ABSTRACT
The suggestion thrown out in the United Service Gazette of the 21st ult. that some pains should be taken to convert the Soldier's wife into a useful member of society, has brought in a considerable number of letters from Officers and men in the ranks, all equally distinguished by their intelligence. There seems to be but one sentiment upon the subject. The remark is general that the wives of Soldiers are for the most part helpless drones—the most unproductive class of non combatants—not from wilfulness and sloth, but sheer ignorance and incapacity. As people are appointed to give instruction to the children and to the men of a Regiment, it is recommended that measures should also be adopted for teaching the poor women those little pursuits which would render them serviceable to themselves and to everybody about them. When we see what burthens healthy milk-maids cheerfully bear—when we look at the ease with which the market women bring their filled baskets to Covent Garden from gardens seven or eight miles distant—when we gather in the mind's eye groups of female servants bringing water from distant pumps, scouring the steps of street doors, beating carpets, cooking for large families, and waiting at country inns upon a dozen stout and hungry farmers at once, we cannot think it would be out of place to assign fatigue duties to the Soldier's wife. Of course there would be times when a woman would be incapable of taking her part in such toils: her hands might then be employed in a gentler class of labour. A correspondent, whose efforts have often been directed to the subject, writes to us:—
