The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1894-09-29

A country minister's wife is usually
about the hardeSt-Worked oma on
earth, because she is not only the
household drudge but a public slave,
If she is not invariably present at
prayermeeting, if she does not play the
organ and lead the ladies' meeting, or
preside at the church fair, then is she
| disgraced among her husbands people
and criticised without mercy.
Now, I see no reason why a minis
ter's wife, if not physically or mental
ly equipped for such duties, should be
obliged to perform them, because there
is always some woman in the congre-
cation who is well fitted for such tasks,
who can perform them without detri-
ment to herself or to her family, and
who will only be too glad to do so if
h is given the opportunity. If the
minister's wife is a shrinking, timid
Soul,i If she has a large family of young
children. or if she is an invalid, l do
not hesitate to say that l think she
ought to be spared the performance
of public duty, and in such cases it be-
comes the duty of her husbands flock
not to censure, but to look in upon her
as often as they can in a true spirit of
sympathy and friendliness. And when
such callers take their leave l would
suggest that they steel themselves to
the noble effort of making no remark
about the appearance of the parsonage,
the probable cost of the furniture, or
the apparent ravages of wear on the
parlor carpet. The minister's home is
his castle, just as yours is. Respect
its sanctity. Do not intrude your views
on what ought to be in contradiction
to what it is.
Sharp-tongued criticism of the min
ister's wife's dress is a common mala-
dy in country places, and one which,
like all the others. should be firmly
sradicated. 1t is logical to suppose that
the minister's wife dresses in accord
ance with her taste and means. If
she has more of the former than her
husbands parishers she should be ad-
mired, not blamed, and if she dresses
extensively she will create 50 much
trouble for herself that nothing you
can say will make her realize the gray
NY VI IAC Uluu SllS III
ready does. The woman who tries to
dress fashionably or even well on the
stinted salary CT a country minister
will come 20 grief before the first item
is paid Tor, it is a notorious fact
that country clergymen are not more
than half paid. and the manner, in
which they contrive to live respectfully.
and rear and educate children, is q
mystery which has never been solved
save in the almost angelic self-sacri-
flee and the clever management and
thrift of the devoted woman who
steers the ship of home.
The way which many country peo-
pie have Of dropping in unannounced
to their minister's house to dinner or
supper, as the case may be, is a re-
prehensible one. Naturally enough the
wife like anybody else is not
always prepared to entertain company
at table. A little care and considera-
ton in timing the visit will obviate
the necessity of the minister's wife Civ
ing such frequent impromptu dinner
parties, and will also lessen the minis
ter's grocery bill, the amount of which
has often been criticised by the deacons
and their good wives. Country people
may learn n valuable lesson from
their city friends, if no other. and that
Is, not to dine out without being in
vited. To be sure it is "A good old fash
ion in remote neighborhoods. but it is
which makes slaves of women,
and leaves but little time for the en-
of social intercourse.
In her best estate. fitted by nature,
training, health, and education for
sympathetic leadership, the wife of the
country minister or doctor is one of
the. most useful women of our time,
she must stand firmly to her own
and never for an instant allow
those in whose behalf she labors to
that she has many private inter-
which must be performed. Into
dull, discouraged soul, sick and
weary of what it feels better than it
tells, she may. if successful, infuse an
inspiring obiect.-Stella Marie Anderson
Jenness Miller Monthly.