The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-07-07
HOUSEHOLD CAREs-SoME Peril
NENT SUGGESTIONS.

II the vote of woman could be taken
on the question of housekeeping, il
would be matter Of great surprise To
men To learn the result. The business
Is conducted at present would be voted
out OF existence, or, failing in that, the
voice of the majority would be for
boarding. The work OF the household
has increased greatly within 4 quarter
of a century, and the servant of the pc
riod is not an improvement upon the
typical one of the past. The luxuries
which one by one have come to women,
the multitudinous things that are re-
quircd to make homes attractive, and
the modern houses which have their
mountain stairs to tire weak backs, are
all things which have combined to make
housekeeping drudgery. Time and
strength are consumed while the rou-
tine work is being performed, and the
intelligent minds Of American women
rebel constantly.
What can be done? Break up homes,
and live in those modern caravansaries
hotels Not so. The remedy lies
in simplifying home life; in leaving
out of houses the endless traps that are
hard TO keep clean, and harder still to
make, and by putting in home nothing
too good for hard usage.
Women need to know, and cannot
while they worry and fret over lambre-
quins and pillow-shams, tides and
Hamburg borders on clothing, that it
is discouraging to try to fight the mat
ter at all. They are trying to do their
best, working early and late, saving
here and spending there, judiciously as
they hope, yet never realizing any
blessing for themselves or others
What is nice parlor or a fine dinner
to 4 visitor, il the hostess is dull, worn
out person? The guest who is hidden
to enjoy such hospitality is cheated out
Of better company at home, and de.
serves an apology rather than offer
thanks for such attention rs are extend
ed.
Housewives do not emancipate them
selves from the thraldom put upon them
| by variety Of conditions. In the first
place, their homes are not adapted to
housekeeping. Men, and not women,
plan houses, and the sole idea in view
in building them is to get the largest
number on the smallest possible space.
Then women, having inconvenience OF
this kind to start with make every effort
TO overcome them by furnishings.
Fashion has to be consulted in this
latter matter, and upholstered articles
that get soiled and fade out are bought
when the family purse cannot afford it..
Nice china or glass is purchased when
ignorant or careless help will make
quick work Of it; and the company
rooms are furnished as richly as possible,
when in fact the social circle in which
the family move is so limited that a
sitting room would answer every pur-
pose.
II cheap carpets, and stone-warc,
and plain clothing should be fashion
able for all people, how soon the bur-
dens would drop away from the shoulders
OF the majority Of the housckccpers.
How soon would the fault-finding and
complaining cease, and the dull women
become intelligent, interested members
Of the family circle. Suppose the
pillow.cases have no shams; il would
be all the better for the home.life OF
homes. Shams should be unknown in
them any way, and real pillow-cases
would give more satisfaction.
Then sound common sense should
save women from wasting their time on
ruffies and fallals that add nothing but
wrinkles to all brows. Households, as
they are now, seem to be run for the
benefit of lookers-on, rather than for
the comfort Of inmates, and the result
is a generally dissatisfied army Of house
keepers.