The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-15


the following spicy commentary on some of the
points in recent article Of our correspondent,
4Traxipl 1Elu2HA IEi5ldJ
In the good old revolutionary times when
our country produced men not gentlemen, it
was not thought inconsistent with their man
hood tosfell trees, saw wood plant corn, or in
fact perform any labor that the condition oft
times demanded for the comfort OF their fami-
lies. The women, good souls, in those days per-
formed their part of the household labor, spun
and wove cloth, and cooked dinners. AS nat
ural consequence dyspepsia and phthisc were
unknown to them, and they lived in a delight
full enjoyment of health, dying at last only be-
cause their husbands had died, and they had
no one else to spin for No mention has been
made of the health of the stronger sex at this
time, but we would naturally enough infer that
telling trees, building houses and raising crops
was as favorable to their healh as spinning and
weaving was to the weaker sex. =
Now We are very glad to know that our
grandmothers took such good care of their
families, and we hope their lords and masters
appreciated them as much as their present adj
mirer, Traxi. Since cloth could be obtained in
no other way, hOmespun manufacture was
necessary, and they did well to spin and weave
all the family required. But now that the fac
tory looms furnish the cloth at half the cost
and labor, why sigh for the spinning wheel for
the women any more than the disused imple-
ments of mems work for them For pity 8
sake, don't send woman back into the slow
work of the past, unless you put the whole age
back to keep her company Why not suggest
that men go back to their old ways of working
and throw aside all their new tangled, labor
saving machines Why not recommend them
to pound corn instead of grinding it, thresh
wheat with fails instead of machines, since
this exercise will improve their health, keep
them from loating about the streets, and make
them fit for husbands.
90 If we understand the writer's grounds for
the re-introduction of the honorable arts Of
spinning and weaving they are just these
better health for the women, better morals
and better wives. Now in the first case, we
had never before heard that the practise OF
these arts was a recognized antidOte for dys-
pepsia and phthisic, but if such is really the
fact, why not let both sexes avail themselves
| of the remedy, and instead of "Female Col
leges" for instruction in these arts, have hos
pitfalls or asylums where all can be benefited
alike Dr. Lewis, if enlightened about this
simple remedy, will no doubt gladly add it to
his system of movement eures.~voTT .lH
The second advantage named is, that it will
| keep women out of the streets and improve
| their morals. AS if the present time did not
| furnish its different work for women well
| Of bou 20,
| day are as different from those of our grand
| mothers time as the work of the other sex is
| from their grandfathers employments. If a
woman can't really find anything in the house
| to occupy her time nowadays, if there isn't
any stitching, ripping, making, mending
sweeping or overseeing the house, then let'her
go back to the arts of a still earlier age and
| take to embroidering tapestries.
Isn't there just as much work for her now as
| ever? Aren't the houses constructed different
| ly? Don't the demand for cloth keep pace with
the supply so that there is much greater guam
| tity to be made up for the family? Must we
bring back the spinning wheels simply to keep
her employed? With the requirements of the
present styles of dress, whether necessary or
not, woman could not keep her family sup
| piled with cloth if she spun from morning till
night. Then where is the advantage of reviv-
| ing its use? For that last grand and noble aim
| to make them sit for wives" Why not make
| men fit for husbands by having them cut wood
| draw water and perform the innumerable
| household chores that their revolutionary
| grandlathers did, Simply because We keep
| pace with the requirements of the present
! time, we must not forget to practise those OF a
| bye-gone age if such is your royal pleasure.
| Yes we will live in fOur-storied houses With I'M
dergronnd Kitchens, we will keep these free
| from dust from garrett to cellar, we will do all
| household cooking, make and mend carmen is
always dress tastetully for ayour critical eye,
| and still weave and spin, never be seen in
| the streets, make soap Ios-..r'form any bygone
ok in our leisure tine-all this if you will
| knowledge us the honor OF e. W." eft for
wives" it 4i- d. zj4lisS t,la -f'} b