Morning journal and courier., 1880-01-09
R1rs. LivIngstOn's System.


 Mrs. Livingston had system; she ate, drank, slept and nearly died by it.
 Monday morning, rain or shine, the wash ing was done if it rained, the clothes were dried in the house-around the fire or any where, but dried they must be. Tuesday she ironed, and such ironing every brown towel was faithfully folded and ironed all over, and she would have considered it an everlasting disgrace not to have ironed her shirts on both sides. Wednesday she mended, laid away the weeks wash and churned. Thursday her house was swept and garnished from cellar to garret, or perhaps I should say from garret to cellar Friday she did the thousand and one things which come under the head of little puttering jobs" Saturday she baked and mopped floors. A very good system you per ceive if only she had ''bossed' the system in stead of letting the system ''boss" her. Were either of the two children ill, it was only question of getting to bed before Sunday morning the system went on as usual. Did the mother herself feel hardly able to rise from her bed, she ''worked 1t of, i" but the system must not be interfered with.
 As the months went by, Mrs. Livingston's voice became fretful, querulous whine, the crows feet began to gather on her face, the circles to deepen under her eyes, her foot to lose it's elastic step-in short she failed daily but the system went on the same.
 On Monday morning the sun rose and found Mrs. Livingston in bed; when her
  the bedroom in surprise at not finding her up and here let me say that he was good, faithful husband-one who did all he could to tighten his wife's labors, and remonstrated with her almost daily on the system, which he said would kill her yet. "Are you sick this morning, Emma ?" he said. ''Do not let the clothes boil over the stove; my head swins so that must sit down 8 minute"
 Even in her delirium she knew the day of the week, and washed as usual! The wash ings were done without her now for many weeks; and when at last she did rise from her sick bed, 1t was to months of weary convales- cence, more trying to an energetic woman than dangerous illness. In the long days that she reclined in her easy chair-the slightest far enough almost to draw tears from her eyes; the least thing enough to upset her calm and quiet for the day-she had ample time to think of the wreck she had made of herself, the neglected opportunity for intel Iectual and physical growth, the money her sickness had cost in various ways-yes, so much time that sometimes she almost grew frantic aFs 4o
 There came 8 time at Isst-one blessed day when "mother' took the household reins again took them to drive herself, instead of allowing the system to do it for her; 8 time when the children and father followed her around with loving looks, and thanked God that mother was well again, even though she could never be as strong as before her illness.
 Look out for these systems, sisters; they are making invalids and old women of many of us. Remember that dirty floor IS better than a back ache; and that be the house ever so clean and neat, it loses for the family al pleasure, if the home mother Is tired ana de pressed.