California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, Volume 33, Number 7, 3 March 1870 — WIVES. [ARTICLE]

WIVES.

The New York Times haa a chapter upon Wires and on this subject makes pointed inquiries, aad thus presents the subject: toy wivas. What has become of the old-fashioned helpmate ? Or, perhaps—since cherished and wonder striking specimens still linger here and there around us—we should raher say, what is become of her? The notion appears to be slowly but surely gaining ground that for woman in her conjugal relation to help man la an absurd and | exploded fallacy. "If I cannot be allowed to pet ,my wife," said a backsliding reformer in tbe Woman's Convention, last week, " I shall not go for female enfranchisement." The observation is

responsive to the notion we speak of. Women are to be pets, dolls, toyß—creatures to be fondled, prettily dressed, played with—anything, in brief, but co-workers or helpmates ta their husbands. — There ia always danger of exaggeration in the discussion of social topics ; but it will hardly be aaid that we strain truth in affirming tbat, in our great cities at least, feminine responsibility ia marriage is getting to be sadly attenuated, and that the fact augurs no good tor the average domestic happiness of tbe future.

WHY Ye IMi MEN 1)0 NOT HARRY.

Young men complain on all sides that tbey are not rich enough to marry. When thought of at all, this Is commonly attributed to the bard limes ; | but there were bard times long ago, and people I then married, and were given in marriage in the Spring of their lives, before the freshness and ' gaiety of youth had departed, and head and heart had alike grown gray iv tbe struggle for gold. It was formerly thought that with health and strength one pair of hands could win btead for t W o—provided always thrift and cheerfulness abode in tbe home to take care of what was gained, and impart the needlul spirit to gain more. We have changed or arc changing all tbat. More is expected now-a days from tbe man and less from the woman. A girl with any pretensions to beauty or family, looks, in marrying, to be maintained in luxury without physical effort of her own, and even those moral repayments which of yore were things of course—the tacit acknowledgements that brighten tbe fireside and smooth tbe rugged masculine path—are now, we fear, all too ieldom regarded as obligatory. Instead of th<;se, the average husband is perhaps treated to a daily exposition of woman's wrongs, informed that man is her tyrant and enslaver, but tbat, thanks to Providence and Mr. John Stuart Mill, a year of deliverance is surely at hand.

fSSLKSS wivas.

We are not of tbe Dumber wbo would turn a deaf ear to the reasonable complaints of the sex, or decline to revise legal or social usages that discriminate unfairly against tbem. But it is surely not without significance, at a period when the clamor is so loud for woman's rights, and so sharp in reprobation of ber alleged slavery, tbat there should be so many useless wives, drones of women, wbo, whether as girls or mothers, seem to think—wben tbey think at all—tbat their sex shields them from every responsibility, and tbat it is the business of men to fight tbe whole of the battle of life alone. It is, no doubt, true that tbis is in part the fault of the men. Tbey want to "pet" tbeir wives, to make babies of them, to array them in purple aad fine linen, to see tbem dazzle the opera-bouse and saloon witb tbeir silks and ermine, and pearls and diamonds. Too busy to "dress" themselves, men have, in a fashion, assigned tbe monopoly to wives and daughters.— The fact bas tended to stimulate tbe greed of women for dress, and to augment tbeir self love while naturally weakening tbeir powers of sells control, and draining the purse of tbeir husbands. Tbe subject is one that admits of being estimated from many sides and discussed from different points of view; but there can be no harrr, at a period wben so much il said about tbe rights of woman that are unjustly withheld by man, is suggesting some slight consideration of tbe possible rights of tnaa that are withheld by women.— Whatever tbe result of sucb consideration with different thinkers, it will hardly be gainsaid that women onght to bave duties in life whether they generally acknowledge tbem or not; and tbat in tbis struggling century men have but a doubtful right to bave, and women a still more questionable right to be, what we bave stigmatized under the name of " Toy " Wives.

SUNLIOHT A NlCl-MITT. Sun batba cost nothing, aod are the most refreih. icg, lile-giving baths that one can take, whether lick or well. Every housekeeper knows the necessity of giving her woolens the benefit of the sun, from time to time, aud especially after a long rainy season, or a long absence of the sun. Many will think of tbe injury tbeir clothes are liable to, from dampness, wbo will never reflect tbat an occaeioaal exposure of their own bodies to tbe sunlight ia equally necessary to tbeir own health. The sun baths cost notbinp, and tbat is a misfortune, for people are still deluded witb the Idea that those things only can be good or useful which cost money. Lift it not be forgoiien three of God's most beutfieent gift* to man—three things the most necessary to good health—sunlight, fresh air and water, are free to all; you can have them in abundance, without money and without price, if you will. If you would enjoy good health, then lee to it that you are lupplied with pnre air to breathe all the time; that you bathe for an hour or so in the sunlight, and tbat you quench your thirst with no other fluid than water.