Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-16
THE HOUSEHOLD.
WOman's Unnecessary Work.

! a sensible writer in an exchange saws
II am convinced that at least one quarter
| of the work performed by women is I'M
| necessary, and that the world would gel
along quite as well without it," am in.
clined TO go further still, and put it al
One-half. Il never find time to read
said a lady at whose house [ was calling
and at the same time she sadly threaded a
needle with chenille, and remarking that
some people had so much leisure, she con
tinued her work of embroidery, impos-
sible yellow peaches on a red plush mantle
scarf. Il had not even the merit of econ
omy, for the materials were as expensive
as they were hideous. Any work that
serves to make home a charming and low
able place is a sacred duty to wife and
mother; but that which contributes to no
comfort or enjoyment, frightful fancy
work that has not even any artistic merit,
Is, indeed, waste of time and energy
busy idleness.''
Husbands undoubtedly like to feel that
their wives are good housekeepers, but
husbands are very human, and once let a
woman sink the wife in the housekeeper,
and her husband will very likely fall INTO
the same habit. The ''over-clean" woman
Is nuisance to her family and friends. [
once overheard a conversation between
two gentlemen in a street car, whose
wives belonged to the above class, and,
though estimable women, were about as
close to goodness as cleanliness could
take them.
It was during the season of that annual
horror house cleaning" and they were
condolfng with each other upon its miser-
les. They both voted it an entirely I'M
i Al i IL
during its progress at his house every
thing was so wet that he always felt as if
there was an incipient flood, while his
friend said he could endure the water, it
was the smell of yellow soap that he oh
jected to.
woman should never allow herself to
become mere household drudge, and
when she finds that she has no time to
read an occasional good book, to write
letter to friend, to read story to the
children, or to walk or talk to her hus-
band, she may conclude that there is
something wrong somewhere in her
domestic economy, and the more quickly
she recognizes and remedies the evil, the
better it will be for herself and family.
If she is obliged to do her own family
sewing, every tuck or ruffie that she puts
on her children's clothes is a crime. The
hour or hours spent in making an elabor-
ate dress that baby will look '1ovely" in,
is a waste Of energy that a mother who
does her own work cannot afford. Baby
will look quite as lovely in her eyes in a
plain slip, and if he has only his elabo-
rate dress to recommend him to the eyes
of others, he might rather pass unnoticed.
Give the matter serious thought, oh tired
hOuSekee Der: and see if YOU do not take
many unnecessary steps, and do much
that you might, without injury to any
one, leave undone. Rest your body and
improve your mind keeping your face
and heart as fresh as possible, as you
value the love of your husband and
children.
Since this is chapter of quotations, I
will end it with the remark made by
sarcastic gentleman: "Women seem to be
divided into two classes, the over indus
trious and the over indoIent, and of the
two evils, we would choose the latter as
being the least"