Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1873-08-23
The Girls idea of a Man.
Mems work is done from srn TO SIR,
But womEn's work is never done"

.sMen's work is done from trn 70 sur,
But womEn's work is never done"
Standing elbow deepn dish-water not many
days since, the time-woru saying flashed into
my mind like an electric shock, causing me to
drop the dish-coth, while an emphatic That's
SO !" burst from my lips, Ny mothers ejacu-
lation of amazoment at so startling an exhibi-
ton restored me in appearance to my wonted
equilibrium, though inwardly my indignation
beat thrilling tattoo to the flying cups and
saucers which. ever and anon, crashed into the
cupboard. And girls, whether you believe it
or not, the short space of fften minutes saw
my dishes all out of sght-skillets and frying
pans not mentionable, whereupon calmly and
quietly seated myself to cool of but the more
I tried, the more angry 1 grew, till finally
swapping my fingers to that hypocFitical old
doctrine
"PAdence and perseverance, accomplish al things, "
| seized the broom aud duster, and proceeded
to vent my spleen upon the numerous often
sive articles nearest my energetic grasp
Chairs few in every direction, to say nothing
of dust and cobwebs, and with every dash OF
the broom on went another layer Of indigna-
ton. At this rate, then, leave you 10 judge
of my probable state Of mind when, at the ex-
piration Of half an hour, just as had seated
myself to rest little from my arduous labors
in walked au important member Of the male
sex, making su extremely soothing observation
something after this style That he wished
he had nothing more to do than to sit ip the
house fiom morning till night, as the women
all did"
Well it would be perfectly useless for me
to attempt to describe M sensations as every
word in Webs.er's dictionary all strung togeth-
er wouldn't be enough. / was actually dumb
Ny tongue Glove to the roof Of my mouth. All
the pent-up ideas Of morning crowded into my
brain at once, aud contracted in my eyes
Sparks few, if language didn't I, and if looks
annihila.e, am quite certain the afOrmeniion-
ed individual would have been stretched at my
feet. lie, however, fearing perhaps such a
termination, proceeded TO take his departure,
with all necessary dispatch. |, meanwhile,
striving to gather up my dead-and-sliye cner-
gies, sufficiently 10 aim at his reireating coat
skirts q shot with the broom.
Men ore selfish creatures, the best you can
make Of it, and the more you humor them the
worse they get They have been 50 long ac-
customed to hsviug the best of everything,
that they have naturally come to expect it,
There is mouldy piece of sentiment. ished up
from the brain of some old bachelor, probably,
which always did disgust me, aud that is,
always meet your husband with q SMILE"
That goes a little beyond my powers of en-
durance. Smiles indeed Delightfully."- con-
sisteut with washtubs and gridrons So a
woman must slave aud toll 10 the kitchen from
all communication with the world outside,
must toll and bake and stew with dozen lit
tie pinafores clinging to her skirt; must sweep
aud dust and sew; intact, must go through
her work more dead than alive, with the ever
present idea that the arrival Of husband is the
signal for her to scare up smile, to greet the
poor, dear creature, who is SO tired and har-
rassed with business Ifthere happens to be
tender spot in the steak fof dinner, why il
must be saved for father The richest I'll OF
cream is reserved for fathers coffee father
must have the most comfortable chair in the
house, the largest half Of the lamb. The In
slant you hear father coming, presto change
clear the track, children your father is tired
don't disturb him; run to your mother, sh'
/ will tend to you. Mother mustn't get tired.
"Well, come Let's have the denuement.-
Father plants himself 10 the only rocking-chai
/ the house affords, elevates his heels above tht
level of his nose, and remains a fixture for th,
evening. Mother comes trotting down stairs
from her task of putting the cherubs to bed
with q sensation Of pleasure at the bare posi-
bility which suggests itself to her mind Of {
social chat with her husband about the occur
rences Of the day, which is just what she needs
after the numerous duties which she daily per
forms. Not bit Of it there he sits, coming
with unhinchng steadiness, the columns O
that cdious paper, informing her by appear
ance, if not by words, that Mum " Is the or
der of the evening. So, heaving faint sigh
she takes the basket Of stockings, and will
unswerving, mertyr-lke- devotion, plies he
needle until that man gets ready to speak t
her, which will probably be when he wants 4
dish of apples or glass Of cider.
"Yes, sir my mind is quite made up or
that subject, and don't see that / am goin:
to help it either, for
"Ien viii be men the wide world through,
And women can't help it, whatever they do.
Quite Enough Married.