The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-03-31
Farmers Wives ard 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
houses? l do not speak of those who
toll not, neither do they spin," but for
those who wash and clean, cook and
mend, knit and SEWN word, those
who keep house" and do both the think
ing and working incident thereto / be-
lieye that nine out of ten of our farmers
wives and daughters have far more ambi-
ness and IA desire To please, lead them to
undertake many things which exhaust
their strength before the task is COM
pieted. | need not particularize The
history of these things is written where
we can read il in sunken checks 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. How !?
Where there's will there's a way. Don't
think you must have II harvester, but your
wife can get along without sewing ma
chine. Don't think a grain drill or sulky
rake necessary for the farm, while 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-
| tiers 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 al
the proper time. You need not cook, but
you can try To be satisfied with what you
get, and praise where it is called for. Ou
can be within call, ready tolend helping
hand on extra occasions, where strength as
we'll as skill is required.
All this will cost some time and money
but il will pay even in dollars and cents
Ii 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 will find your domestics
harder to please than ever your wife or
sister was, and worst of all, your home is
not and can not DC to YOU what il was,
and your children win feel, if not say,
"What is home without mother p
There are, however, far higher considera-
tons which should weigh with every true
man. Duty and pleasure both point the
same way. Love and kindness beget the
same. Holy Writ assures us that faith
without works is dead" and the same
might truly be said of love. would say
to every man, help your wife, mother OF
sister, as you have opportunity, and il nc
either good result came, you would be
better prepared to- appreciate their labors
The writer has probably spent lhOre
time in household employments than the
most of men, and many OF the pleasant
rccollections of life are of hours passed in
this way, while some of the keencst re-
grcts are for opportunities unimprOved
and which can never rcturn.-COr. CouR
try G0nUenean.