The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-01-19
Farmers, Wives

world it is farmers wife, said a gem
tleman In my hearing, not long ago. He
spoke from large observation. and his
words were not idle ones. He had BEEN
born and bred on a farm, and doubtless
the pathetic picture of bis hard work
ing mother-worked to death in her
kitchen, her dairy, and the rearing of
SIX chlldren-wss in his mind. He had
not ceased to think OF her, and her
salnted memory made him tender over
the hardships OF those who were work
ing, drudging like slaves in the kitchen.
washing, cooking, spinning, caring for
the plggery and the hennery, their toll
never done, but doomed like Ssyphus
to roll tue never thing stone. Most
farmers wives have Indeed hard lot.
ameliorated though it may be from
what 1t was IN the past generation. Too
often are they pathetic figures in beau
tliul settings. Surrounding their homes
are green groves and meadows, purple
hills and mirroring streams, lovely IN.
der any light, at every hour, with ma
lures own tints and forms. Do they
harmonize with these? Generally not.
Their early grace and beauty have van
ished under the weight of care and toll.
Thin forms, anxious faces, tired eyes,
aching fingers, these do not harmonize
with topaz colored shadows, zephyrs of
Araby, and the summer radiance of sun
sets.
In the first place, farm houses have
not been built SO as to make housekeep
ing perpetual delight. "Intervals of
space, with 10 connecting link" have
been trave1sed by weary feet, too weary
to appreciate the "poetry of motion, !"
10 it's prosaic application. Dark and
unattractive kitchens III the rear, hot in
summer, cold IN winter; closets lust
where they ought not to be, or omitted
altogether; broken cistesns which hold
no water, or the ''moss- covered bucket. 4"
which Is nuisance, whether woman
Is In hurry or not: these are some of
the 1Ecidentais that serve to discourage
and exhaust the housekeepers on the
farms. Add to this the desire to make
money, Indigenous in the breast of every
true American, aud the consequent alb
sence of literature, pic'ures and music
IN many OF these homes, and can one
imagine surroundings better calculated
to make work unlove!y? Is it any won.
der that lives become bard, 1t1Iitariap.
fretful, with all these iucJnveuient
surroundings and numerous disadvan-
tages?
Then when we combine with all this
the dreary and incessant toll that char-
acterize the lives of most farmers wives,
toll SO excessive as to shrivel the charms
of womanhood, exhaust the nervous
system, and bow and stifen the frame.
is it any wonder that the poor, tired
brain reels with thoughts of cheerless
past and hopeless future The farmer
himself works from sun to sun. with
usually an hours incoming. His wife
tolls on several hours later, and does
the work of three or four women during
that time. She has to provide the three
hearty meals for the day, do the wash
ing, ironing, sewing, mendlpg, cleaning
between, sees to the children, feeds the
pigs, calves and poultry, and possibly
IN a pinch goes out to rake hay or pick
apples. She has no time to glance at
the newspapers, to cultivate the ameni-
ties of life, no time even 10 rest. Her
hours rest does not come at noon, often
does not come at al, for she often is SO
tired that she cannot sleep when she
seeks her bed late in tie night, or per.
haps there is young child to tend
whose uneasiness prevents that refresh
ing slumber of which she stands SO
much in need.
The ordinary farmers wife has other
trials and disadvantages that are, per-
haps, as depressing and mind dwarfing
as the most vexatlou5 care or fatiguing
toll. Her soul is tried. not by hard
work alone, but by the hard work with
no share IL mutual accumulation. TIE
loyal helpmate, the energetic house
Keeper, is not partner in the business
firm. Solomon tells of the woman who
considereth field and bought it: with
the fruit of her hands she plantetha vine
yard, she maketh fine linen and selleth
If, and delivereth girdles to the mer-
chants" THE average woman of to day
might consider the matter as long as she
pleased, but she could not possibly pur-
chase. Her negotiations are usually
confined to tin peddlers, grocerymep
and her milliner. She may "load her.
self with fnery;" but not often, and
even if she does purchase bonnet each
season and put dozen ruffies on dress,
l dare say she has not an extra quarter
of her own to give to a charitable cause.
Fashion says to her husband, you must
dress well, and so be is forced against
his will sometimes, to give his wife
enough to cover these expenses. But
she has no pin money, and if she wishes
to buy book or picture, or a Christ
mas present for friend, she has to ask
her husband, who nine times out Of ten
grudgingly asks, though he gives her
the money. Where in thunder has that
last five dollars gone to ?"
In those old Bible stories whose inter
est is forever fresh and whose pictur-
esque narratives are go fascinating, there
is an account of farmers wife who,
when she desired to molly the wrath of
a powerful chief whom her husband had
shabbily treated, collected and carried
to him present OF provisions. wine and
milk, figs and raisins, and "fve sheep
ready dressed" But | have known
modern farmers wives VITO would not
dream OF touching the least among
hooks or herds, even in times of absolute
necessity. A neighbor who wished to