Year: 1862




ward, said Martha to her mother on the
morning of the fourth day after her
husband had left for his place of business
Her eyes we're swimming in tears, for Ed
ward has spoken hastily and with i'll nature
OF the breakfast table. He used to Le so
kind, so gentle, so considerate Of my com
fort and feelings. But he seems to be more
impatient and harsh in his manner every day.


Has the reason of this never occurred TO
you Mrs Barton's manner was grave.


He is disappointed in something, evid-
emily. He does not ind in you all he has
expected


Mother The young wife had startled
look.


1t must be so, Martha, else why should
he he different from what be was He
has had an ideal of wife, and you have
failed to reach that ideal.


The of face Martha, which had flushed,
became almost pale.


And / 0m free to own, continued the
mother, that you fall considerably below
my ideal. do not wonder at Edwards
disappointment.


Tears began 10 fall over the young wife's
cheeks.


Tn sure, she said sobbing, that have
been to him all that / know how TO be-
If love would draw upon me favors and
kindness, be would never look at me, as he
does, sometimes, with cold eyes aud
clouded face, nor speak,n angry impatience,
words that hurt me worse than blows.


But you have not done for him all that
you know how to do, said Mrs. Barton.


fail to comprehend you, mother, was
replied to this.


You do not make this home as pleasant
as it should be. There seems to be no
anticipation of his wants. and no provision
against discomfort. Every thing is left to
yonr two servants who do pretty much as
they please.


Why, mother !


I is true, my daughter | have looked
on with closely observant eyes, since | have
been here and must say that am disap
pointed in you. In every case that Edward
has shown impatieuce in my presence, the
source Of annoyance lay in your neglect of a
plain household duty. 1t was SO this morn


ing aud SO yesterday.


He was annoyed al the burnt steak this
morning, soid Martha, in answer. That
was not my fault, I'm sure. I'm not the
cook.


1t is your place to have competent


cook, said Mrs. Barton.
If l can find one, mother.
The one you have now is not to be trust
t ed to prepare meal.
), | know that but how can help my
i self?


n And knowing that you never went nea


the kitchen to see that she did not spo
d the steak intended for your husband
n breakfast


n It might have taken you ten or fftee
( minutes to superintend, personally, the pref
Y aration OF this mornings meal, and so mad


it worthy of being set before your husband
r but instead of this, you sat reading or tall
s ing from the time you were dressed nut


the bell rang. When we went down ther
>. was no butter on the table no knife an


fork to the dish of meat no salt or nal


kin to your husbands plate. The tab


cloth was Soiled and you scolded the waite
Il for not putting on clean one. The meu


opened in disorder, which you might hav
prevented by a little forethought, an
> progressed and ended in annoyance an
. bad feeling Now who was to blame 70
o all this?


But, mother, you don't expect me to G
i into the kitchen and cook said Martha.
il The captain who undertakes to sail shi
e must know all about navigation. Is it NOR
n than reasonable TO expect that q woma
e who takes upon herself the obligations of
o wife. should know how to conduct house


hold? Is woman less responsible in he
r. position than man? If so, what mora
- laws give the distinctiou2 have not see
d them. The captain does not trust the shi
r. wholly to the man at the helm. He take
e observations, examines charts and sees an
e knows for himself that every thing is don
- at the right time and in the right place
% His thought and bis will are active an
n predominant in every part of the ship, 70
2; on him rests all the responsibility. And
a. is so everywhere in a mans work. Yo
a ask if expect you to go into the kitche
W and cook2 answer yes, in case there


no one else to prepare your husbands foot
W If you have an incompetent cook, or or


not to be trusted. then it is your duty
C. make up her deficiencies by personal a
of tendance 10 the kichen, just as often AT
er Just as long as the case may require. Yc
ce contracted to do this when you became
" wife.


S. don't remember that the subject w
ID even referred to, said Martha, who did n
lie yet see clearly, and who felt that h
,d mothers view of the case actually degra
as ed the wife into household drudge.
lg Was it stipulated, answered Mrs. Bart
er that Edward should engage in bushes
TX giving himself up to daily care and woT
st in order to secure for his wife the comfoI
q OF home? / don't remember that I
,e. subject was even referred to. And yet
d, was as much implied in the act of taking
or wife, as the other was implied in the act
a assuming the relation that you now ho
.ly Do you suppose for moment, that he is


active in every part of bis businessH Th
TO he trusts an incompetent clerk, as you trl
ms an incompetent cookl Thought, purpo
ler hands, are all busy in his work, aud br
ge throughout day; busy for YOU as for hi
he sell. He can't find time for reading f
he or Eve hours every day; nor time for CT