The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-07-14
AN ETGHT-H0UR WIFE.

moves with becoming grace and digiity
is accustomed to admire her mainly fof
her superior intelligence. She Is d
woman Of views, In other words and
the mother ottwins u ispfof ef toadd.
Her husband points to her with pride, as
a man possessing such a wife should do,
and listens to her with Difference under
all circumstances. And so when sho
said to him recently that she proposed
to adopt the eight.hour doctrine in the
management Of her domestic affairs, he
merely smiled in slow and vague way
and waited for her to speak further. Il
have been thinking about the matter, \
she continued, "and see no reason why
tile advantages Of such reform should
be limited to the shops and factories. 1t
may be only a womans whim, but it
seems to me that the plan will work
quite us well in household industry. AT
any rate, l am going to try it. lam an
eignt-lour woman, Richard dear, and
after to-day this will be an eighthOur
house."
Il had not considered the subject in
that light" Mr.. Wellington observed,
with an air Of surprise and confusion.
u dare say you haven't, his wife re-
turned, 4but you must be able to see at
a glance tina. no one kind Of labor has
any right to ask special privileges in such
i case. 1t is absurd, Richard dear, don't
you know, to say that there should be
days of different lengths for different
classes of people. II the butcher, the
baker and the candlestick.maker can do
sufficient work in eight hours, so can the
housckeeper and the assistants-and Of
course, with more leisure, they can give
more attention to hooks, music, painting
and other forms OF culture, and thus
make themselves better and happier
without neglecting heirpraCtical duties. n
"But are you sure" Mr.. Wellington
ventured to ask, shat household work is
of nature which can be adapted to ar
bitrary conditions of time and season. 1t
occurs to me that have often heard you
say woman's work is never done; and
must say don't see how you are going
to shorten it by trying to dispose OF it in
eight hours instead Of ten or twelve"
"That is sophistry," Ms. Wellington
promptly answered, "aS you would know
II you had studied this eight-huur prob.
lem in careful and unpreiudiced man.
ner. Tile statistics show, Richard dear,
TINT in all the indnstrisa- where tl,a
hours Of ldbor have been reduced the
production has been increased, which
proves that it is q mistake to suppose
that the longer a person laDors the more
he accompIishcs.
Undoubtedly NJ Mrs Wellington con.
tinued, in earnest tones, "the time will
come when the triumphs Of inventive
genius will practically absolve us from
the necessity of labor of any sort; but we
must approach that halcyon state by de.
grces, and logically. Patience and logic,
Richard dear. arr. the two great secrets
of progress in this world. "'aesasa. .ss,sess
This may or may not have seemed con.
elusive to Mr.. Wellington, but at least It
silonced him; and the discussion was not
renewed until the next morning, when
he discovered that he must wait an hour
later than usual for his breakfas.. It
would not do, Mrs. Wellington explained,
to have the days labor begun too early
under the eight-hour system or It would
end too soon-a proposition which Mr..
Wellington had to confess was too simplp
for argument, and vet it embarrassed and
provoked linn. OF course he could sec
that to have breakfast at z o'clock, M
had been his habit, and luncheon at l9
would cause his dinner TO be served
before 8, instead Of being DELAYED until
9, Indeed, rs it was, he would BE- M.
quired to dine between and :, and that
did not suit him at all. I'm sorry" Mrs
Wellington remarked, "but I'm sure vou
will soon get used to it. These things
are matters Of habit only, and we can
afford to change our habits in as import.
ant respect as that of times Of eating
when we knew that morn leisure is to be
gained thereby, and greater opportuui.
ties Of culture and enjoyment
He did not get used to it, however.
The theory, as presented by his capable
and excellent wife, was reasonable and
beautiful enough, but somehow it did
not operate satisfactorily. HG was always
sure of his breakfast-and that was
about all. Luncheon was ready for him
at the appointed time, but II he hap
pened to be fifteen minutes late, he found
the table cleared, and Mrs. Wei.
lington ready with statement to
the effect that in an eight-hour
house pronptnesS was impern.
tive, and no allowance could DO made
for accidents, 1t was still worse ut din.
ner. He tried his best to reach the house
in time, but his business was 80 apt to
ltIY, ~.
Ilolu MN III SPlte OF nus ehdeaNors that
lie iailed very much olteher than he sue
ceeded' lime ana again he arrived Just
on 'lie stroSg Oh inc elsnIh nour' only to
De ,., !olu 'I'a' !. was nS''eF H tor q man go
without hiS u. aI',her tI'un lor Tue servants
:" 70 w aSNeG 70 ioreSo uhy part OF their
nDer'y ana 'nslr cnanve Oh mental Inn
pFovelneh'' Even Il lhey were willing
70 remain ana wait upon nin' iof extra