Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-27
IS HOUSEKEEPING A FAILURE?
What Two Sensible Women Say on the
Subject.

Subject.
Prom the New York Herald.
MARION HARLAND SAYS rT's PLEASURE.
Success or failure in housekeeping de-
ponds entirely upon how you go about it," said
Marion Harland (Mrs. Terhune), the editor Of
the Home Maker and lifelong writer on
domestic topics.
'If married couple commence in the right
spirit, and in business-like and common-sense
manner, they will be successful; but If they
are careless or slovenly, why, Of course, the
attempt will result in failure.
''For my own part, consider housekeeping
the only true way in which to live. have kept
house for thirty years in the south and in the
north, and even in Europe when / could do So
In all my life only boarded six months, and
remember even yet the sad discomforts Of that
brief experience. / have. always found it q
pleasure to keep house, as every true woman
does, and do not find it in a ~ way wearisome
or irksome. The trouble with those who are
unsuccessful in this branch of womaIfs work is
that they have no system, and do everything at
loose ends, so to speak You must have business
methods, just as in anything else. house,
in hurry. She should be perfect mistress Of
herself, and then she will be mistress of her
servants. Having a system they will soon learn
1t, and find their work easier.
lone OF the principal elements of success is
to do your own marketing. By doing so you
save money, get better supplies and wider
variety. Servants are good deal like horses.
They are curious to know what kind of hand
there is on the reins and act accordingly.
Firmness is essential, and there should be some
practical knowledge of the details. An ignorant
housekeeper is at the mercy of her servants;
her table is not good, her expenses are in
creased, for there is an awful waste, of which
she knows nothing, and, If she suspects it, can
not cure.
THE QUESTION OF SERVANTS.
81 know there is a general outcry against
American domestic servants, and it may sur
prise you when I say that think there are as
good servants to be found here as in any coun-
try in the world. My own servants remain
with me for years, and have had only three
bad ones in all my experience. They often
need training and education. but once that is
over they can be relied upon. The great
trouble with our maid servants is that thev
will get married. I have three maids now, and
each OF them has beau. They all say that
they will never leave me, but know better.
They are just as good girls as you could find,
but their beaus are spelling them for domestic
service. and the sooner they get married the
better. Of course, you cannot stop girls from
falling in love.
Take it altogether, I do not consider house,
keeping to be failure. should be very sorry
to believe that Of American women. But when
we consider the question we come down to the
fundamental principle Of education. Ameri-
cans rightfully consider it disgrace that their
sons should drift into the leisure class, and we
all know that the majority of young men of
leisure are absolutely good for nothing They
cannot even kill time intelligently Yet how
large is the class Of our leisure women! There
are thousands of young women who receive
good educations, yet know nothing of domestic
work or Its pleasures and responsibilities. They
could not sweep a room properly or make a bed
If they tried and as for cooking, they are abso-
lutely ignorant Of it. They do not know the
value OF money or the methods Of saving it.
AN IGNORANT WIFE TO BE PIrIED.
"a young wife coming from this class is to be
pitied. She finds herself confronted with a
problem she cannot solve, and is terror stricken
at the task before her. or course. she fails,
and the husband decides to sell off his house
hold goods and go to the hotel or the boarding.
house. He has taken partner into the domes-
TIC firm who knows nothing of her share of the
business, and there is domestic bankruptcy
But where daughter has been properly in
structed by her mother the result is quite
dlHerent. She has accompanied her mother
while marketing, assisted in buying furniture,
has had at odd times the care and responsible
lty OF the household. When she marries there
is very little to learn, and she becomes a sue
cessful and happy housekeeper.
"Of course housekeeping is sometimes more
boarding, but 1t is far more comfortable, and
usually the cost Is not greater when you take
into consideration the freedom and independ-
ence which accompanies housekeeping Say
what you will there is something about home
cookery which makes it more ENJOYABLE. You
have better appetite for a beefsteak and
dish OF boiled potatoes cooked at home than
you can find for the most elaborate menu in
hotel. We all find it SO, and housekeeping can
be made successful in every way if the proper
method is adopted.
There has been a good deal said about the
value OF cooking schools for the education of
possible housekeepers and wives but am not
OF the opinion that they meet the want. Nv
OPINION Is that schools for teaching practical
wholesome cooking to servants would do much
to improve domestic housekeeping. l would
use these schools Just as trades are taught to
boys, for they would improve one class Of SER
wants, obtain for them higher wages and
enable even ignorant housewives to maintain
their households In proper and economical
way.
ut is q great and interesting question, and
the more it is discussed the better. But please
put me down as holding the opinion that house
Keeping is not a failure. Exceptions to the
rule do not make it So"
HOUSEKEEPING Is GREAT FUN.
Il think housekeeping great fun" remarked
Miss Jeanette l.. Glider, editor of the Critic
II have always kept house and would not live
any otucI COuIu Only nave one ROOM
to sleep in one corner and cook and eat in the
other. II housekeeping is failure in any one
instance it is entirely the fault of the woman
who fails. Look at me- have a great deal of
literary work to do, but find ample time to
look after my housekeeping. Until recently
had the care OF four children, and even now
have little niece and one of my brothers with
me, yet did not find it any care or worry.
depend upon it, success in housekeeping
mainly depends upon the class Of servants Won
keep. II they are bad or ignorant everything
will go wrong. But if you get good servants
half your care disappears. have always been
fortunate in getting good ones. But there are
some things housekeeper should insist upon
doing herself. l always do my own marketing.
L adopt the French plan and go to French peo-
pie for my supplies. They are more civil and
accommodating. and know how to make much
out OF little. You can buy in smaller auanti-
tles-for instance, got two chops Just now for
10 cents, just for my nece's lunch The French
grocers keep many things other grocers never
think of providing.
The rent question is, Of course, q serious
one, but though the rates are high in the CITY
md housekeeping much cheaper than in the
country. Boarding is cheaper than housekeep-
ing, but you cannot live so WELL For myself 7
cannot eat food in boarding house. SO what
Is the use OF It, You must eat and have an an
petite for your food or the money you nav for
boarding is wasted. How often il hanpens
that person gets up from the boarding-house
table hungry and goes to a restaurant for
something to eat. Even there he is not quite
satisfied, for the cooking is not homelike.
MORE STUDY NECESSARY.