Joint Convention. 225 



feel inferior to yon. To succeed in this witliout a word from you 

 requires patience and tact. You may lack the Litter requisite, but 

 yon can cultivate the former, and you can make ways and means 

 a study. Talk with her; tell her the news of the day; enlarge 

 upon all subjects yon think worthy of thoui^ht; when you have 

 read some article that merits attention and requires consideration 

 in order to form an opinion, point it out to her and ask her to 

 read it, giving her to understand that her opinion will be desired 

 and appreciated at some future time; discuss all subjects as freely 

 with her as you would with some gentleman friend; reud to her 

 evenings, giving her a chance to give her opinion upon the dif- 

 ferent subjects as they are read, instead of absorbing all the news- 

 paper or book yourself, while she sits silently by your side, 

 laboring with the needle to meet the demands of necessity. There 

 are numberless other little ways in which you can interest her in 

 these noble, worthy subjects, and thus detract her mind from 

 domestic toil and cares. If you will only take an interest in her 

 mental advancement and ojive her some encouragement, surelv 

 she will become incited and manifest a greater mental scope. 



In the far past it was not considered necessary to educate a 

 woman. If she knew how to make, mend, cook, make butter, 

 and was an excellent housekeeper, that was considered the high- 

 est achievement woman needed to attain. But thanks be to our 

 Maker, the times are changing and it is our privilege to change 

 with them. There is no need to be ham])ered in our privileges 

 by domestic toil, and thus wrong ourselves. Our domestic 

 duties do not require us to burden ourselves with the many little 

 things of a dwarfing and circumscribing nature. To be sure, 

 many little things come into the domestic routine, but they need 

 not be our masters and absorb all our thought; they need not 

 claim our whole attention, nor need we think of them and noth- 

 ing else. Even midst our domestic cares and toil we may med- 

 itate upon noble subjects. It certainly is our privilege to step 

 out of this "domestic rut" and walk side by side with our hus- 

 bands, surrounded by broadening intluences. Why nut avail our- 

 selves of the privilege? 



The habit of thought is powerful. We can habituate our- 



15 — HORT. 



