Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-05-17

o'clock both actors and listeners may, II
they wish, be in bed and asleep. In Ger
man household courtesy 10 elders and SUI
periors Is one of the first lessons taught,
and among the youth teachers and pastors
are objects OF reverential regard In these
homes there is no d sorder or untidiness
From their earliest girlhood mistress and
maid alike have been trained TO habits OF
economy and of methodical housekeeping.
The German maid servant knows the de
mands which her position implies and she
obeys them. the German mistress knows
the limit of her husbands purse strings,
and she respects II, lie is the traditional
custom Of the country that every girl be
skilled in all hOusewifey ways before her
marriage. No people realize more
forcibly than these that order aud intelli-
gent management in the domestic affairs of
life form the foundation stone of ever
happy home. German men demand not
only that the wives should bc fairly edu-
cated, but that they should be thoroughly
versed in all the mysteries Of cooking,
mending of clothes, ironing, and in brief,
OF all forms of home making and home
keeping. II is the custom even for princes
scs 10 90 through "A course of cooking and
OF other practical household duties before
their marriage. and in some of the royal
families of south Germany we have known
II TO be the daily custom of some of its
highest members 10 visit tn" kitchen and
even - assist in the preparation OF some OF
the dishes for the dinner The mastery of
household arts gives 10 the German matrOn
"A fine power. She seldom works with her
own hands, but she stands at the helm, sure
OF resources ana of abilities and the
domestic machinery moves on without fuss
and without friction.
Recently we read Of divorce case pend
ing in one of the German courts in which
the only ground of complaint was that the
wife was not able To cook. This may be- an
ultra case, but il Is illustrative of the nation
al respect for housewifcly accomplishments.
German women have "A m9teria mcdlca OF
their own. nd German mothers generally
bring their children through the series Of
colds and of Illnesses incident to childhood
with no other means than their own sklllful
Administered on OF teas, aided by sldIliul
home nursing, thus saving from doctor and
from apotheclry many such sums as else
whore are bestowed with the lavishncss OF
ignorance.
Doubtless there are aspects Immediately
affecting the condition Of the women OF Ger
many which MIGHT with advantage be
changed. but all If experiences combine 10
teach w. the comp ms It JrN character OF the
STAGES Of human existence, and i'm the meas
ured progress Of time these disadvantages
VIII probably grddua Is d.sapp ar ana may
prove 20 have been the chosen conditions for
"A future security and efficiency.
II one We're asked 10 give "A resume OF
those features which constitute the charm
Of German domestic life probably one would
say Fist of all, the simplicity of il, the
naturalness which one everywhere sees IN
dress, In pastimes, aud IN occupations; and
after this successfully: the hearty Tecogni-
ton among German Women of the fact that
economy is a factor a out which nations
and individuals may think and talk without
loss of dignity or o. self-rcSpect; the impcra
tive demand OF German mon that the girls
whom they marry be proficient in house
wiley eXCelleucics. the aucctiOn, often al
most childlike. that exists for each other be
tween members of the Same family and be
tween friends: the waite fuluess which
German mothers exercise over the health
of their daughters: the genuine delirht
with which the simplest gifts are bestowed
and received: and, browning all, the i0ca
that home is a temple in which all family
festivals are TO be celebrated and all pleas
ures shared-the pace for the alommont
and refine nent of which no accomplishment
can be considered too costly.
The word gemuthl"h is a word that is
heard almost hourly in German interc 1ursc,
and represents one of the fundamental elc-
mcnts in German life, whether the latter be
considered under social a political, or "a
business aspect With the sense of our
word comfortable it combines an added sig
niticance of kindly feeling, and in the de
scription Of the German home life IL be-
comes truly typical and representative.
For i'm these homes the atmosphere seems
permcated by human kindness and com
fOrtableuess.-Elise j. Allen, in Chicago
Times