The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-03-12
Fuss and Nonsense.

1t Is useless when physicians. hygienic
journals, and other first-class auihori-
ties on the subject are laboring with the
people, for us in this simple paper, to
expect to write anything new Ii would
be worse than useless; II would SAVIOR
of presumption. Yet this must be said:
Every householder should look at the
matter for himself.
''But ! don't understand anything
about it.
''Study the matter up then"
''But have no time: my life now is
oyercrowded to that point that am
obliged to scrimp my eating and sleep
ing hours"
LET us see. You take the $40 cX-
press out at night to your home, that
pretty cottage distant from the city of
n where you work, fifteen miles
You generally read your evening paper
on the way out, or buy copy of Puck,
the Judge, or something of that ilk.
Now why not get an authority that you
can rely upon, either journal or book,
on just this very subject, clap it into the
bag that contains your papers brought
from the Office, or into your coat pOck-
ct, if you carry no bag. You will be
surprised to find how soon you have
mastered the simple rudiments OF this
exhaustive system of plumbing, drain
age, and house-building. You cannot,
it is true, 60 into many details. nor
would it, perhaps, be wise SO to do; but
enough for you to understand whether
the source of your water supply is pure,
and your house and grounds are right
for your family to live IN, can be yours
if you will devote this time 10 finding
out,
But shall have to give up my pa
per then. 1t is invaluable to me as
news. besides resting a mind and body
thoroughly jaded by the days's work.
TO be sure; but how much do you
gainp If you take money into considera-
ton, cool hundred or two saved by
not calling in your physician to see you
or your wife through an attack of ty-
phoid fever, or all of the children through
diphtheria. Then as to worry, and las
situde, and a general loss of all house
hold peace,-who can estimate what
their effects arep Besides, did you not
often read an ocean of silly anecdotes,
pOllCC iCOoioo, uhu SChS0liOh0i SOSSlI
along with your evening paper2 Maybe
it rests you; but rather than do that sort
of reading, quiet nap with head
thrown back, and no thought allowed
in your brain. would pay better. Take
it all in all, had you not rather give up
for a few nights your evening paper on
the train for the sake of what you gain
in returnp Honestly now"
well, supposing do find out that
something is wrong about the house, OIL
that the well is impure, what can l dc
about itp rent the place; the landlord
would see me in Joppa before he wouit
lay out o cent for alteration. VIVA
can do,-sayP"
!: "Get ont o. that house, man, even i
J you sleep on the common. or take to tb'
woods"
Nonsense; easier said than done
The place is as good rs half the place
in town. 1t is low of rent, and jus
suits US. My wife wouldn't 60 if yo'
, paid our expenses of moving"
Wouldn't she if you instructed he
on all the points upon which you hav
/ just become enlightened in your read
3 ing"
Z mo, sir, she wouldn't; she would de
clare it was all fuss and nonsense, VOL
: rying over matter that was well enoug
8 let alone. But in the first place sh
: wouldn't hear me through. if began
, put the case before her. It's no us
3 talking; we've just furnished our hous
g over, and we are not going to thin
+ about anything else in it now. "-Mal
a garet Sidney, in Good Housekeeping.