Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-03-21

you have no time left to enjoy life IN your
own way
'I can see the force of that last objection
said Mrs Cavendish. ut is a constant
source of astonishment to me that teachers
do find time and inclination for reading or
study outside of their own beaten trnck. As
! to the hard work. my dear, are you sure you
/ take lust the right view of that | don't think
it degradcs it in the least, or lessons its true
value that it is given in exchange for money.
There is no reason why one should not have
as high an ideal rs she would in some sacri-
/ flee she makes for no reward. Then, too,
wages seem hardly ever to be regarded in
their proper bearing not, as you say, just
/ equivalent for work, since earnest, self-sacri-
| fcing labor must be a free gift to the world,
| but only provision by which man may be
| fed and clothed in order to be in a condition
to make that gift"
/ Mrs Stanton, the pretty young matron by
the window laid down her work and spoke
/ with some hesitation 81 wonder II il isn't
| the trouble In all kinds Of busy life, except,
Of course, those devoted to some special call
( ing which seems the highest and best to the
person who adopts it, that there Is such
| hurry and turmoil that people have no time
| 10 get the best good out Of life itself"
'Jenuic." said Miss Truefit reprovingly,
Il do hope you're not going to sigh for a ca
| rccr!"
No, don't misunderstood me-" she re-
! turned eagerly. II believe nobody could be
! happier than | am in my pretty home with
/ Charlie and the baby. and | don't consider
the least thing done for their comfort or hap
piness inferior to some more gifted woman's
mission Of writing poetry perhaps. But | do
| feel, when the days slip by and have scarce
! ly an unoccupcd ten minutes for a book or
the piano that l should like TO make myself
more intelligent and attractive even though
am married woman. If you think I'm too
extreme in my views, Miss Prudence I'm
willing to attribute my longing for culture to
the motive formerly considered proper for
women to have, to make themselves more
worthy companions for the male portion of
the family"
"Yes," said Hattie Peterson who had been
married five years and made a charming
housewife "There's no doubt that that's
what women need-some active interest out
side their own four walls and grass plot.
Now they all look at me as if | were unpar-
donably heterodox. I'm not in the least
strong minded, but do think we women see
so many little worries and are so constantly
stcmming the tide against them, that we for
get the course Of the universe doesn't entirely
depend on them. And no wonder we get
blue and fretful, thrown back on sewing and
preserves year after year
Well" said Miss Prudence, "all this
sounds very nice, but you'll excuse me if |
say it's extremely vague Suppose you all
had this leisure, what would you do with it
Isn't it just what l told you in the first place
that everybody is trying to lay the founda-
tions for Castle of Incidence =
"A thousand times no! Don't you see
what We mean is this-that there is an nces-
SAINT wear and tear in getting the mere neces-
sares of life, and when they are attained we
work just as desperately for luxuries. We
struggle and plan, spend sleepless nights. and
all for what? To keep up to a certain per
cent in our neighbors opinion of what is
fitting and proper; TO become notable house
keepers, and then when we have gained the
reputation, lie down and die and are buried
in dirt Just as business men spend the
best part of themselves for money and social
position. II life is merely this-a contest for
what we eat and wear or a lottery to decide
who goes to Heaven, | don't think it worth
the living!" And she looked up good deal
excited and half frightened at her own te-
merity.
well you haven't told us yet how you
would like your time to be disposed of, " said
Miss Prudence imperatively.
Il couldn't begin TO tell Of half the ways"
said Hattie. Il want to read so many books,
and every time look at my Botany it makes
me sigh to think of the rare things growing
in hidden places, while | haven't time to
search for them. Then, too, what mother is
there who couldn't use every minute of her
day with the children, and still feel she hadn't
given them half enough of herself? don't
mean to disparage school education, but sure
ly that could far better be dispensed with
than the unconscious training child receives
10y being with cultivated woman, who can
| give the thought to his individual develop
meut that a teacher must share with twenty
or thirty others. And for such an undertak-
ing woman needs time and opportunities
for thought and mental growth herself to
keep pace with the increasing demands of her
child"
"Well," said Miss Prudence, suppose we
test your sincerity and see whether you're
willing TO live more simply or not. Take the
mere question of clothes, for Instance. Kate,
are you desirous of giving up that extremely
pretty plating for bias rutfle that will take
quarter of the time in making and only
catch half as much dust p
Il don't know" said Kate doubtfully Il
suppose so, if everybody else would wear bias
rutiies, and nobody faunt fine plating before
my eyes"
Now suppose you do that" said Miss Pru-
dence, you'll have extra time for your music,
since you do your own sewing"
~ kHOU Pm willing, said Hattie Peterson,
bhl i hlit mum VI my ntNihb NNhN 'Ahe 90
the trimming, tucking. rufiing, etc, and do
the plain work myself. Now | don't believe
you'd say ought to give up those extras that
Mrs Royce does for me, and so take away
some Of her daily bread, would your
There's very simple solution of that"
said Mrs. Cavendish smiling Leave off
the extras, hire the plain sewing done instead,
and pay Just as much for it,
But clothes are so pretty made fancifully
and trimmed" put in Lu Hawthorne, the
drawing teacher. 81 think there's fine art
in sewing as much as anything, else, and
there is a great temptation to have nice,
dainty things even if they do cost time and
trouble"
81 know it," returned Mrs. Cavendish,
land must confess I'm not very radical
dress reformer myself, for ugly things are al
ways disagreeable to me, no matter how ser
viceable they are. Still one need not be un-
becomingly or too plainly dressed. think
pretty clothes most desirable; in fact |
shouldn't object to see you girls in robes
woven out of rainbows or rose-leaves, but
I'm really afraid that now, when times are so
hard, we've no right to so much elaborate
ness. Now Tn going to he very personal,
and ask you, Hattie. if when you were mar
ried you. weren't worn, nervous and tired out,
from the months labor you had given that
pretty trousseau of yoursT
yes" said Hattie, dolefully. Il must
confess it"
''Then again, weren't the rich embroider-
les you put into the baby's clothes more of
task than all the care of the little fellow
since p
"To be sure" answered Hattie, "but that
was a labor of love | wanted TO make every
thing perfect for his little majesty"
II see, understand, said Mrs Cavendish,
shaking her head, "but it does make my heart
ache sometimes to know of mothers, after
their cares are over for the day and the rest
of the family in bed, sitting up far into the
night stitching away, not on anything need
full mind you If they were patching or
darning there would be a sancti6cation of
motherly love about it, but they are only
spending their strength on tucks and en-
broideries."
There was little more said, but it may safe
ly be concluded that quite an amount of
thought was excited by the discussion. There