Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-07-21

The Ohio Furmer has correspondent
for whose contributions we always look for
with interest. Sine talks good common
sense as well as good dictionary" and
right to the point, and she signs herself
" Fanny Field" Here are some things
she has to say about washing:
For the benefit of the sisters who seem
to think that we spend the whole dav fuss
ing over the wash tubs, | will say that
Edie (my hired gir) and always (unless
unusual happens) have the
clothes on the line, everything cleaned up
and put away, and the usual morning
work all done up by II o'clock. And our
washings are not small; most of the time
we wash for family of nine, and as we
have great deal of company, there are
always several extra pieces of bed and
table linen in the wash. Sometimes when
our family dwndles down to only "us
five" Edle does the washing alone-says
she don't need any help about such small
washings-and she has the clothes out and
things cleaned up before 10 o'clock. OF
course do up the other work.
Now Edie is good singer, an accom-.
pllshed performer on the organ, and Il
skilled hand ut several kinds of fancy
work, and she is honest enough TO say
that she would much rather sing and play,
work with her dainty, bright worsteds,
and fashion beautiful wax flowers than to
wash dishes or dirty clothes; but she is a
sensible girl, and knows that dishes and
clothes must be washed. and she goes
ahead and does it cheerfullv, and does her
work well, too. 1t does not follow because
woman does not happen to like doing
certain kinds of work, that she cannot do
it without grumbling and "makng
faces If one really likes to wash dirty
clothes, scrub floors and wash dishes, /
don't know that she deserves any special
credit for doing such work and doing il
well, too; it is easy enough to do what ono
likes to do. have an immense amount
of admiration and respect for the women
who dislike doing what is commonly
called the drudgery" of household
work, but who do it patiently and uncom
plalningly all their lives, lust because
they recognize the fact that it is their dut,
to do 1t for the comfort of their families
Shall such women be called lazyp Rather
| NV No Stll luClh tLC llut WOIhtI ant
helpers of our sex, for they know how
heavy the burden is, and are ever seeking
to lessen and tighten woman's work
Because they falter sometimes, becaus,
they pause often to gather up courage t,
meet and overcome the trials that bese
the path of every housekeeper. shall w,
brand them rs towards? Let me tell you
good women, who like TO do the hardes
part of homework, and who wonder how
any woman can dread anything so " easy
as doing the washing for large family
that it takes thousand times more cour
age than you ever dreamed of for til,
woman who does not like such work t,
do it. An army officer, one of the braves
and best men that ever knew, who wol
his shoulder straps by heroism on the fielt
of battle, once said 10 me that he neve
liked to fight, and always felt pale
when going into battle; but he neve
shirked or loitered in the rear because HI
did not like fighting, as the wound tina
carried him TO his grave and the testimony
OF every survivor Of the glorious old 13tl
Ohio bore witness.
do not wish to be understood as con
demning all washing machines. | only
condemn the seven that | have tried
and assure you that have not the re
modest idea of trying TO persuade any
woman to convert her washing machine
into kindllng wood. If any woman has
machine that really helps with the wash
ing. in the name of common sense let be-
use it. don't ask her to give it up jus
because my experience in that line ha,
been unfortunate. | only wish to war;
the inexperienced against buying any
machine on the strength of the agent
word, and long list of testimonials
from people "who use our machine
And l would also advise every one WHIT
contemplates buying some highly recon
mended machine. to fluid out whether i
will require a cord of wood to get VI
steam enough to do one washing, OF
whether it requires horsepower or man
power or woman-power to run it. 1t is
lamentable fact that the majority of Amer
lean women have no extra amount o
strength, and 1t is quite clear that ma
chine which requires the strength of
man would be but precious little help t