kindliness of manner, industry
thrift, patience and forbearance. Practic'
ing these virtues, the day is always toe
short for her. Her life passes calmly
and equally. She yearns to he mother
and usually has her desires gratitied hy
three or four children. Where the unior
proves unfruitful, she generally adopts on
or more infants, and proves as good
mother to them as she would TO her OWL
flesh and blood.
The Chinese Mother-in-inw.
In the management of her home she prac
tically relives her past The books which
are read or recited from are those of tn
classic masters and never works contain
ing indicate, erratic, mnwkish or vulga
words or sentiments. Tho pictures, statu
airy and inscriptions which decorate tn
rooms are, however conventional they ma.
be, of the purest class Of Chinese art. Whei
. her husbands friends call, she oversees IN
I - he fonla and drinks bI1
never exposes herself to their gaze. Sh
cannot comprehend how European WON
an, especially when unmarried, goes I
J balls and theaters or sits in the same room
with men who are not intimate relatives
So strict is she in the observance of thi
rule that she seldom knows the street j