it. In
household matters the wife rules predominant, and he should never
interfere with her authority and government in this sphere. It is his
duty and should be his pleasure to accompany her to church, to social
gatherings, to lectures and such places of entertainment as they both
mutually enjoy and appreciate. In fact he ought not to attend a social
gathering unless accompanied by his wife, nor go to an evening
entertainment without her. If it is not a fit place for his wife to
attend, neither is it fit for him.
While he should give his wife his perfect confidence in her
faithfulness, trusting implicitly to her honor at all times and in all
places, he should, on his part, remain faithful and constant to her, and
give her no cause of complaint. He should pass by unnoticed any
disagreeable peculiarities and mistakes, taking care at the proper time,
and without giving offense, to remind her of them, with the idea of
having her correct them. He should never seek to break her of any
disagreeable habits or peculiarities she may possess, by ridiculing
them. He should encourage her in all her schemes for promoting the
welfare of her household, or in laudable endeavors to promote the
happiness of others, by engaging in such works of benevolence and
charity as the duties of her home will allow her to perform.
The husband, in fact, should act toward his wife as becomes a perfect
gentleman, regarding her as the "best lady in the land," to whom, above
all other earthly beings, he owes paramount allegiance. If he so
endeavors to act, his good sense and judgment will dictate to him the
many little courtesies which are due her, and which every good wife
cannot fail to appreciate. The observance of the rules of politeness are
nowhere more desirable than in the domestic circle, between husband and
wife, parents and children.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XIX.
Home Training.
Our earliest and best recollections are associated with home. There the
first lessons of infancy are learned. The mother's heart is the child's
first school-room. The parents' examples are first imitated by the
child, whose earliest impressions are gained from them. In no way are
evil habits more effectually propagated than by example, and therefore
parents should be what they wish their children to be.
THE MOTHER'S INFLUENCE.
To the mother belongs the privilege of planting in the hearts of her
children those seeds of love, which, nurtured and
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