Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-06-15
t0riGinal,
IUTI
FARMERS WIVES,
BY EMILY II. MOORE.

1t has been remarked by writer of
note, that the largest of any one class of
insane women in the United States is
made up of farmers wives. He is per-
fectly wonderstruck in consequence of
the discovery made against this class of
humanity, which has so often been pic
tured in the rosy checked, up-with-the-
lark, strawberry style, and
goes on to give them lecture made up
of wise rebuke and brilliant advice
men are Arrays brilliant when they dis
cuss the affairs of kitchen and nursery
which must 60 farther toward driving
them Bedlam- ward than all their cares
beside.
1t is not in the least remarkable that
there should be more insane farmers
wives than insane merchants wives,
sewing girls, woman-teachers or " blue
stockings! The wonder is that nine
tenths of our farmers wives are not
raving mad.
Most country girls are brought up
with ideas of neatness end order, and
all of them have a liking for the beau
tiful, aud often times the skill to WELD
the pen or sweep the dulcimer."
When they marry their farmer-lovers,
these ennobling tastes and fine abilities
go for nothing, or are reduced in the
crucible of their husbands opinions to
" fol-de-rol." Then. since the spiritual
woman cannot express itself, in-not
fine art. which is the field of genius,
but in fine work, such as little music,
little sketching, or the cultivation
and study of beautiful varieties of
flowers, it wiU express itself though in
nothing finer than immediately
scrubbed floors, orderly pantries and
wonderfully and fearfully made bed
quilts for the best chamber.
But supposing, as is the case in half
million instances, at least, that farm.
crs' wives have not ven this relief
this little window through which they
can catch glimpses and breathe breaths
of the souls high life. Supposing that
the whole day, and the whole week, and
the whole year is given up to cooking
not that dainty, artistic cooking for two
or three appreciative and beloved ones
which Is household delight, but
heavy. wholesale cooking, for five or six
or ten ravenous maws, dish washing,
butter-making and house-righting, with
snatches of un-put- off-able sewing, and
the washing and ironing forever loom
ing up as special landmarks in the
dreary routine. Supp0seit to be busy,
closely managed money.making farm
with three children-at the lowest cal.
culation-to be kept in school-going
order, and the milk of half adozen cows
to be converted into prime butter or
cheese. Late in the evening, or night,
rather-two hours after the hush md
ana the hired man" are asleep, after
the supper has been cleared away, the
dalry visited, the breakfast planned,
lacerated jacket or an apron repaired,
and the countless little incidental chores
OF "picking up performed, then, with
usually an insatiate baby to imbibe what
lifeshe has left, the farmers wife-whose
life inane and romantic rhymsters have
sung of in sparkling numbers-goes to
bed thoroughly exhausted, to begin, in
few hours, the same treadmill round
of this previous day.
One noted writer who has nothing to
do but loiter about lunatic asylums
TRANQUILITY arranging his statistics, sug-
gests to the farmers wife that she
shouldn't hurry herself in this way.
She not only hurts herself but be,
queaths her weakened powers to the
rising generation. She should "take
time" for doing everything. She
should " simplify" her work. Above
all, she should never "fret." All these
aiis, of work she has tried long before
these suggestions entered the head Of
her reviewer, and still no cleaning
oasis OF rest ever opens upon her dusty
way. Refresh your minds with good
llteratureand seek outdoor recr eation,n
goes on this serene old imbecile. But
there's the breakfast to be prepared,
the cream to churn, the children to
make up" for school, the dinners
pudding lying undeveloped in the hens
nest and flour barrel, the baby to at
tend, and good deal of quiet ironing
or essential sewing looming up through