The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1864-08-06

farming. We infer, is often occasioned by
the want of proper action aud develop
meut of the brain-the disease not assum-
ing spasmodic and excited form SO much
as q half-idiotic or imbecile condition, that
often ends in total loss of mental power.
But, IN the case Of women, the cause Of
the malady may be traced 10 intense mental
activity, 10 unceasing care, and to the over
tasking of every power, both Of mind and
body, in the eYer.recurring and perpe tual
duties and responsibilities of the family.
Let US present brief sketch of actual
life, of which thousands have sal for the
picture. It is that Of a young farmer. He
marries, aud for year or two his wife can
do very well without help but by-and by
his work is too much for him alone, aud he
must have hand and, one by one, little
children increase the family, until the Wife's
burden is much heavier than when she
took itup. But he is just getting start.
and if they want to get rich las everybody
does they must economic so she gets
along without help. She rises early, gets
breakfast, often for several men, dresses
the children, washes dishes, skins milk,
churns, perhaps, sweeps rooms, makes
beds, prepares dinner, ''clears up" snatches
an hour to sew, keeping restless baby
quiet meanwhile, gets supper, puts children
to bed, and after they and husband are
asleep, resting from their weariness, sits up
to sew, that she may save having seam
stress.
In addition to their daily routine, she
does all the washing, ironing, baking,
scrubbing, house-cleaning, soap making
and hog-killing work /; it costs so much to
hire help; and the same time enacts tha
part of lady Of the house and entertains the
company.
So, year after year, she tolls and drudges,
not allowing herself opportunity for i'm
proving her mind, so that she may be bet
ter guide and counselor for her children.
At length her once fair face is faded and
careworn, and herself now aud then pros
trated by fits Of Illness, only to resume her
Wearying labor as soon as her returning
| strength permits. And thus she yearly
becomes less able to bear the burden of her
increasing household duties.
Too many men leave the wife to draw
water and carry wood, and as for the baby,
they think it wor1ap's place to tend child
rem SO it frets and cries, or the mother
must work with it on her arm, while they
read the paper and talk to hired men. The
farm increases in value and fertility, and
the husbands labor becomes lighter, as he
is able to hire more help !; but it is still ex-
} pected of the wife to do all the ouse-work,
with what little help the elder children, If
they are girls, can give her.
At length, through this ceaseless applica-
l tion,' they are ready to build. and when
Che comfortable new house is finished and
nicely furnished, and the children are be-
ginning to be real help to her, the pale
sickly wife and mother lies down to die
She has saved, by ceaseless, Wearying toll,
hundreds of dollars for her husband, and he
has lost what money is powerlsss to recall.
the companion of his youth, the one who
has walked beside him and cheered him
through life's most thorny paths ! And
such untimely deaths are whispered among
friends as mysterious proVideuces," in
stead of the neglect Of a proper household
economy on the farm.
These views are partly corroborated by
statements in recent report upon the In
sane Asylum at Hartford, CT. The Super
intendent says "that of one hundred and
eighty-seven female patients thirty -four
per cent. were the wives of farmers and me.
chanics." The consideration of the causes
which led to this most natural result showed
J that between nursing, the accumulation of
household duties and drudgery, and the
miserable, short-sighted economy which
often led the husband to refrain from sups
plying the necessary domestic assistance,
the poor, heart broken and discourage wife
had lost in turn her appetite, her rest, and
her stengtb, her nervous system had be-
come Frustrated, and sinking under her
burdens, she had sought refuge in the asy-
lum. Such is the languages of the report.
This great error has been common one.
and has desolated many q farmhouse. It
grows out ofan overween;ng desire to accu-
9 mulate too fast. We know men, now, with
! whom this is passion that overrides eve
n rythiDg else. Sometimes it is manifested
) in desire to'add 800 more to their railroad
or other stock st others to increase the
. acres of their land or, again, to hold the
! notes of their neighbors. This passion
0 makes them mean to themselve, mean TO
Q their families, and mean to their country :
and they cheat all these for the sake of hug.
ging to their sordid souls a little more of
. that which they must soon leave, and per-
haps to be quarrelled about By others. All
:. this is bad economy. We do not advocate
extravagance in anything, but only that
happy commingling Of labor and leisure.
D or recreation and study with our daily dui
ties, and that sympathetic association
which give life charm, and which cannot
+ fail to increase our real happiness. Let as
listen more frequently to the promptings Of
3 refined taste, and do some things about
our homes With reference TO beauty as well
. as utility. These viii have an influence up.
t on the mind, habits, and character viii
9 light up the home with sweet affections and
: sked fragrance over al its duties. Tbs
3 children will catch these virtues and esrry
. them forth to the world, to purify and