Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-12-28
Improved Wives.
u. y. IN - 20 TrIbnne

stock, plants and seeds, and much
money Is spent for them. Why not
an improved wife, and an investment
for her betterment. The wife, too Of
ten the unrepining drudge of the
household, patiently takes a large
pay in grumbling for her occasional
failures to come to time In busy sea-
sons when the farmer with a s'hurrah
boys" pushes things, but never gives
thought to the burden greater than
can safely be borne that he casts up
on his naturally weak and helpless
helpmate. Is a woman only a helper
and the man only to be helped? and
is not the right course of things the
reverse Of this? It was painfully
made apparent to me the other day
that farmers are often greatly to be
blamed for thoughtIess cruelty to
their wives. I was in neighbours
house, a farmer able to live at ease on
his large farm we'll rented to a good
tenant. He had a comfortable house
built for himself and wife. Alas!
poor woman, in doing her part had
so worn herself out that when the
physical infrmities of old age came
upon her they led to softening of the
brain and mental imbeciI1ty. "Poor
old woman" the man remarked, ''she
is past work now and is a great care
to me-" And the old lady uttered
some truths that should have cut her
partner deeply.
Yes she said in her childish way,
I've carried in all the wood, brought
all the water, cooked and scrubbed
and washed for all; made and mend
ed; nursed and reared seven children
without help; but pa, he always had
his hired men to work for him, and
thank God, L can carry in the wood
yet. Butts a hard life to be a farm
er's wife, and when I am old there is
no rest until I die" And she Groom
ed out, ''There is rest for the weary;
there is rest yes, there is rest for |
me- in a childish weak voice. Farm I
ers have much to answer for in this !
way. The family is neglected. The /
mother is not thought so much of as
the cattle; and the barn is better filed |
with cOnveniences than the kitchen.
There is no dry shed for the fuel; no |
private retiring place fitting for a
delicate woman; no stationary wash /
tubs with pipes to let out the soiIed |
water into a drain; no tank for soft /
water for which a pipe leads to the
tubs or the kitchen; no separate wash /
room: no clean foot paths; no porch;
no fOotscrapers: no water heater on
the stove; no convenience of this sort. /
But in the barn there is a horse pow
er, manure cellar, fodder cutter, hay
elevator; and in the yard the mower, |
the horserake; self-binder, and other
implements worth hundreds of dol
lars.
Who can wonder that the girls
crowd the cities and with tears beg
work Of any kind that will support
them, always except homework. Alas!
they have seen the misery Of house
work at home, and want to get away
from it. What wonder that five
seventies of Iunatics and imbeciles
have been farmers wives! IF the wife
is the weaker vessel, how she should
be helped in every way; how she
should be provided with an ample
store Of fuel and kindlIng for the
morning fire and for the days use:
how her wants should be anticipated
and met before they become pressing,
and when a mild request is made how
prompt and full should be the re-
Spouse. I know farmers who live /
near creameries who refuse to patrO- /
nize these labor-saving institutions
because it costs hve cents a pound to
make creamery butter, but nothing /
for the wife's labor. I have seen /
farmers wives milking In the yard /
at deep dusk, while the farmer and I.
his boys sat on the fence and watch /
ed her while they smoked their pipes /
and rested And the supper-tabl e
had to be cleaned, the dishes wash /
ed, the milk strained and put away,
and the pals washed and then prob /
ably clothing to be mended before
bed could be reached Alas for the
farm wifel