The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-01-23
SALEM CORRESPONDENCE


Degr Mrs. Dmiway:-A gentleman
said to me few days ago that he thought
Mrs. Duniway had better employ Der
time in lecturing on good housekeeping
instead of advocating the doctrine
OF Woman's Rights. He said there
was not more than one girl in fifty who
could be relied upon as householder.
or course 1 had my say with him, but
as l learned that many more of his gen.
tlemen friends were of the same opin- I
ion, want to say to them through the |
women's paper that they are all very /
much mistaken both as TO what Mrs. |
Duniway's duty should be and the nat
ural incapacity of women as house-keep-
ers.
Some twenty years ago lady friend
of mine made a similar remark
in reference to young girl, then
fourteen years of age, whom she
had accepted as an inmate of her family.
OF course the young orphan was an in
experienced house-keeper. How could
she be otherwise with her lack of years?
My friend was fully convinced that not
one girl In fifty would ever make a
house-keeper fit to live In log cabin.
But she has lived to see her error in this
instance. The orphan married young,
my friend inwardly plying her poor
husband for having secured an incapa-
BILE wife. Well, lately she paid her a
visit, and upon her return revealed to
me her pleasant surprise at finding
everything abut this woman's house so
tidy and thrifty. Her sensible husband
had left everything to her own manage
ment and choice. She had even chosen
the different varieties of fruit that -four
ished in their well-kept grounds. My
friend said that everything was fault
lessly arranged for thrift and comfort,
even to the well-ventilated cellar, with
a safe in the center for butter and milk.
Her coffee was excellent, and cream,
, biscuit, cakes, pies, vegetables meats,
, ETC., delicious.
, But with all this 10 make her happy,
the woman Is careworn, nervous and
, the farm as she is in the house, and her
work and care are wearing away her
once strong constitution. She is very
, fond of working in the garden, but has
been compelled of late to lay the most
, Of this occupation by. But then she
looked up pleasantly and said, al now
have the assistance of the children, and
, as vacation comes on in harvest, they
r will take most of the work of of my
hands, and then hope to have a little
E better chance to lie down aud rest"
, Ny friend said, however, that Lucy
( had an ugly cough and she could see
her clasp her hand TO her side with every
2 paroxysm. But she is very ambitious
r to live and educate her children, and
E and she hopes may regain part of hel
I lost strength before it Is too late.
t Then / said, "DO you remember that
I you used to say that Lucy would never
4 make house-keeper fit to live in rail
e pen or log cabin p
e "Yes,n she said, al remember il
b we'll"
b "Well, my friend" / said earnestly
r "you were disappointed in her simply
because you required too much Of her Al
e an early age. She was proud and am
a bilious, and she felt that she did much
]. more for you than she was paid for do
: ing. And am pleased to see you-ae
n knowledge your mistake as to her house
- keeping capacities"
n And now, want to say TO all these ole
n grumblers who complain Of the slip
: shod incapacity OF girls, pay them fo
r their work as you would pay boys fo
e the same tasks, or those not half so hard
d Give them liberty and responsibility
t and encouragement. Do not expec
y them to be experienced while they ar,
\ yet children, but be patient and jus
{ with them till they are women. Lool
o over our country, my croaking breth
e ren, and see whether the mothers do MOI
: perform their part of life's dYties as wei
Y as the fathers do? Why, then, this cry
" about the incapacity of girls and women
as though boys and men were perfect
e Why continually censure women for no
/ training their daughters to be cook
e while you say nothing about the vas
l. army of men who never learn TO be pro
2 viders ?.
q What motives are laid before girls Il
L induce them to be good house-keepers
- Let me see: Some rich gentleman
h might have the pleasure of hiring then
IT for the pitiful sum OF SIP or Sl4 pc
re month to wait upon their wives VIII
ye '..have all the rights they want"
y, Yes, Mrs. Duniway, this is the secre
st Of the whole matter. Men want wome
ri kept In ignorance Of higher duties, tina
r they may be trained TO cater to thei
Mt well-gorged stomachs for paltry price
j. a. JOHNS.
SALEM, January is, 1874.