Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1883-08-04

SOME PERTINENT SUGGESTIONS

If the vote of women could be
taken on the question of housekeep-
ing, it would be matter of great sur
prise to men TO learn the result. The
business as it is conducted at pres
ent 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 in
creased greatly within a quarter of
a century, and the servant of the
period 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 required to make homes at
tractive, and the modern houses
which have their mountainous stairs
to weary weak backs, are all things
which have combined to make
housekeeping a drudgery. Time and
strength are consumed While the
routine 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-hote ? 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 put
ting in homes nothing too good for
hard usage.
Women need to know so much
that they do not know, and cannot
while they worry and fret over lamb
requins and pillow shams, Tides and
Hamburg borders on clothing, that
it is discouraging to try to fight the
matter at all They are trying to do
their best, working early and late,
saving here and spending there, ju-
diciously as they hope, yet never re-
alizug any blessing for themselves
or others. What is nice parlor or
fine dinner to visitor, it the host
ess is dull, worn-outperson The
guest who is hidden to enjoy such
hospitality is cheated out 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 thralldom 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 wo-
men, 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 ar
ticles that get soiled and fade out
are bought when the family purse
cannot afford it. Nice china or glass
is purchased when ignorant or care
less help will make quick work Of it;
and the company rooms are furnish
ed 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 purpose.
If cheap carpets, and stoneware,
and plain clothing should be fash
ionable for all people, how soon the
burdens would drop away from the
shoulders of the majority Of the
housekeepers. How soon would the
fault-inding and complaining cease.
and the dull women become intelli
gent, interested members of the fam.
lily circle. Suppose the pillow. cases
have no shams; it 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