The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-25
SUGGESTIONS FOR WOMEN.
Too Much Worry and Work Are De-
Gtrrrtfua NJ Raa,,tu
TO BE CONTINUED.

6bruCIlVo Oh beauty
BROOKLYN, N. Y, May 24.-The quick
returns which follow certain paragraphs in
my newspaper correspondence are Of the
greatest possible value, because such results
are proof positive that an occasional word
of mine strikes home. rejoice even when
1 receive pretty severe critical castigation
for the same reason. The idea that stirs to
anger or brisk argument wakes up the in
tellectual faculties, and, though there may
be vast disagreement on the subject be-
tween writers and critics, there can never
be the same indifference to 1t on the part Of
the latter.
My letter Of last week, which advocated
the purting off till tomorrow the tasks
which seem too hard and too heavy for to-
day, has brought me some sharp raps from
housekeepers, and in two or three instances
has inspired the editorial quill ito go for
me-" TO make up for any possible hurt
from such sources. have few private let
tiers which comfort me exceedingly. One
correspondent can mot understand how an
American born citizen can recommend a
housekeeper to sweep in the evening"" Now
that woman has certainly misconceived the
purport and temper Of my advice. She has
made another egregious mistake also. l
am not an American citizen, and
this l trust she. will make a note of. Ac-
cording to law have not the first claim to
citizenship. Neither has any other woman
We can pay taxes, or be sued for them.
We can be imprisoned and tried like citizens
If we have money to pay for it, but we are
not citizens because we cannot vote. It is,
indeed, very aggravating to be called
citizen, and especially by a woman, for
am anxious to have women underst and what
tue word citizen means. Another lady In
prettily written letter draws a fine analogy
from the promptitude of the seasons.
''Spring and summer, and fall and winter, :"
she says, ARE always on hand and never ask
to be excused for their hardness. This writer
has not been O close observer. Nature
always takes her own time Sometimes the
dear old dame seems exceedingly lazy, but
| approve of her. She knows her own bust
nes', too, and is perfectly unmoved.by the
worlds great army of GROWERS. / would
have women initiate nature more, in this as
well as in other respects The woman who
with lame back and bursting head rushes
her clothes on to the line of Monday
morning for fear of what her neighhors
will say, or because she always has and
consequently always must, beat Mrs. Smith,
next door, is doing herself an irrep-
arabic physical, mental and moral injury.
In commenting upon the elderly appearance
of middle-aged women in some of the
eastern states, and the way in which many
Of them succumb to disease, an observant
physician told me that the reason was to be
found in domestic competition "You
have no conception" he said, "of the nerve
force expended in running these great
kitchens, and the waste of muscular
strength that goes on in the constant COM
petitive struggle between neighbors. ut Is
getting little different now" he added,
''but can remember the time when the
housekeeper who did not have all her clothes
dol at,d IN Ia ID o. -
was considered disgrace to the neighbor-
hood.n
There is altogether too much of this
domestic competition going on now, as well
as a most demoraliZing spirit of rivalry in
dress. Many women work themselves
almost to death to make something for
themselves or their children to wear which
shall outshine the costumes of their neigh
bors. Now, / am an ardent advocate for
good health and good looks. No woman
can look well who is ill, and no one who is
in sound physical health can ever be very
ugly, | believe that half the stitches taken
in this world have been entirely unnecessary
stitches. The same can be said of the pies
that nave been made and the cake that has
been baked, and the enormous amount of
sweeping and cleaning. 1t is tragically
our American housekeepers are by
the circumstances of their environ
ment strained and overtaxed. There
are some duties they cannot relegate t.
others, some that are impossible to ignore
And yet | sincerely think that in the ma
jority of instances there might be some
sensible compromise effected between the
work that kills and that which is endurable.
A woman should conscientiousiy study
herself and her relations to what she con-
siders her responsibilities. / insist in de-
claring that a woman is criminal who,
because it is Friday, turns her house upside
down in the process Of sweeping when she is
not in the proper physical condition to do
such work. Then look at the multiplicity
of dishes which housekeepers are in the
habit OF preparing. Fully half of these, in
many cases, could be dispensed with to the
great and immediate benefit of all con-
cerned. Why may we not have more fruit,
more cereals, more good bread, more easily
prepared vegetables, and less of hard-to-
make. hard-to-digest and generally pois-
onous pastry and other conglomerations?
Think of the books waiting to be
read. the delightful questions to
be considered and discussed in this wide
awake age. Think Of the great beautiful
''out doors" waiting to welcome, and
strengthen, and inspire us. Think Of the
dear friends who, with their words of SYM
pathy and encouragement. could help us to
live if We only gave them the chance. Then
consider the amount of unnecessary drudg-
cry that keeps us from this education. this
! enjoyment OF nature, this requirement Of