The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-11-20
Den look at me, is l fat ?"
ralks wi,h Correspondcnts.


Household Help Wanted.-Even in those
families where both mother and daughter
are expert in the meaage, their nerves are
not Of spring steel, and they must have
help to wash, iron, and do part of the
mnltifarious duties of the house which
their health and comfort require to be
done. Although the sewing machine saves
stitching, its adoption has brought with
it the necessity for more stitching fully up
to the means of performance. A female
thirty years ago could make dress in less
time with the needle than she can now
with the sewing machine. Since the fac
tories and workshops have taken away all
the surplus female laborers of the country
kitchen help has become SO scarce, ineffi-
cient and dear, that good female help is
not only one of the greatest needs in
housekeeping, but it is now rarely to be
found at any price; and he who will i'm
port from Europe, or even from China, a
good supply of faithful female house serv-
ants, will be great benefactor to his
country. So writes S. w.
Until that time we think she who by q
faithful observance Of the laws of health,
by abundant exercise in the open air, and
by constant industry, makes her nerves
and muscles firm and strong, is the wise
woman. The paragraph above quoted does
not awaken in US much sympathy, for the
wants it enumerates are to greater or less
extent artificial. We have no commisera-
ton for any woman who stitches all her
health and sense into the furbelows of her
frock, or who makes four or five times as
much washing and ironing as is necessary.
When house is carpeted all over there is
no scrubbing to be done; if the paint is
grained and ay-screens put in the windows
It will be easily kept clean.
A Doty washer will rob Monday of its
terrors and the labor of ironing can be very
much abridged if colored shirts are worn
instead of white ones-especially in cool
weather, if men will wear military vests
or shirts of flannel while at their work,
and thus save the ironing of shirt bosoms,
and children are robed in simple attire il
stead of ruff1es and embroideries. To
borrow from Horace Mann: "We want
no woman who, will change, like the vanes
of our steeples, with every breeze of fash
ion, but we want women who, like noun
tains, will change the course of the wind.''
If the money thrown away SO vexatiously
in hiring our housework done badly were
opCAt IA AhAhiii6 tAlC hitShoh SohfoAiShs "he
putting labor-saving machines therein, in
: forestalling the necessity of labor, there
would be great gain in purse and il
patience, and many family might enjoy
the luxury of being entirely homogeneous
For our part, far distant be the day wher
any celestial" barbarian inyades the sa
cred precincts of our home and teaches oul
children his heathenish ways. We prefer
they should learn to rely upon themselves
to make their own bread and wash thei
own clothes and eschew artificial wants
And they are learning it; our boys cal
make bread and cake, wash, iron, sweep
milk, and they are not girlish a bit. Whel
the girls are big enough they shall do tn
same it won't take the curl out Of thei
hair, or the roses from their cheeks, or th
light from their eyes, or the music fror
their voices to reversed IN every househol
accomplishment.