To Miss Lucy Osgood.
Wayland, 1863.
I am glad your Philadelphia campaign proved so glorious.
I hope you will enjoy many such.
After all, I think the careful housewife was the largest element in your good time at Philadelphia.
The older I grow the more I respect the “careful Marthas.”
I would rather have one for a household companion than ten devout and contemplative Marys.
They did very well in the days when saints went barefoot and wore a perennial suit of hair-cloth: but the Marthas are decidedly preferable in these days of nicely-ironed linen, daily renewed, and stockings so flimsy that they need continual looking after.
Devout, poetic saints must have careful Marthas to provide for them if they would be comfortable themselves, or be able to promote the happiness of others.
Mr. S- says his wife is a careful Martha.
I wonder what would have become of him and the boys if she had been of the Mary pattern.
All hail to the careful Marthas!
say I. If I had one I would kiss her very shoe-ties.