The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-06-01
Domestic Economy.

Ihere Is one domain tho almost exclusive
right to which has never been denied to women.
Nearly every house in America has it's house,
keeper, and that housekeeper is. in nearly
every instance, women. The comfort and
welfare of the greater portion of mankind de-
pend upon the mistress Of the house, and yet
how few girls are properly instructed in the
careful keeping of housed! The cost of liy-
ing, the amount of the trimming expenses Of
household, depend mainly upon the.woman
at the head of the house. It would seem to
be self-evident that no knowledge Of natural
laws or of scientific principles can be amiss
in the head Of such an important person
she needs to bear in mind certain
rules Of economy, such as no spend
no more than she has right to spend, aud
to obtain the maximum of utility with
the money spent; in common parlence, to get
her moneys worth. This applies not only to
purchases of articles Of food and clothing, but
to the caro- of them. A loaf of bread allowed
TO mold is 80 much capital wasted, 80 much
loss TO the country, for the possibility of mus
thrown away and forever lost The use of
sal soda done up in packages with q fine name
aud costing some rs cents pound, instead Of
Using 1t under its own mama aud paying 25
cents for ten pounds, is waste of good money
which might be spent in newspapers or in
books. In these matters the housokeeper OF
to-day is at q disadvantage, as compared with
the niatron of fifty years ago. Then the soap
was made from tho ashes and grease which
otherwise would be wasted; its composition
and properties were known. Mos; of the
wash material of which the every day clothing
WAS made was home spun and home dyed. The
mistress knew how the coors were fixed, and
consequently she knew what would iniuro
them. Our grandmothers had great deal
more really sclontific knowledge and skill than
we are apt to give Thorn credit for. Pioneer
life is a good educator in practical things Now
the conditions Of living have grown easier, and
a loss Of skill and of interest in the homcly
but all-important details of daily llfo has re-
suited 10 o cursory, observer it would seem
rs if housekeeping to-day was q very simple
matter Everything can be bought ready
made, from broad to underwear, and surely
the duty of mistress of q modern family is
only to spend the money to what seems to be
the best advantage Science has opened so
many new fields and made SO many new dis
coveries that surely We are much better off
that applied science has aided modern living in
many ways. but if we examine closely we shall
find that while we have sewing machines, and
electric lights, we have no new alkali for soap
making, no royal road through washing day, no
indestrnctible fabric for clothing, no patent for
advance has only complicated the work of the
housekeeper and left her more helpless than
grandmother was. The manufacturers of arti-
cles of daily consumption do not hesitate to
avail themselves OF the chemists art to adul-
terate and to substitute worthless ingredients,
aud the matron has not the knowledge to
detect this fraud, and hence the whole
household suffers. The only remedy
would seem to be o better knowledge,
on tho housekeeper's part, of the nature
of the substances in daily use and better
understanding Of the rules of domestic
economy. Tue average woman Looks upon
chemistry rs an occult scionco. still closely con-
nccted with tile alchemy of the middle ages.
She seems to regard chemical operations as
capable of transforming substances in quite as
marvellous manner as was claimed possible
by tho old-time searchers for tho philosophers
stone; as result she is fit subject for the
modern alchcmist, tho man who can turn sal
soda or whiting int, gold by fow neatly
turned phrases, calculated to impress the
pubic with the wonderful aivancs of modern
science. 10 ono who happens to BIO both a
chemist and hou-okeeper the evidence of the
need of enlightenment GU the side OF tho buyer
has become so strong that silence seems no
longer possible.