Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-06-28

HoosknoLr CAREs.-If TIE v6ls cF
woman coald b taken a che cues
ton e housekeeping. it would b q
natt@r OF great surprise 70 men co
learn the result. The business az
conducted 1t present would Be voted
cut of existence. o., failing IN that,
the voies Of the majority woald b Zoe
bosrding. The work Of the house
bold has increased greatly within
quarter OF century, and the servant
Of the period is not ~ Improvement
upon the typical one Of the past. The
luxnries which one hy one hare come
TO women. the mnltitndinoua things
that are required 20 make homes at
tractive. and the modern houses which
have their' mountain stairs DO weary
weak backs. are ail tkings which have
combined to make housekeeping q
drudgery. Time and strength. are
consumed while the routine work Is
being performed. and the intelligent
minds Of American women rebel con-
stantly.
What can be done ? Break MP
homes, and live in those modern car
avansaries-hotels? Not 80. The
remedy lies in simplifying home life;
in leaving ont Of houses the endless
traps that are hard to keep clean. and
harder still to make, and by putting
in homes nothing too good for hard
usage.
Women need 10 know, and cannot
while they worry and fret over launbre-
quins and pillow-shams, tides and
Hamburg borders on clothing, that it
is discouraging 10 try to fight the mat
ter at all. They are trying to do their
best, working early and late. saving
here and spending there. jadioioesly
as they hope. yet never realizing any
blessing for themselves or others.
Whist is nice parlor or fine dinner
TO q visitor, IL the hostess is dull.
worn out Person2 The guest who is
hidden to enjoy such hospitality is
cheated ont Of better company at home,
and deserves an apology rather than
offer thanks for such attentions as are
extended.
Housewives do not emancipate
themselves from the thraldom put
upon them by o 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 small
est possible space. Then women, hav-
ing Inconvenience Of this kind to
start with, make every effort 10 over
come them by furnishings.
Fashion has to be consulted in this
latter matter, and upholstered articles
that get soiled and fade ont are bought
when the family purse cannot afford
it. Nice } china or glass ID purchased
when Ignorant or careless help wall
make quick work Of it; and the COM
pany rooms are furnished as richly as
possible, when in fact the social circle
in which the family move Is 10 limi-
ted that sitting room would answtr r
every purpose.
If cheap carpets, and stone-ware,
and plain clothing should be fashion
able for all people, how soon the bur-
dens would drop away from the shoul-
ders of the majority of the housekeep-
ers. How soon would the fault-fnd-
ing and complaining cease. and the
dull women become intelligent. inter-
ested members Of the family circle.
Suppose the pillowcases have no shams;
it would be all the better for the home
life of homes. Shams should be un-
known in them any way, and real pill
low-cases would give more satisfae-
ton.
Then sound common sense should
save women from wasting their time
on ruffles and falfals that add moth
ing but wrinkles TO all brows. House
holds, as they are now, seem to be run
for the benefit Of lookers-on, rather
than the comfort Of inmates, and the
result ID q generally dissatisfied army
Of housekeepers. It is not amazing
that they are dissatisfied, for that ar
CUES appreciation Of uncongenial work.
and those who are alive TO the fact
that their tasks hurt them in spirit
ual sense have one hope Of saving
themselves.
Simplify life; this is the way through
which women may hope 10 rise TO an
estate wherein they will find them
selves serene and patient. honest and
true. It were worth all Of life to live
If the best half Of humanity could be
lifted ont of drudgery of . domestic
kind and placed where the home
would be what the Divine Power de-
signed it should be. a temple where
siSin and evils eeass-
4 mA f.seEw Tnas ana r.aaep