The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-26
The House Keeping Question.

To the Editor of the indianapolis journal:
The editorial columns of the Sunday Journal,
April 10, contain an article on housekeeping,
of course written by a man, probably married
man. Had he taken the trouble of consulting
his wife on the subject, the article in question
might have assumed an entirely different color.
The weak points are SO numerous that one
hardly knows which to attack first 1t is very
easy matter to discuss and dispose of the hired
girl question at long range. 1t makes one smile
to see how quickly our editorial friend reaches a
solution Of the vexatious question. He gravely
says "Do your own work as your grandmothers
did" How easy to say it! But times are
changed, and fancy few would be willing to go
back to those times, even If they could
In the first place, our grandmothers worked SO
hard while raising their families that they
had little strength to bequeath their children,
and the present generation of mothers cannot
etand the labor of the pioneer women.
AS said times are greatly changed Our
grandmothers did not have three or four courses
at each meal with corresponding loads of dish
es to wash three times day. Their children
did not 60 to the public schools, to
dancing schools and art schools; did not take
music nor the languages. In fact they had very
few advantages. Do we want to go back to the
Our wise editorial writer goes on to remark:
'.Mistresses must, by practical demonstration,
teach the dignity and importance of house
work by doing the work themselves" Suppose
the mistress" in one instance. is the young
mother of four or five little children Can she
get breakfast, lunch and dinner and do all the
work of the house for a family of six or seven,
attend to all the thousand and one wants of the
little ones besides the endless variety of things
to be attended to about homea Not one woman
4 - 10 ahl IN ID oh att x,x,Ao
it, with the desire to save money to please her
husband, she goes to an early grave, and then
the sad event is attributed to Providence.
Suppose the mistress in the second instance,
is an elderly. woman whose strength has de-
parted with the bearing and rearing of family
Of children; can she practically demonstrate the
dignity and Importance of house work.
by doing her own work? There
are few American house-keepers who do not
work. 1t is hard work to look after house
in good running order; and it is all a mother
ought to do. Does the proprietor of the Indian
apolis Journal manage the finances, write the
editorials, attend to the machinery, do the print
ing, the threading, get out the paper and
then go on the street and sell itl 1t would be
as easy and as reasonable for him to do HALL
thai as for woman to do all the work of the
household.
II is not a desirable thing to be servant:
but when girl is Obliged to work or starve she
ought to be thankful for comfortable home,
good room, light and warmth without costing
her penny. There is necessity OF wasting sym
patty on the servant girl She demands So or 81 a
week while she cannot cook meal properly. She
must have eight nights week out, and it al
most takes ire-bell to get her ont Of bed in the
morning, and she carries things with a high
hand generally. She does not want to better her
condition, being very well satisfied with things
as they are. She is necessary evil, which
American housewives cannot do without. Much
more could be said in reply to the Journals ar
ticle, but time and space prevent LIRIs