Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-04-01
Farmers Wives and Daughters.


WILL YOU allow one who has learned
by experience and observation the lesson
he would teach, to speak word to hus-
bands, brothers and sons, of the over
worked women of our American farm
housesp / do not speak of those who
"toil not, neither do they spin," but for
those who wash and clean, cook and
mend, knit and SEWN a word, those
who "keep house, and do both the think
ing and working incident thereto. / be-
lieve that niue out of ten of our farmers
wives and daughters have far more ambi
ton than strength. Their love oflneat'
ness and desire to please, lead them to
undertake many things which exhaust
their strength before the tack is COM
pleted. | need not particularize. Pile
history of these things is written where
we can read it in sunken cheeks and
languid eyes. in forms prematurely
shrunken and bowed, and on tombstones
where the record tells of years sadly
short of three score and ten.
Are we of the sterner sex at all respon-
| sible for these effects? Can we help re-
move the causes think we can. HowG
| Where there's will there's way. Don't
think you must have harvester, but your
wife can get along without sewing ma
chine. Don't think a grain drill or sulky
rake necessary for the farm, wi lie washers
and wringers are for those who have more
money than you. If you have an incon-
venient dwelling, especially the kitchen,
don't wait until your barns are made
larger, and your horses and cattle are pro-
| vided with the most comfortable stables,
before you consider how you can improve
the place where. your wives and daugh-
ters spend most of their waking hours.
You believe in driving your own work
see TO it that if necessary a.few days extra
help for sewing or cleaning is provided at
the proper time. You need not cook, but
you can try to be satisfied with whatyou
get, and praise where II is called for. on
can be within call, ready to lend helping
hand on extra occasions, where strength as
well as skill is required.
All this will cost some time and money,
but it will pay even in dollars and cents
1t costs far more for doctors bills than
for extra help and conveniences, and often
the skill of the medical man comes toe
late, and then you will find that you must
needs go more miles for domestics than
you ever did in taking your wife to see
her friends-that you will see enough
wasted and destroyed to have purchased
many things to make home pleasant
Very likely you win find your dornestici
harder to please than ever your wife 'ol
sister was, and worst Of all, your home i
not and can not be to you what lit was
and your children win feel, if not say
"What is home without mother ?
There are, however, far higher consMera
tions which should weigh with every true
man. Duty and pleasure beth point the
same way. Love and kindness ebegetT thu
same. Holy Writ.ass,1reslus thst 1Sfaitl
: without works is dead" and the same
might truly be said of love. / Would say
to every man, help your wife, mother ol
l sister, as you have, opportunity, and if M
+ other good result came, you would b'
better prepared to appreciate their labors
7 The writer has probably spent more
| time in household employments than thu
most of men, and many OF the pleasant
, recollections of life are of hours passed il
this way, while some of the keenest re
l grots are for opportunities pnimproyed
and which can never return.-Cor. CouH
6q'y Gentleman. f--