Wichita eagle., 1889-11-23
aaii9 eagle
WOMAN'S WORLD,
Matters of Interest Concerning
the Gentler Sex.
TIE HOUSEKEEPER,
Suggestions That May Be Useful to
the Captains of Houses.
ENCTJSJI DIT ~ n Z, Mnrrrxs UIpY d.,
TIE HOUSEKEEPER.
ENGLISH PLAN OF s'MOTHEH HELP"


an Iowa Family-Ths Kentucky Farmer
Fenced His Daughters Up-Edward At
kinsons Ideas on Modern Cookery-Not
Responsible for Long Hours in Stores.
Girls and Their Secrets-Good Things to
Eat, Homo Beautifers and Amuse-
ments for the Young.
American reduced ladies, I" or as prefer to
call Them "ladies in reduced circumstances, +"
like their English cousins, seem to find it very
difficult to discover a remunerative field for
their energies which is not yet overcrowded.
English ladies' journals TEEN with sugges-
lions concerning new openings for women's
work, from the occupation Of lady guide"
down to. or up to, scientific dressmaking,
and no doubt Americans eagerly catch at
many of these ideas in the hope that they
may be equally practicable in the ''land of
the freen
But there is an intermediate position known
In England which might be successfully tried
In America that is mothers help" In a
good many families this position is occupied
by an unmarried sister or maiden aunt, but
every one is not endowed with such con-
yenient blessing. Here mothers help is
4 recognized member of many households
and the columns of the local newspapers con-
tain numerous advertisements Of situations
wanted or vacant The duties of mothers
help are manifold; she assists in the house
keeping, the dairy perhaps, the household
sewing OF mending, dressing the children and
teaching them the rudiments of their educa-
ton. Sometimes she is a sort of a nursery
governess with additional household duties,
sometimes she acts chiefly as housekeeper,
with occasional care of the children, but she
Is always what her name indicates, the
mothers help Her wages vary from good
round sum down to nothing except her food
and lodging.
A case has come to my knowledge of a
young lady, the orphan niece of a country
doctor, who, when she reaches the age of 25,
will inherit modest fortune; but she was
not happy in her uncle's house. She had re-
ceived an excellent education and was good
musician. With her uncle's consent she &C
cepted the position of mothers help in
farmers family. She undertook the educa-
ton of the two young daughters and assisted
the farmers wife in her household duties re
ceiving in return for these services her boaro
several years, but the daughters grew up,
and she was no longer needed to teach them
and they took her duties of helping their
mother She was grieved at parting from
the farmers wife, who had been like
mother to her, but she set about looking for
another place. With the experience she had
had she was well qualified to "better her
self" and soon succeeded in obtaining very
good situation, this time in gentleman far
mer's family, where she has the care of two
children of and years of age, and she
helps the mistress of the house in every way.
For this she receives her board and lodging,
with a salary of just about $50 year.
There are many American households, es-
pecially in the country towns or the country
proper, where a servant cannot be afforded !;
here the mother does the housework and
cooking, with the occasional aid of a char
woman for heavy work, perhaps. She has
so many calls upon her time and strength
that she finds it hard to pay proper attention
10 the care of her children and their clothes,
or she devoteS herself so much to them that
she despalrs of keeping the house In order.
There are, moreover, many reduced ladies"
who find it difficult TO exc out comfortable
existence on their small incomes as long as
they have to pay high for their board and
lodging. If this were provided for, life
would be more easy. Time, too, perhaps,
hangs heavy on their hands if theirs has been
a busy existence heretofore.
Many of them may have had experience as
housekeepers before their own homes were
broken up by money losses or before the death
of husband, fitted may be in every respect
to have the care of house and children, yet
unable to find situations as regular house
keepers But they might willingly enter
some family as mothers helps" where in re-
turn for a comfortable home they would ex-
ercise their talents, while the mistress of the
house. not rich enough 10 pay for an assist
ant in her weary round of work would find in
the mothers help" confidant for the wor-
ries of everyday housekeeping, and yet the
weekly bills would show scarcely any increase
for the one additional mouth to feed.-Fran-
ces y. James in Good Housekeeping.