Page:Samantha on Children's Rights.djvu/80

 "And so will you be," sez I, "now you have laid aside your eye-harrowin', nerve-destroyin' needle-work; and when I say this, understand distinctly that I might applaud, though I pitied, your work if it earned you your livelihood. But in your case it is needless, and so I have said lay it aside; there is no fear but that you will perform all the domestic duties you ort to, for it is in your nater, and you will resoom your music and books, for you will want to get brightness from them; but be out, care-free, under the blue heavens all you can. Respect yourself, and insist on bein' respected. Be thoughtful of Louis' rights, and insist on his bein' thoughtful of yours; respect his opinions so fur as you can consistently; but as for his selfishness and whims, git onto your wheel and ride right through 'em. If you are to walk through life together, stand up straight by his side; don't crouch at his feet doin' drawn-work and tattin' all your days; he will like you enough sight better. If you find him worthy, and you are to be his wife, make his home the most delightful place on earth—a clean, sweet restin'-place from the toils of life and a shelter from its storms; but don't burn up your own individuality as incense before him; keep it to make his home more charmin' than any other. Make him love you for your sweet love and care for him; make him admire you for your thought and care for yourself; use a lot of common sense in the receipt of married life, and mejumness, use that lavish, and you'll git along first rate."

Well, they urged me to stay a week or so; and Josiah havin' bizness to 'tend to right there, we gin consent. Elinor kep' on jest as I had planned, and stimulated by the example of plain common sense right before