Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-05-14
fCOMMUNICATEp,

COMMUNICATED.
WoMAN's RIGHTs.-Will you spare me
space in the Gazette to have little say on the
we'll worn subject "Woman's Rights?'
My mind is not running on the right Of wo
men to vote, or to hold public Offices and baw
and bray like pack of tools 90 the floors oi
our country; it is simply the right OF woman
to execute the very unpleasant, thanklesS, vet
1!ecesSary duties of house cleantng,a at such time
and in such order as she may seem proper,
without tear OF molestation and interruption by
members OF the sterner sex.
have yet to see the man who comedies that
his housekeeper is cleaning up at the right
time. 1t is all we'll enough for the cleaning to
be done, providing it is always done, never in
process Of being done. when one Of these lords
and masters can by any possible design or ac-
cdent be about.
That it is woman's right to clean house, | be
lieve none OF them dispute; except perha
some Of those rare specimens who have no moro
manly occupation than TO measure out the meal
and sugar, count the potatoes for dinner and
the clothes Tor wash. weigh the coal and make
biscuits lnr company But they are male
housek cepcrs, and have no darniug and uurs-
,rg to attend to. The Trouble with the fcmae
house keepers is not that they clean, but that
they never clean at the proper time.
There's Mrs. Patience waits from 8 O'clock
q. N, until o. ~ before her masters yacate
the sitting room; then Just as she begins with
broom and duster, in comes grandpa, why /"
says he, this is no time to sweep, you we're
sweeping yesterday! And eomplacently clos
ing the window down, he sils with his paper
aud blows the dust from the table before him,
Ah--ifthc world could be kept clean by blow
ing, men might easily accomplish the task
Now Mrs, Hurryup nearly breaks her neck
every morning, and her heart too, sometimes,
getting her house all swept and garnished be.
fore her John is out of bed. John delights in
his tidy house and brings 10 somo friends to
help him enjoy its comforts.
While John knots up the window curtains
and rakes down the fire regardless OF ashes and
dust one OF bis friends proceeds to tear open
,uuirg letters aud papers, scattering the enve'
opes in fragments over the carpet, another
one seizes this comfortable opportunity to trim
his finger nails, his pencil and toothpick, and
considers the sofa and carpets line rcceptacles
for the chips. Friend No. g. BY various man
euvres succeeds in scrapipg the mud from bis
boots with the chair legs, wipes them with the
uiaao eoycr, and props theu up to ali: on the
Rosewood table, while be refreshes his inner
man with handful OF peanuts, and Bill flII,
the brute, interards yarn about his wife and
little ones with bis faverlte amusement OF tar.
get shooting as practised bv aiming small
treams of the juicy extracts of filthy weed
ether into on, or under the stove. He never
thinks, nor cares of the dainty figure With dell
cate white fingers that must clean up after MS
elegant sport, tor "Riddy y tosses her head IN
fearful Indignation, and declares 10 ia'!h n
she niver stoop to clane the lloss tnat
When they leave-leaving also fumes OF :, to. o.
bacco anu a oozen or more ~ u~.S..--
smouldeling on the white mantle, let Mrs
minutes while she cleans up little. Docs ne
cav apologetically "allow me my dear, this is
not fit work for you?" Not he, he quietly in
forms his dear that he is tired or busy be-
sides this is not the proper time Tor such WoIk
And of course Mrs T0pall must call just then,
and wonder how on earth Richard Augustus
could say John Hurryup's wife is such mode
Then again, if John persists in leaving the
door of The woodstove open halt an hour every
time he looks at the fire during the winter
what wonder is it if the chamber needs repalnt
ing and papsring in the spring?
And then, there are the parlor carpets theI
cannot stay down forever, and the curtains ant
cornices must come down some times, and tht
kitchen, pantry and yard must be WhltcWashec
if John would have them to look white.
So the woman who keeps nice house mus
have sweeping and busting, washing and scruo
biug, papering, Whitewashlng and palntol
done sometimes, and when?
Certainly not when the weather is too cold o
too wet; nor when the children have the inca
sles or arsnd.m ma has the rheumatism, or So
ner.eIf has broken arm nor when there l.
;omncny or press Of sewing on hand. On
watches her chance when the weather has be
come pleasant and settled and engages the pa
nerer. painter and white-washer: neither o
them can possibly spare her any day but &c
morrow" They arc all coming round mr.
limo in the morning.; and the busy house
wife has!cns to remove her carpets ana 1urn
iure out Of the way Of these merclless MOI
archs; she finishes with the iull length m'rr'
inst as ''cousin Charles comes ln TO surPt
his new spring suit in it (and goes out comp
,nentins tie ''in!ernal house cleaning , +!
The morning the paperer really iorgets
abont it. the painter-"has not quite tnlshe
his last engagement, ana inc "u'e "a'"e'
,'dosent feel very we'll. !.
"Tbus things must remain from three 10 s.
days awaiting the pleasure and convenience
the workmen to complete their several unde
ink;nos, And such muss and litter as tn'
Ieaye1 1t will take madam at least week.
,estore the place TO neatuess and ORDER oo'
fmor, whereas she could have dono the enu
auort beIsslf 10 less time and without coninSlf
II W she had only been allowed the privilege to
90 Rnt husband thinksa woman has no rlgns
' ,So mems work. 1t is women's work, though.
cIsan nm nmen's dirt, and the poor woman sho'
,ers her armor Of courage and Sets about p1
nsring mops, brushes, hot suda' etc. out u
interrupted by pa who has Deeh a.'sos
with serious fit OF headache and spring rev ~
and thinks after cup of tea and foot eatn f.
little rest and quiet will do him good. ~ 1dS' !,
dinner is all cleared away he begins 10 eet ~, y
Ter, and crswls forth to order chicken org s2
and frozen custard with supplementary reliai
to the effect that vile might take some OIL
time for her house cleaning than just Wneh
has one of bis s'spes.