Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-24
Women who Keep House to Please the
NeixhbOrs.

NelxhDOrss
Kate Epson Clarke.
about their work. There is probably no point on
which this supersensitivene5s is more displayed
than that OF housekeeping. TO be called "slack'
hOusekeeper stingS woman to the quick, no
matter how deserved the impeachment may be;
yet the moment woman does that she Is excit-
ing herself in her housekeeping to do more than
she otherwise would for fear that sspeOple will
talk" that moment she begins to endanger her
whole theory of life. IL is this keeping house so
as to please society and to pacate'the neighbOrs'
which is at the bottom OF much OF the overwork
and the belittling OF the mind which are the bane
OF hOusekeepers.
"Dont try to keep your house so clean," says a
clever writer, Tor else stepmother will bring up
ton OF the matter throws a flood of light
upon it. 1t fntimates that a housekeeper has
duties besides keeping house, and paramount to
housekeeper is usually wife. wife, besides
seeing that her husband has clean rooms to live
in. well-cooked meals and neat clothes should
make hereSelf companion to him. His mind is
usually sharpened by his activity in business or
professional life. She must see to it that her
mind Is kept as sharp as possible by reading and
study. She should try to remain so far as her
efforts can go what she probably was In the days
of their courtsh1p-the most interesting person in
the world for him to be with. Above all things,
she must keep herslf well and strong or else good
spirits, which are the most charming attribute in
either man or woman, Will be lacking.
Then she is usually a mother. Her children are
full OF questions. They desire her companionship
and her conversation. Whose else can be so good
for them as hers? She should see to 1t that they
have these in full measure and OF good quality.
She is also member OF some social circle. The
greatest work that woman can do to improve the
social fabric is OF course, in the hOme but there
are many outside duties which no Self-reSpect1ng
woman should neglect, and for which she should
have portion OF her time and strength
The keeping OF the house, then, is only one of
several vOcattOnS OF the hOusekeeper and subort1-
nate to those OF the wife, the mother and the
being. That is to say, the keeping OF the home in
which family and friends are to be fed and shell
tered is only means to the securing of their
health and happiness. Just soon as woman
begins to think OF the cleaning and cooking AS
ends in themselves, and devOtes herself to them to
such an extent that her usefulness In higher
spheres is impaired, she is making a mistake.
Keep the balance true. Remember that the objects
of earthly toll are to keep our loved ones well
and happy.
Relegate conversation about the household
affairs to the background, unless the humorous
side Is uppermOst. See that good meats, plain and
substantial, are served, no matter what cleaning
or other work Is going on. Do not tire yourself
out with trying to do double work In q day. BY
system this can be avoided Never mind what
1.-THE neighbOrS" say. Keep continually In mind
that you are keeping house not for the sake OF
keeping house, but to make home In which hus-
band and children and friends shall thrive and re-
1Otce continually.