The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1874-02-05
SENTIMENTS OF 4 FAI,Mnn,s wirn.

How many farmers thore aro who
own hundreds Of acres of land, biro
five or ten men to assist themfin
farming. with ten or twenty extra
men during the DEMONSTRATING fine
blooded stock, thrifty, choice orch.
ards, and convenionces Of every dc.
scription for their work, who vet live
i'll n tumble.down house, leaking all
over the roof, and whose over worked
wives have to go hundred Yards or
more for pail of water, when little
extra labor would have placed tho
water in convenient sink in tho
house. The farmers wife has to rise
ut four or five o'clock in the morning,
while al the family arc sleeping, and
cook breakfast for from ten to twenty
men and not one OF the family ever
thinks of filling the wood. box or get.
ting u pail of water at night Sho
must do it all, and when breakfast il
ready is too tired to enjoy tho meal.
And she often has to set the table
and wash the dishes, with baby ON
one arm and another little one cling
ing to her skirts. Than comes tho
cleaning up, washing dishes, sweep
ing, chamber work, chuuning, baking,
cooking dinner. and cleaning up
again and one pair of hands 10 it
all. Perhaps she has about an hour
to sit down and rest her aching body
in the afternoon She casts longing
glanccs ut the solitary newspaper
lying on tho table, but baby must
have new dress, husbands stock
ings need darning. aud an overflow
ing work basket starcs her in tho
face. She has no sewing machine, as
her husband said that he could not
afford it but that same day he
bought new fashinoel reaper, not
withstanding no already had two or
three. She loves music, reading and
flowers, but he grumbles that they
all cost time and money, and 80 sho
travels in the same road, year in and
year out, with nothing but the cradle,
kitchen and washbolrd to occupy both
mind and hands.
The farmer often goes to town and
hears people talking about past, pre-.
sent and future events, and comes
home refreshed, wondering why his
wife is always so still and never talks
about anything interesting. How
III the name of common sense can
woman be simply drudge and then
talk about politics and so forth. Put
man in her place and he would be
almost crazy in u week, as the daily
routine Of dish washing, baby tend
ing, and cooking is not calculated to
enliven any true woman sspirits.
Now, let the farmer sell off some
his superiluous acres and build con.
venient house, furnishing it comfort-
ably; have large flower garden, but
not leave the spading, etc, to his
wife; buy sewing machine, wash
ing machine, wringer, and every mo.
chine he can think OF that will save
manual labor. Subscribe for half u
dozen papers, religious, agricultural
and local, and purchase a few good
books Let his wife select them, as
then they will be sure to be both Inc
teresting and useful. Get small,
light carriage, and steadyssgeutle
horse, 80 that his wife can take the
children and occasionally drive about
the country, and no has no idea how
it will brighten her up. Let hor
have necessary help in the kitchen,
so that she may have n resting spell
during the day. Instead of sitting
by the stove in the kitchen in tho
evening, 60 to the cosy sitting room,
where are or should be, books and
papers for the older members OF tho
family, and toys and picture books
for the children.
Try this plan, and in less than q
years time the pale, faded wife will
he blooming, happy woman. Hard
work with no pleasure has laid hun
dreds of farmers wives beneath tho
sod who might bo living now if their
happiness and comfort had been