The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-07

ing about the promises and tells every girl
that comes such frghtful stories that they
don't even come into the house, and Johns
raying, and says don't know how to man
age. and oh, dear! wish he'd thy it for
a week."
Strange, I said. Here's Mrs Davis,
and Mrs. Williams, and Mrs. Harris and q
score Of others all in the same condition.
Look here, Anna, suppose we strike.
Strike who?n asked Mrs. Faircleugh, in
amazement.
Strike, my dear, as those people do who
work IN the factories and on railroads.
Let us all unite and refuse to keep help
any longer
But who would do our work? 2" she asked
a little doubtfully.
why, we will work ourselves-do us
good. Lets get up grand society, :" / pur-
sued, warming with the subject, for the
amelioration Of the condition of ladies.
Wen send out missionaries to convert
those of our sisters who refuse to join.
We'lltell them it's fashionable. Well coax
Influential friends into receiving letter
from foreign correspondents in which he
and makes the bed every morning, while
the ladies in waiting wash the dishes, and
that We are going back to the beautiful
simplicity of the olden age. They will ad-
advocate it, of course, because it's odd
eyes, but"
No but, or ifs, or ands, Annie Fair
cleugh. or I will leave you to the mercy of:
your servants forever. Let's 20 and call
upon Mrs. Harris she's one Of the leaders,
OF the ton. If she will join the thing will
succeed"
We found Mrs. Harris in state of
Brldgetphobia. She received my project
with enthusiasm, and readily joined in cur.
crusade against the intelligence offices.
In week the reform had become the.
theme of universal discussion Letters APP
peared in the daily journals, stating that
Victoria occupied her mornings with scrub
bling and baking, ana Eugene with dish
washing and plain sewing. Ladies began
to send off their kitchen tyrants 1t be-
came quite the fashion for young ladies to
receive their lovers with ever so little flour
on their dresses instead of their faces,
where it was formerly worn, or feather on
their aprons, just by way Of limiting at pie
and bed-maAing,
Advertisements like the following became
so commonas to excite neither surprise nor
comment:
Just received-5, 600 new check aprons,
made IN the style worn by Eugene herself.
"A lot of new stuffed gowns to be sold
cheap. Also, the new crinoline- skirt.
which is known as the ''Lvery- lady her own
servant skirt
OF course all the husbands were delight
ed. 1t saved money, in the first place; it
saved the mighty monolologue, SO long
dreaded and endured commencing with:
II never did have such trial as that girl
is. Don't you believe" etc., etc.
It drove the doctors distracted in the
third place. Their reception rooms were
deserted-their horses grew fat for lack Of
driving, and they grew thin. They con-
suited with the keepers of the intelligence
offices and posted up huge placards, head
ed Death, ruin-utter destruction of the
female health--the new system of house.
oe unhealthy and pernicious beyond meas
ure."
Bridget. at first, wearied herself with
laughing. Is
IF the ladies could do without her, sure
she could do without the ladies'. But il
presently grew to be no laughing mat
Hundreds of woEaan were thrown out Of
employment.
Seamstresses Of all sorts found their re-
ceipts diminishing, for ladies had no time
to dress now. The silk manufacturers
were in dispair, and the general distress
was SO great that a law was passed prohib-
iting all further immigration, at which the
continent grew indignant, aud threatened
war. S
My own household assumed vastly
different aspect. My kitchen utensils
shone like silver; for had 1 not always said-
If were a Nora, I should find 1t as easy
to keep things clean as dirty?' To be sure,
began to suspect strongly that it was not
after all of such vital importance as I i'm
aginel; but what should we have gained by
our reform, if we could not do better thar
orr servants had? 81
My bread was rather rocky at first, and my
piecrust tough, but Frederick Alphons0
dared the dyspepsia, and ate it just by way
OF encouraging me. On the same principle,
he wore, without a murmur, shirts dubious
in color and peculiar as to ironing, till at
last arrived at what might be called per-
lection in the variou housekeeping and Gu
linary mysteries.
My husband praised me, friends applaud
ed and initiated, and the journals were loud
in my favor, which I, horrible to tell, began
to have secret misgiving as to the excel
lence of my new system. Somehow often
found myself svmpathizing with the ser
wants of late. From morning till night,
drudge, drudge, drudge. Ibegan to Won
| der IL Inc lnnuenceS OF the K1Ccneu were al
together enrolling.
If were growing fat and red like Bridg-
ct, was not also becoming dull. stupid and
Cross? 49,.
It was vastly easier to get up from the
| sofa, dwaddle into the kitchen, and find
fault; but didn't catch myself once In a
while hiding away dirty plate, or conceal
| ing kettle not as bright as the rest?
had grown very saving Of ste ps also. 1t
had been SO easy to ring for Bridget; it was
SO hard now to run up and down stairs fifty
times day.
! My heart grew quite melted towards
Bridget, who saw, pale and wan, occa-
sionally lowering around and looking visit
fully into our we'll warmed basement and
think I should have taken her back had
it not been for consistency.
How could I, the president of the grand
Society for Ameliorating the Condition OF
Suffering Ladies, take back one of those
unprincipled, everbearing, uncleanly, lazy
good for nothing girls how?
If you please, maam, dinners ready.
1 I started up; there was Bridget, blacke,
than ever. I had been dreaming. The
emancipation of women was yet in the
bosom of the future. Bridget yet reigneo
and / had not either cook or waiter.
Il Pofhor diccOnraoino Int had noi