The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-08-20
!, Oyerworked Women.

Louise F. Bryson contributes the
following to the Christian Union. It's
truthfulness will be recognized by cyery
one who has had much acquaintance
with life. She says:
American women can do anything, so
they try to do everything. Nature cries
out against this covetousness. No one
person is allowed to have or do every.
| thing. Only certain amount of vitality
is manufactured within given time and
| If the expenditure exceeds income, the
result, according to Micawber's calcula.
tion, is-misery That is the state O!
our women-misery from overwork.
1t grows largely from the fact of not
understanding the relative value Of
things, aud of not understanding the re.
lativeness Of things themselves. Luxury
and beauty have great moral influence,
but they are not SO valuable as peace Of
mind and rest Of body, nor is their moral
influence rs great as that Of q cheerful
woman. Her price is above rubies.
Like the Indian chief, we are forced to
say, mournfully, "Too much house."
That is what ails our women; they are
dying Of "too much house."
When there is too much house, there
is always too llittle home. Good house
IeePipR 10 py ho inchps ae InIe as ROou
homo keeping 1t is of far less impor.
must be gone through with, daily, in any
drudgery. One-fourth can be rescued
from tho toll and moi Of the world by
management and thought. The most
difficult and tho most necessary lesson
for a housekecper to learn il that she
must assert her individuality. It is
useless to try to please everybody. Many
things In our homes are done directly
with "an eye single" to our neighbors.
Work must be pruned down and Topped
on until 1t matches strength, for the
latter refuses to be enlarged by my
amount of thought.
II Is nice point to adjust this balance
and letting go. What shall wc give up?
Ay, there's the rub. Everything seems
so important. Things must he kept
clean, there is no doubt about that; but
the number of things to be kept clean
can be greatly diminished. Wisdom
would suggest tho minimum consistent
with comfort and refinement. In many
homes there is m embarrassment of
riches in the shape of convcniences and
petty treasures that must he kept in
order, stealing time that might be
bestowed with profit and satisfaction
upon tho higher things of life; people,
books, art, nature, and all the subtle ex
cellences that make life worth living.
Each must solve for herself the ques.
ton of simplifying, living in order to
enable domestic life. Every, woman
knows her own compcxity. fhc same
things do not press with equal weight
upon all. On general principles, how
ever, it is safe to say that
%rh %Thero's too much s wet5fIy goes toa bonnet,
There are too many presssves, too many
ruffles and tucks and elaboration III tho
making and trimming of garments, that
add labor and do not add to their beauty
Woman's fettera are largely self.made
Carvings, upholstery, bruises, bropzes,
chat cause frowns, back.aches, irritabili.
ty, and heart aches, are poor invest
ment of money and time. Things, moro
than people, bring women to the verge
of despair. The endless round of i'm.
agtued Eduties. causea chronic overwork
among women, produces the saddest re-.
suits to them!ap those dependant upon
them forrest, and comfort. "There il
nothing in the world / dread" said the
Household Philosopher, like thorough.
ly exhausted woman. No amount of
personal comfort ever compensates for
such atate of affairs" Of'course not.
What constantly tired woman is capable
Of generous sympathy aud ready help,
or Of companionship? Can she divide
care and double joy? The better part
Of life cries out for warmth aud tender.
ness; but the women who should give it
are blindly wasting themselves on mate.
rial things, polishing the outside Of the
cup without q thought of the wine with.
it.:'--'7--- "--'r-'-