The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-08-23

ter. Our boys, and girls, too, If they are
to keep up as men and women the tradi-
tional character of their country for ener-
gy and successful enterprise, will need
good deal more exercise in " roughing it. f."
|-Harper's Bazaar.
Husbands and HOusewOrk.
These are indeed hard times. None
but those upon whom the woe has fallen,
can appreciate the words tout of work.
The sight of II is enough to set anyone
who believes in ''cause and effect to
thinking about the cause and the cure for
misery of this kind. But q dissertation
upon that theme lies outside the province
of the Household columns. 1t has, how
ever. occurred to me many times, that men
who are out of work are by no means
justified in sitting idly about their prem
ises, or lounging in adjacent stores and
groceries, when their wives are overbur-
dened with the cares and labors of the
family. Every household needs two heads,
the father and the mother, s.united
head" But when a father is 30 situated
that he is unable to contribute to the fam
lily support, he must reflect that he be-
comes positive burden to the family, un-
less he can make himself useful to it,
The class of men likely to get out of
work, usually have hard working wives,
who need holidays quite as much as their
husbands do. Sometimes these women
| not only do the family Homework and
washing and child training, but also add
to the family finances by sewing, wash.
| ing, writing, or other means. And there
| are husbands of such hard working
women, who feel Tor seem to feeI) that it
is only right and proper that they should
lounge about, reading the paper, playing
with the children, chatting with the neigh
bors, willie their wives have one unceas-
ing round of household lator. The fact
| is, they dislike mental" tasks, and they
| forget the feelings they professed, as
lovers, toward the women now their wives.
and allow those whom they once aspired
to protect and cherish to perform for
their able-bodied husbands the most
mental" services. They don't think a
word about it; but they ought to think.
They fall in with the ordinary drift of
things, and only attempt to meet the re-
quirements of public opinion in the local.
ity where they dwell. l remember that,
when was teaching in Pennsylvania,
Mr.. Smith was laughed about because he
wheeled the baby carriage when he went
out walking with his wife and child, in
stead of allowing his wife to do that part,
beside taking care of her skirts. 1t would
have been considered quite enough for
him to swing his cane beside her, prepared
most chivalrously to defend her in case of
attack" sword-arm free," you know.
Like the savages, who cannot stoop to
"menial" offices, because they mustk keep
always alert and vigorous for the chase,
some of these noble men and brethren
must be saved from all the distracting
cares and petty concerns of the family,
that their superior powers may be in
readiness for doing big things when the
tine for doing big things arrives.
| believe in division of labor; and I
do not subscribe to rather common no.
ton among some reformers, that husbands
and wives would always be happier if
they worked side by side in the same
field; and l sympathize somewhat with
women who say that they shouldn't want
a husband 'always round under foot!'
But do say that hard working woman
never admires her husband more, than
when having no work to do in his own
field, he comes cheerfully over into her
field, and bends his stronger shoulders to
help her bear her burdens, that she may
share in his leisure.
Don't know? Didn't see a stalwart
laddie, rising Off forty, working in his
shirt sleeves and an apron, over my knead-
ng-board, soon after sunrise yesterday? l
can testify without any mental reservation,
that the bread on our table to-day is of
excellent quality. 1t is enough for one
woman to get breakfast, skim and strain
milk, put up the dinners for school, and
dress the baby, without having also to
knead bread, all before breakfast; and SO
it is lucky for her If the "gude mon," off
work for few days. stands readyto "1end
hand"
Men, generally, have no idea how much
they can do to help, if they set about it.
They have an uneasy feeling sometimes,
that they ought to take hold somewhere,
but they don't know how to begin. Isaid
to MAJ with no particular work to do,
who sorrowfully told me of his wife's ill
health and hard work, "Of course you
help her do the washing" "Oh, yes"
he answered. 81 bring in the wood, and
get all of the water for her." And it
never occurred to him that Justice could
ask more of him, that noble creature,
man! He 10 bend over the wash-tub, ap-
plying his superior mind to the discovery
Of grease spots, and his manly strength to
the rectification of soiled garments? No
doubt the kind fellow did some
times go farther, and graciously dandle
his own babe on his knee, when it was
sufficiently amiable to please him, in the
idea that by thus tending baby, he was
helping his wife. He, the strong, thus
choosing the easier work, in order to give
her, the weak, q chance to do the harder
task unhindered. This sort of thing is ex-
tremely common in families. and women
who are of the angelic type, never feel
themselves defrauded of their rights, but
continue to smile as the law directs
Othen :" fret inwardly, . or take refuge in
sarcasms. Frankness is better.
Say to this reasonable but thoughtless
husband of yours, something like this:
Now just look at it, you and are the |
heads OF this family. Icertainly am no
more responsible than you are for the
number of mouths to feed and bodies to /
Dc clothed, or for the daily and yearly
round OF work that must be done here. / |
the prosperity OF the family, but / think |
il altogether fair that you should work as
hard as l do. Now, while You cannot |
work at youl own proper business (and |
sometimes this sort Of thing goes on for I
weeks and months at time), or get any |
paying work to do, suppose we make : |
division Of labor right here in the fami-
~. You can do all the sweepings, you I
can knead the bread''- and 50 on, con-
sulting his tastes and the amount Of s fac I
ulty" or :" knack" which he is likely to |
bring into the partnership. If your sleep I
Is broken by care OF children, and il your |
nerves are overstrained by constant and |
conflicting cares and anKieties your hue