, 1877-11-23
Wreschsd Homes

'N ~ 'Att.Af NaFl4p9s " makiar
home urr'cted, ~hich are usuaiIv four3
out wiihoui TIE AID q q fUcript. Bat II a.
oue Ntsbcs O. knou ths ser,rt. us -.
ture a. give Z ies hiatt. wh'ch nav h.
useiul-not by way n helping our read
err % reduce them b practict, bat rather
With vicw % their avoidance.
oommou pruverb makes A su,,kv
chimney and q scoilinF wife the uro-,t
Of domesuc plAgBes Bgi there ars wor..
than these. A smoky chimney show.
there is hrcside, At ali events, and N the
chimney smokes IL is the builders ana
not the housewives fault, and a. for a
seo!diug wife, Why she may possibly
teach her husband philosophy, As Nan.
tippe did Socrates.
A dirty wife is far worse. Agife nav
scold, aud set be clean and thrifty. But
scolding slattern is a terrible nuisance
at home, and very soon will succeed in
making a home thoroughly intolerablo
for even the most pacific and contented
dispositions. If with dirt there be waste.
the acme of discomfort will be reached.
Money spent recklessly, and without any
useful product of comfort---what is the
end of this but poverty and vicel And
drink, the great cause of waste in poor
mems houses-expenditure on that which
not only wastes Il mans substance, but
ruins his moral and physical capacities,
and we have reached point of dscom.
fort beyond which we cannot go. Drink
is the demon of tens of thousands of
homes, which but for it might be happy.
But there are many minor sources of
discomfort, which worry and fret impa-
tient minds,an render homes thoroughly
uncomfortable. Ill.traiped children, un-.
accustomed, because untaught by early
discipline, to curb their little tempers, ARE
a source of discomfort in many homes.
The neglect, perhaps the ignorance of
mothers themselves ill-disciplned in
youth, is mainly to be blamed for this.
Ill-cooked meals-here is another
source of discomfort-perhaps a small
one; but not so small either. Bad cook
ing is waste; waste of money and loss of
comfort. Whom the church has Joined
in matrimony, ILL cooked joints of meat
and ill-boiled potatoes have often put
asunder There is, indeed sound econ
omy which may be exercised by women
in the culinary department, very much
to the saving of the husbands purses as
we'll as tempers. Among the common
things" which educators would teach the
working people, certainly this ought not
to be overlooked. 1t is the commonest
and yet most neglected of the branches
of female education. Perhaps it is even
thought below the dignity of being called
ga branch" of education at all. But cook
ing,which really is the art, when properly
cultivated, of making little go great
way, is infinitely more valuable ana i'm
portant to the comfort of homes than
tambour work, crochet, netting, or back
stitch not to speak Of music and draw
ing. The art Of cooking eclipses them
all in point of value.
An unwholesome house is always un-
comfortable. The atmosphere is de-
pressing to the spirits, and it debilitates
the frame. Its influence may not be felt
or perceptible-excepting by our sense
that of shetland yet 1t is most power
full. Even the temper becomes peevish
and irritable; and the depression leads to
craving for stimulants, which, in its
turn, leads to an aggravation of the evil
Children become querulous, sickly and
complaining; how can they be cheerful,
breathing poisoned air, as they often dof
The children cry, poor things, finding
vent in tears and sobs; they are beaten
when they should be sent out in the open
air, or, later in the evening, put to bed.
And thus the home is made very uncom-
Portable.
These unfortunate children-how our
heart pities theml Brought into the
world helpless, they are left amidst the
gloomy association of depravity, dirt,
and disease; and they hang about the sor-
did dwelling an infant brood, imparting
no JOY to the home-only so many gap
ing mouths to be fed--increasing its
squalor and discomfort. Often children
are cuffed and scolded for no fault OF
their own the ill-temper engendered by
dirt and drink is visited severely upon
them. TOlerable tempers are made bad,
and bad tempers are rendered cruel; and
thus they grow up to mature years with
the stamp of savage life upon them, with
out any idea of the comforts of home;
familiar with the spectacle of daily re-
curing vice.
In better circles home may be made
ntolerable in other ways. Peevish and
querulous tempers spoil the repose OF
many households. "Better is a dinner OF
herbs, where peace is, than stalled OK
with contention" There are people who
are always making fuss, and will not
let you be quiet; these have the knack OF
making even dining and drawing.rooms
intolerable. They are as unwholesome
as even a roomful of bad air could be;
Moping and whining, discovering all
manner of frets and aches and imaginary
woes-grumblng at the maids-hnding
cause Of alarm in everything such peo-
pie rarely fail in making homes intoler,,
able, and driving forth those who haa