Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-07-01
N.,ae Of . Easnasr's wife.
TEE Rxlz1IHNCE OF wnsTKRN woNAN-HARD-
anna on 4 rnAlRIE vARM.

II RxpzaIKNCK OF wnsTKRn woNAN-HARD-
sHIFs on r1AiRIE yARA.
Many instances have known, says Tribune
osrsspondent, Of women who received In the
.sss IN education In so0s cases superior to that
4 their husbands, but life Of constant care
nd drndgery has caused them to lose instead
Il gain In mental culture, while the husbands
ave grown away from them, and II 10 only In
ubjsces OF lower nature that thsy have COM
non interest A man, In his every day inter-
,ourss with other men. and his business calls
INTO Ill kinds Of places and scenes, must be
Iool mot 70 reosivs new ideaa-not to become
more Intelligent on many subjects. but what
can be expected Of the wife, almost always at |
home IN the isolated farm house, in sparsely |
.s&tlsd community, and il poor, and struggling |
with debt - many arc, with no reading except |
ons o. two newtpapenp II she had . library OF
books it would make but little difference, for
she has no time 70 read thesn. All through the
Western country there !. an Aosointe deHrth o.
tanned for love OF money. Girls In towns
OF citiss will mot 90 into tho country, ard
couMtry girls are too independents II
they have fathers house they
will mot leave II for any length Of time, .. aDtuAl
q radius Of Ave miles In every direction from my
bona, whsre have lived eight years, have
never known OF heard Of family. or person
suffering for anything TO eat, drink, or weas,
end have never had call for help in that direc-
ton. A mother OF our acan.intanoe, whose those
from illness and has = large family, yet for
months has bsen without any help IN her work
but thas OF her little girls-the oldest twelve
simply because abe could mot get servant
The farmers themselves aEo under less nec e.
country. Farms are comparatively large and
produce large crops, and it pays them TO hire Ia
borsrs. Many farmers work In the field very
little. while the wife and mother does the mousse
work not only for her own family but ios from
raising and harvesting, from April to August,
she must be up at four In the morning, and she
cannot have her supper until the farm WORK "
al done, and BY tho time hey children are put 20
bed, the milk cared for and dishes washed u u
nine o'clock or after. II " hard for . woman
who 10 hungry for reading TO nee how much lei
sure even "hired men" have To read-their win
tor and rainy days, their long mornings and ove-
ming, and odd bits OF time, while she has COM
paxativs1y none.
perisncs," OF portion Of II, ~ 2 fair sample OF
large class Born and reared in . village OF !.
Middle Hate, educated in !" female seminary,
husband IN college, married, went west, lost pros
perry In 1857, dropped down to hard pan on
m Illinois farm. 1t was new farm In new Sec
ton Of the country. 1t was all work and no priv.
lsgea For year1, - long - nv husband worked
in the hsld, We women made the garden. say We,
for our household wa complete one, contain
Ing not only Q grandma, but maiden aunt. We
mado ehs garden, After it was plowed, taking all
tho care OF Tho growing vegetables, and raised
ta.e chickens and turkeys and calves, and some
ansS at pinch helped to do mems work. Many
are the acres Of corn which ! have planted,
dropping" from tho planter while my husband
drove. III a! Aany n an . nave ! asrdea
ally nssded In another place. But those
woro golden opportunities, for couldn't l
take my book ont with me and Tread up" while
my faithful shephord dog performed most OF
The labor Of herding Two days In succession
l remember OF herding 'muie-pack. There
vas not tree, shrub or stone by or on which
to ait and be ground Was damp no l backed
my mule 70 the sun, and getting my book in the
| ahade Of my sun-bonnet, read by the hour. But
those opportunities were like angel visits.
A pair OF twin boy babies coming during those
early years added not little to the work. The
| baby on The hip was constant thing. An or
chaEd OF four hundred peach trees WAS planted
with my own hands, and assisted in tho setting
Of three hundred naples, besides quantities OF
strawberry plants and other small fruits.
Though not educated to this sort Of thing 81
| took to Il q naturally ~ . duck to water. 1t
vas my recreation, my amusement An escape
from tho dFudgery Of dishwasling and cooking
However, / had two great blessings, health Of
self and family, and the maiden aunt Ono 9th.
o. help which should mention-ny husbands
fondness for reading aloud, and his unwilling.
ness to enjoy anything in which did not par.
ticipAtaL No new farming implement was con
sidersd satisfactory until had been out in the
field and had seen it work and understood the
use Of al it parts For ten long years the piano
which WAS sold, could not be replaced there
were no Injuries we had Just the bsrest com
forts. The little sitting room, with its bright
rag carpet pretty wall paper, lounge, and easy
chair, and it, case OF book shelves was tho one
bright spot, after day Of toll-a little heayoI
below.
Comforts gather about us with the years thai
pass, but leisure comes not with them .I.ei
suro" u . word have almost lost tile meaning
Of. Even with the help OF two women, there
pressing duties; no time for reading or musi,