p. 22 | A Wise Father

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 12, 1882

A Wise Father.

In one of the leading towns of central Iowa, a wealthy banker's eldest daughter became engaged to be married. As would be expected from the position of her family, this young lady had the benefit of the best social and intellectual advantages at home, beside having been a student at Vassar for some time, and traveled considerably, from all of which she had attained quite a degree of culture for a lady of only twenty years.

To an ordinary observer it would seem that her training had been all that could be desired; but her father thought otherwise. When he found that she had concluded to take upon herself the duties of wifehood, he knowing how greatly the happiness of families is affected by the housewifery qualities of a woman at the head, declared that the marriage should be delayed until she made herself thoroughly familiar with the duties of a housekeeper.

To be thorough he knew required more than a mere theoretical knowledge, so with wise forethought he carefully provided the means whereby the practical worth of instructions received could be fully tested; and for this purpose the mother was requested to retire in the back ground for a season, while the daughter should assume the responsibilities of house-keeper. The mother consented, and the young lady undertook the duties of her novel position with a will to do her very best. The family was very large, and being exceedingly hospitable, the house was seldom without the presence of guests from abroad; but inspired by the ambition to acquit herself creditably in the present, as well as by the sweet hope that in the future she should have a home of her own to preside over, her zeal and enthusiasm increased from day to day as experience added to her proficiency.

In order that her work might be systematic she was allowed a certain sum of money a month with which to supply the table, and as a special inducement to the exercise of economy, all that could be saved therefrom was placed to their private account for individual use. This monthly allowance by no means large, she was obliged to exercise care in its expenditure, therefore the minutest details were studied, and not a dish made its appearence upon the table without the cost having been fully estimated previous to its ordering. In this manner she learned many things that might be of great value to her in the future.

She was once heard to remark that it was really astonishing to discover the many ways of economizing possible to women; and as an instance of her own experience, she frequently found for some expensive dish desired, that something else equally as wholesome and fully as palatable, could be furnished at one-half the cost.

The father often accompanied her to market and instructed her in the selection of vegetables, the cutting of meats, etc., showing such as are suitable for different purposes, and how to avoid wasteful and unwholesome purchases.

Does not this sketch contain a valuable suggestion for the parents? This young lady gained in less than one year, at an expense of probably one-third the vital energy expended in the schoolroom, knowledge that will contribute a thousandfold more to the happiness of those depending upon her than any amount of school training could possibly do; yet how few think to give a daughter similar preparation for home cares and duties so sure to form a part of every woman's life. Were parents more thoughtful in this respect, the burden of young wives would be greatly lessened, while the amount of money which would be saved to young husbands would oftentimes be sufficient to lay the foundation of great wealth. The thought is worthy of consideration on the part of all those who may hold the shaping of a young girl's fortune.—Sel.