Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-05-10

II will have good victuals as long as my
name is Josiah Aliens wife, aud it hain't
only on my own account that do it but I
do it, as have observed before, from
deep and almost cast-iron principle. For,
as the greatest philosophers have discov-
cred, if q woman would keep her table
spread out from year to year, and fron
hour to hour filed with good victuals, that
woman would have clever set of men
folks around
This department of the Register has re-
peatedly said that the farmer has oppor-
tunltles for better living than any other
class of citizens; aud large number of
them do set their tables with sweeter and
tresher meats, fruits and vegetables than
those or other departments of life have
any opportunity of doing. but then a
large number of housewives on the farm
have not the spirit and determination of
Josiah Aliens wife. And too many of the
men are as stupid aud more peryerse than
Josiah himself. If the woman is thor
oughly determined, there is a mild and
winning way In which the objects of that
determination" can be obtained, Too
many of the men are good, easy souls,
who have never lived ny to their priviIeg-
es in furnishing their houses and their
tables. And men are seldom, if ever, bet
ter than their wives want to be. If a wife
sees and knows that her table is not sup.
piled with fruits in their season, and fresh
meats when they are appropriate, IS we'll
as all the delicious vegetables which
good garden can supply, there are kind
ways and laudible incentives which a good
wife can use to have an improvement in
these matters. After partaking of saw
Of Ha
touched and led on to good resolutions.
which poorly prepared meals eaten in
silence and sul)en brows, can never effect
! Is is true when hard work anG pinching
| economy and tired nature take posses
sion of every nerve and fiber of the sys.
TEN, i is hard to keep sunshine on the
face and flow of happy words from the
heart. The writer knows what work and
care are Or the farm. There is no poetry
in it frequently. But when they know
that their life and destiny are to be hard
work and close economy they should &C
cept it with contentment, the man and
wife going together in all things hand in
hand. accepting the good things of life,
and wing with each other to add as
many more blessings as possible.
But the tolls and privations of farm
life can be greatly alleviated by fully
waking up to the possibilities of the
farm-by improving, by little cost and
more attention, the comforts and dolica
cies of the adornment of the house and
its surroundings and the conveniences for
more sociability. And much Of this can
be inspired and carried forward by
the wife in love and harmony with her
husband.
| Several years previous 10 the rebellion
the writer was travelling in Middle Ten
neSsee with a citizen of that State Who
was well acquainted with the Inhabitants
of the neighborhood through which we
were travelling. There mad been consid
cradle talk between Us relative TO the want
of thrift and outhouses-all implanted,
fences either dilapated or built in cheap
and forbiddIng style. At last we came to
farm entirely different. The house was
painted artisticaily of the appropriate
shades and colors, the fences, lawns and
drives in the neatest aud most systematic
style. Fruit trees and flowers adorned the
| premises, and everything looked sweet and
lovely. "What does this meanY we asked.
| 'Oh!" said our companion, "the old gen
| tleman who lives here lost his wife some
| years ago, and he married for second
wife a Yankee school marin whom the
nelgnDOrlnB tOWn nhu nlreu 10 Iedcn tne
! seminary, and she has led the old man in
| to all of these fantasies. BY the way, he
remarked that it would be good place to
get our dinners. And happily we found
it so. We had been travelling Oh: ough the
country for some days, depending on
farm houses for food and lodgings. And
after living for week on corn bread and
fat, rusty bacon, we rejo1ced again in
well prepared and diversified meal. And
We wished Middle Tennessee were full of
Yankee school marms, at least until we got
out of it.
And this is an illustration of what we
are trying to enforce in this article. The
farmers wives, if they will only exert
their influence and cultivate their own tai
ent in preparation of food and ornament
| ing the premises, can make the farm
house the most desirable place on earth.