The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-08
WIFE AND MOTHER.
Some Comments OH the Appear for
Iusttce-rhe Duty or Iothers.

The Letter OF d Wife and NIothcr.'
In East Sundays VirgInian should have
been noticed by every reader of this
paper. Many hearts were touched and
made to bleed, as 1t were. by the writ
er's words, descriptive Of her pitiful and
hopeless condition. AS 10 one else has
made any mention through the papers
Win regard TO her case. would 1t be i'm
proper to recall 1t by this lone derayed
retrospect that some moralizing may be
INDUCED for the benefit of society,"
AS already intimated, your c~orrespon-
dent does not propose to enter into a
consideration Of her particular case
which. sad to say, is only an Instance
OF thousands of such in the country,
nor does he wish to discuss the methods
or redress and deliverance. which this
:unhappy woman contemplates. But
there are two points In social ethics and
Christian duty. that appear In the di-
asnosis of this moral malady, which
for the health n happiness of home
and society. he would beg leave to mike
conspicuous.
FIRST. The choice of a husband is the
most important matter that can engage
II attention of such of the fair sex
as purpose to get married. Any woman
that will take the risks OF getting a good
husband by giving her hand and heart
to q man who Is addicted to ardent
spirits m will make a drunken hus-
band and father is the most at fault of
all that are concerned In her marriage
ana It's direful consequences. 1t Is u
woman's exalted ~prerogative to say
No" and 1t Is her Christian duty to
say No" rather than ~jeorardize health.
happiness; yea more. life itself. and all
that is dear. and distress posterity by
marrying unadviscdly. BE We not un-
equally yoked together" This is the
first lesson in moral reform.
Second. The responsibility of par-
ents, especially the mother. in the mat
ter of rearing their children, partic-
ularly their sons. is awfully great. To
make them love home and their sisters,
to give them employment that will in
terest them and to instill into them n
noble ambition to have an enviable char
acter, is the great debt the mother owes
her child and at the same time, is the
greatest work q parent can accomplish
in life.
Boys that are turned loose in tender
years to run about the streets with no
restraint, to associate with promiscu-
Gus companions and to go into the way
of bad men, will grow up prone to vul-
garity, profanity and %fondness for drink.
They make disSipated husbands when
they grow up and get married, and, as
a rule, the mother Is most at fault of
all concerned in their ~waywardness and
us Wrelcneu
WELL" they say. ''Oh. it is too much
trouble to look after my children this
way The reply l would maxi is Yes,
see the trouble of the case in the Letter
of a Wife and Mother"
70 save the boys and to have good
husbands and happy wives the mothers
in the community must wal up their
boys n girls, as it were. not put walls
around them like the great wall in
China, but teach them lessons Of virtue
and sobricty and instill into their hearts
principles that will be their i~mpregnable
wall Of defense under all circumstances
given prerOgative of free agency 1t were
impossible to wall out temptation from
a man. 1t will be before man as long
rs the world stands. The great work
for the mothers of the land. the incon-
teStable sphere for the exercise of their
most excellent powers and influence,
and the greatest results of their life'e
efforts. center in the home which is
emphatically the mothers empire. She
can do more for her children. more fol-
society, more for church.. and last, bu,
not least. more for State by doing heI
duty first, at home. Napoleon, devoted
TO his beloved France. and having a true
conception of mothers power and roth,
er's sphere. declared The great need oil
France is Mothers The great need oil
every community in America to-day is
mothers. This is the greatest lesson IN
all reform. SYMPATHIZER.