Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-04-17
For the VERMONT FARMER.
FARMERS WIVES.


Being a farmers wife, | was naturally
much interested in an article in last weeks
paper from "A Farmers Daughter" Her
principles and arguments are admirable,
and surely there can be ne one but would
gladly put her theory In practice. But the
question arises in my mind-is II always
practcableP refer, OF course, to that part
of her paper IN which she enjoins upon us
such strict noatness in our personal attire.
As to the latter part of her letter, in which
she speaks of our duty to our brothers, (and.
husbands, she might add,) her counsel is
wise, and 1 would that every wife and
daughter IN the land would net upon 1t, and
could realize the looked for result, until
every rumseller should be his own. and his
only, customer.
| But, in regard 10 the question of dress.
FIRST, let us premise that IL is the duty OF
every one ~ keep rs clean and tidy as poss-
| BILE, and ii our circumstances will not allow
US to put by our garments for carpet-rags as
soon as 1.-The new wears of" let them bs
neatly repaired when there is need. But
rs to always changing ones dress after din
ner when there Is no company ,--dOos il payp
"
house, is never done and, although every
good housekeeper makes it point to have
washing, baking, scrubbing, &C., all done
before noon, yet there is almost always
something to be done in the afternoon which
we call dirty work" For instance,
change my dress for the neat print and the
pretty apron. aud at night, after having once
in two Or three hours sorely exercised both
| my patience aud my inger-ends, in trying
tO teach two or three cosset lambs To drink,
| most ardently wish | had kept OH my dark
morning dress, and lett the prettier one III
| the closet.
| Or perhaps 1t is sugarng time. Some
buckets Of sirup are brought in AT evening,
and must assist in strainlng,--then wash
the stralners and other utensils,-and every
one who has had any experience knows how
the application Of maple mOlasses will add
tO the looks Oi ones dress.
But these days cannot always last, (indeed
1 fear our troubles with the saccharine fluid
will not soon begin,) and perhaps with the
summer will come more auSpicious times.
| We shall skim the milk i'll the early morn
ing, and the other morning labors being
over, surely we can dress up" after dinner,
for one can get tea and clear away the tea
dishes without soiling the dress Very we'll;
but II we visit the milk room in the after
noon of II summer day. very likely we shall
find mix which, though the cream in the
morning Was not fully risen, will he greatly
injured II allowed To stand over night. So
we roll up our Sleeves put on II large apron,
arm ourselves with SKINNER, and begin.
IL is soon skimmed,--now it must be emp
tied that the pans may be washed. The men
are busy in the field, 50 after emptying 1t in
the pals, spattering ourselves IA little though
exercising the greatest care, VIC start lor the
swill barrel OF similar deposit. But the
men have not been careful to keep clean the
outside of the "cup and platter" or rather
the swill-pail, and by the time the last pail
ful is emptied, alas! for the cleanliness OF
our new print. We 90 at the pan washing
in desperation, and, ten chances to one, in
our haste and hopelessness, we put on the
finishing touches, and the dress is banished
To the wash-baSket.
Another day comes. We make another
attempt to retain or regain our self-respect,
and seat Oursef with our sewing, to enjoy
the luxury OF fresh toilet, Tor indeed it Is
n luxury after II busy morning in the heated
kitchen. How delightful, and when the
husband Or brother comes in Tor drink of
cool water, aud looks into the sittinx-room
for pleasant word, how agreeable the con-
seriousness that we are looking our best, and
we know thai they appreciate 1t, for we
have often heard them express I'm opinion
on this very matter.
But see those clouds! u shower is coming.
!, We catch n sunbonnet in one hand, basket
J in the other, and hasten out in search of the
young turkeys. We thought we knew al
most exactly where they were, but there
they are not to be found. We hurry on,
the clouds every moment growing darker,
and at last our search is rewarded. Hastily
counting tine little ones, we gather them in
our basket, and turn our faces homeward.
But the rain is upon us. We gather up our
= skirts and quicken our footsteps, looking
back to see if the old turkey is following.
but we have no protection from the drops
which now come thickly about us, and, by
the time we reach the nearest shelter, our
light dress with its looped overskirt is as
guiltless of starch and almost as wet as
. when last Monday it lay in the rinsing
water. Our apron too, with bib and pockets,
all trimmed with pretty ruthes,-we feared
the effect of the pouring rain ON the tender
brood we carried. and. rs our only resort.
we spread that apron over our dirty basket
8 DO not think the picture overdrawn. The
f half has not been told, AS macy farmers
= wife can testify. They will tell you that,
}. when the "meu-folks' are away, Ur, in hay
f ing time, are unusually busy, it is no uncom-
t mon thing for the women to feed the calves
o at night, or milk the COWS, perhaps, in
: yard far from clean, and many like ''chores"
0 are constantly presenting themselves which
;, demand the personal attention ol the farm
d er's wife.
!. 10 dress neatly after dinner may add to
d ones sell-respect, tor certainly one feels
: more respectable when tidy, but Tor my part,
(and think | echo the sentiment of the ma
u jority of the farmers wives who do their
s. own work. feel SO disappointed, my en-
e thusiasm is so damped by these unlucky oc-
10 eurrences. that it sp0ils the pleasure which
70 would otherwise be enjoyed, aud completely
- puts my courage to flight.
y But my letter is too long already. ! will
y, close and leave others to cipher out the
a problem Tor themselves, does il payP
u +. A. j.
A. Lincoln, april L.
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