Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-03
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
cEAsELEss LABOR.
a wife's Opportunities for Mental Inn


a Wife's Opportunities for Mental Inn
This morning l awoke with some
scraps of thought in my mind, possibly
brought from that PARKWAY dreamlanc
through which had been jOurneying
They seemed rather bright ''Thest
ideas, properly elaborated. will make
n capital story" l said to myself. and
/ resolved to write them out at the frs
opportunity.
l carefully brushed three heads o.
golden hair, and looked to the cleanli
ness of six chubby little hands. Then,
after breakfast, the three children were
taught their ..home lessons" and. af.
ter starting them for school, with 6
sigh of relief thought, Now for my
story"
But wait! Two loaves of cake had
been promised for a church par.
ty." the making of which compound
could not be trusted to Norah's clumsy
hands. So proceeded to collect eggs.
butter. sugar. spices. and all the other
ingredients necessary to make it suffi-
ciently toothsome. and after an hour
spent in beating. stirring and sitting.
the cake was an established fact. No
ran said it "camc out lovely. and tired
but triumphant l again said. "Now
for my pen"
Alack and alas! how can one write.
be the ideas never SO brilliant. with n
huge pile of weeks mending" STAR
ing her in the face? While trying to
work my way through this, my mind
kept pace with my needle, and pom
dercd on many things.
Is it to be wondered at, thought /.
that men often accomplish greater and
more lasting results from their work
than women? Ny beloved William
Henry had just five garments to
adjust to his masculine frame
this morning. while hurried on
at least ten. 1t then became my task
to assist the children in dressing. and
see that the breakfast was properly
served. while he read the morning pa
per. When we seated ourselves ut our
mornings meal, he was in possession
of all the political. social or other news
of importance or interest in the whole
world. And his mind could digest the
facts he had gathered. while grappled
with the dinner problem. or arranged
the evervarying routine of days work
for Norah. He went to his Office.
smiling and serene, while was left to
the mercy of the grocer and butchers
boy.
am told there are men who order
the dinners for their families. Dear
William Henry is not one of these. He
says that is my business, and his is to
earn money TO pay for it OF course.
he is right; but can not help envy
ing him as he goes down town with
only one sort of work to do, to which
he can devote all his energies. I'M
troubled by any family cares for the
rest of the day.
He ought to come home at night,
CONSCIOUS that something done has
earned a nights repose." And to give
the dear man his just due. that is his
usual frame of mind.
What rebel against is tho mult;tu-
dinous kinds of work wife. especially
if she be a mother as well. is called
upon to do. She not only must have a
knowledge of, but ply. many trades. if
she is possessed OF limited income.
She must be dress-maker. cook. mill
liner. laundress, doctor and teacher,
all in one.
Would Milton have given Paradise
Lost to tie world had he been obliged
to superintcnd the cooking of his din
ners, and help make and keep in re-
pair the clothes that covered his au-
gust person?
Would not the beauty of L'Allegro
have been married, and his mind been
vexed with the petty perplexities of
food and raiment?
Iconfess l have always had 4 furtive
feeling of sympathy for Xantippe.
do not believe that much-abused woman
WAS irritable without good cause. Per-
maps shc felt that. if her spouse would
divide tho household cares with her,
and leave her more time to develop her
intellect, she nigh; be just RS bright as
Socrates.
Yet ought not to complain when l
think how houscwork is being con-
stantly simplified by hundreds of pro-
Ercssive men and women. I saw a
very amusing sign on fremont street
yesterday: Shirts washed while you
wait"
Shade of my dear departed grand
mother. what would you say to thai?
You, who consider it not only wifely
duty, bu: Christian necessity. to pro-
vide husband with at least twelve of
those garments handmade. and of the
finest linen and cambria. six of them
laid away in lavender for an emergen-
CIV. and six in use! Sh;ftless, indeed,
would you declare an age in which a
man need own but two of those articles
of apparel, or when it is possible for