Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-04-02
w WV ANAN
More Kindlings.

have been much interested in the discus
sion of"Woman's Work" in the FARMER,
and will add my handful of kindlings to keep
the fat boiling.
1t is undeniable that farmers wives live
much moro trying and laborous life than
their husbands, andthat there are among FARM
ers many more widowers than widows and
many more men living with theirsecond and
even third wives than Uice versa. They not
only work more hours in the summer, when
the farmer is very busy, but they have no
vacation. In winter, when her husband has
at least partial rest, tho wife's labor con-
tlnues undlminished and is often increased.
Very likely she makes butter the year
around; she has the caro- Of the fires, which
in thus climate is no small item; her wash
ing, ironing, and care OF the clothes general
ly, is much heavier in winter than in sum
mer; she prepares her husbands breakfast
before his days work commences, and whom
at dusk his day closes, she sits down to tho
everlasting making, intending, and knitting,
which forms the undcrcurrent of her life.
Often she does part of tho teachers duty
works out the hard example, sees that the
spelling lesson is learned, hunts up missing
localities for the young geographer, suggests
topics for tho literary aspirant, and all the
while, perhaps, she is never free from the
personal care of an infant which draws its
life from her breast and whose home is in
her arms.
You can make nothing else Of Il; she Is
the drudge of the family; everybody calls
upon her services; if anything is broken or
missing, or forgotten, she must account for
1t; If anything is wrong too often she is
blamed. She needs the strength OF a Her
cules aud patience all her own.
What wonder that her temper sours, her
health fails, her spirits droop, her beauty
fades, life slips from her tired hands, and she
finds at last that rest she never knew here.
| 1t is the fashion to talk of the dellcacy OF
woman's frame. claim that she Is vastly
stronger in the power OF endurance than man.
am perfectly satisfied that year of my
life would kill my husband, while l, in hi:
place should grow strong, elastic and happy
Many n woman does mans labor, but nc
man ever yet shoudered woman's duties
And yet think the feeling is almost uni
versal that her work is uninportant and It's
details frivolous In short that there is very
little of 1t. know men who do not scruple
to say so; and practically the idea is almost
always carried out. Her convenience must
yield to his because it don't matter much
about women's work; they have got all day
to do it in. If she rides to the village will
her husband sho must leave her dishes till
she returns, when it will take three time,
as long to do them; and she must wait Will,
he gossips in the post; oliice or with the mil
Ter or blacksmith, we'll knowing she mus
remould her bread or do her mend
ing when she ought to be asleep, in conse
quence.
There are many who will testify to thl,
great evil, this over-working of farmers
wives, but who will suggest n remedy?
frankly avow that think there is none
ut least no present reMedy. Some ameliora
ton will doubtless come by Yankee inven
ton, and woman can do something for the
coming generation by judicious training o
her sons; but the great body of farmer:
wives must work from thirteen to seventeen
hours day for many years to oome.
A FARMERS WIFE.
Factory Point, Marco 70.