The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-01-20
OVER WORKED WOaEE.

! sAIitt tG1H @O4Htu Call 10 ANY bDtii8y 50
they try to do everything. Nature cries
out against this covetousness. No person
| is allowed to have or do everything. Only
certain amount Of vitality is manufaet-
| ured within given time; and if the ex
pendhures exceed the income, the result,
| according to Micaw befs calculation, is
misery That is the state of our women
misery from overwork. 1t grows largely
from the fact OF not understanding the re-
lative value of things, and of not under
standing the relatyeness of things them
selves. Luxury and beauty have a great
moral influence, but they are not so valu-
able as peace Of mind and rest Of body, nor
is their moral influence as great as that Of
cheerful woman. Herprice is above
rubies. Like the Indian Chief, we are
forced to say mournfnlly: sToo much
house That is what ails our women;
they are dying of 'too much house,
When there is too much honse, there is al
ways too little home Good housekeeping
is by no means as rare as good home
keeping. 1t is Of far less Importance. A
certain amount of drudgery mnst be gone
through with, daily in any calling; about
three-fourths of life is drudgery One
fourth can be rescued from the toll and
MOL of the world by management and
thought. The most difficult and the most
necessary lesson for housekeeper to learn
is that she must assert her individuality.
1t is useless to try to please everybody.
Many things in our homes are done direct
ly with ian eye single" to our neighbors.
Work must be pruned down aud Topped
off until it matches strength, for the latter
refuses to be enlarged by any amount of
thought.
Ii is a nice point to adjust this balance
properly. It requires much giving up and
letting go. What shall we give up? Ay,
there's the rub. Everything seems SO i'm
portant Things must be kept clean, there
is no doubt about that; but the number of
things to be kept clean can be kept great
ly diminished. Wisdom would suggest the
minimum consistent with comfort and re-
fnement. In many homes there is an EN-
barrassment of riches in the shape of con-
venienees and petty treasures that must
be kept in order stealing time that might
be bestowed with profit and satisfaction
upon the higher things of life: people,
books, art, nature, and all the subtle ex-
eeilencies that make life worth living
Each must solve for herself the question
of simplifying living in order to ennoble
domestic life. Every woman knows her
own completely The same things do not
press with equal weight upon all. On gen.
eral principle. however it is safe to say
that.
''There's too much worry goes to- bonnet,
There's too much ironing goes to shirt"
There are too many preserves, too many
ruffles aud tucks and elaboration in the
max ing and turning of garments, that add
labor and do not add to their beauty.
Woman's fetters are largely self-made.
Carvings, upholstery, brasses, bronzes
that cause frowns, backache, irritability
and heartaches are poor investment of
money and time. Things more than peo-
pie bring women to verge of despair.
The endless round of imagined duties
cause chronic oyerwork among women,
produces the saddest results to them and
those dependent upon them for rest and
comfort.
''There is nothing in the world dread"
said tie Household Philosopher. 'slike a
thoroughly exhausted woman. No amount
OF personal comfort ever compensatcs for
such a state Of affairs" OF course not.
What constant tired woman is capable of
generous sympathy and ready help, or of
companionship? Can she divide care and
double ioy9 The better part of life cries
out for warmth and tenderness; but the
women who should give it are blindly
wasting themselves on material things,
polishing the outside of the cups without
thought of the wine within. TO conquer
prejudice, surmount education, and over
come habits of mind and body implies
force of will and power of effort. This
same eonquering and overcoming is neces-
sary to the true emancipation of women
Christian Union.