The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-08-28
Educating the Girls.


Paul Pioucer Press:
Not long ago, while visiting in The |
city, ! called on a friend, whom found
suffering with nervous headache.
Her family consisted of herself and nus
band, a daughter nineteen years Of age |
who had Just returned from Wellesley I
College, aud son fourteen years of age, |
aud two Young ladies-hOsnleTs The I
Sired girl had gone out for few hours, /.
for it was Sunday, the day they always
expect a little liberty after dinner is
over. And no reasonable woman could I
deny them this, after a week Of unre-
uniting toll in the kitchen. This seems I
to be all the brightness there is i'm heir |
lives, doomed as they are 20 occupy the /
smallest, darkest and most uncomfOrta- /
bic room In the house from one weeks /
end 10 the other. Better for them il I
they have no aspiration beyond the I
treadmill life they lead When tea
time arrived, my friend said, "Wen, il I
is tea time, aud Christine has not re-
turned we must try to get something
on the table"
"Oh, dear ~ says the daughter. "I
wish that girl would stay al home.
What is 10 be done?"
"WelI," replied her mother, "iu the
first place, there must be fire made 10
heat some water for tea, and then set
the table; there is plenty cooked"
"Oh, mercy! make FIRE! am sure
I don't know how to DO it," responded
her daughter.
Then the weary mother, with aching
head, explained the process.
well" says the daughter, "I can 60
and try; bur ! haven't the least idea /
cui make fire-so you need not expect
u d.
But first / must pin up this miserable
dress, or can 30 nothing"
/ As she said this she gathered up yards
of cloth that she had been dragging
around behind her, fastened it up To her
waist, and left the room with very
/ dissatisfied look on her face.
After she had been gone little while,
her mother said, Il suppose ! may jus.
as well 20 out and make that fire aud
put IN the tea first as last, for / don't
believe she will ever get it male" And
I pressing her hand on her head, she
dragged herself out in:o the kitchen.
/ As she passed out, ! heard these words
/ 30, motherl l am so glad you have
come out. for I am sure ! never can get
/ this fire 10 burn but thiuk / can set
the table"
/ The fire was soon made, and my friend
I \
came in, she said:
"Now, Mrs. Carpenter, J suppose you
| have been saying 10 yourself III had q
/ daughter, she would do bftter than
/ that, and have no doubt she would
/ hut, living as We do, don't know how
/ / could teach her To work. | have al
ways kept hired girl, and my daughter
l has always been in school,
! Just here the door opened, and the
/ daughter put in her head and said:
/ DO tell me, for mercy's sake, how
! you manage To cut bread in slices 10
breaks all TO pieces"
/ "Well, break il In pieces, then; I can
not come out again." answered the tired
mother
Alter a time the door opened again,
aud she came in, eXclaiming, "Well,
the job is done at last tut ] have had "a
dr. Adful time of it. ! have got bread
and butter, cookies ami sauce, and tea
on the table. Is that all ?''
"Nou may go down cellar aud get
some canned lobster" said her mother,
telling her just where IL stood
She soon returned, saying, "There is
no such thing down there; | have
looked everywhere, and / can't find it.h
"Well, then, | suppose l must go
down and get IL, )" said the poor woman;
''bnt ] don't feel as though ] could get
there. ! know it is there, because | saw
it yesterday"
"Let me 60" interposed the husband;
''if there is any such thing there, / can
find it,"
But who ever knew man to find
anything? He soon came back empty
handed, saying there was no such thing
iu the cellar. 80 the woman went her
self at last, aud brought back itnmedi-
ately what they had been looking for.
They both declared she had 1t hid some
where, but she insisted it stood iu plain
sight.
And so the meal was ready at last,
and We sat down to eat it but / could
not help thinking what wife that girl
would make. She was smart aud capa-
b!e, and well educated, but entirely ig-
noFaut Of those things which "a wife and
housekeeper should have thorough
knowledge of. No matter how rich a
man may be, nor how much hired help
p there may he IN the house, If ne has a
wife who is ignorant Of housekeeping,
he cannot have well-ordered house
hold, abd he will soon begin To think
I there is screw loose somewhere.
? Now, is il right for mothers 10 allow
. their daughters TO marry until they art
fitted for the duties Of a wife and
e mother2 It is not only wronging the
b daughter, tut the man who marries her
n would say, give them an education, by
all means; but sometime before they
marry make them serve All apprentice
ship in the kitchen until they have ;
thorough knowledge Of the art Of house
keeping.