The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-12
Department OfHeaIth.
This department wishes to encoul

L
ace our women during the coming
months to get out of doors as much
as possible. We are accused OF
being nation of nervous, debilitated
and prematurely old women. Our
manner of life is more to blame than
the climate. We eat highly season
cd food, drink tea and coffee, Neal
c3rsests and high-heeled shoes, and
wagon load of dry goods suspended
on our hips and then stay in the
house all the time. l do not suppose
that a walk under such conditions is
very refreshing, but even then 1t Is
better than lying on a sofa reading
weak, trashy books, as the only
pabulum our brains can digest. They
(poor things being clogged with
their own dead bodies, of which they
cannot rid themselves, because in
deed, 1t is not fashionable to expand
the lungs, Oxygen is not IN style
But get out, breath the fresh air, let
the sun shine on your hands and
face, and see if you do not feel
young again. The best thing of all
is to have some outdoor occupation.
some real work, not make believe.
Ladies pretend to garden, and 3
servant does all the work. and gets
all the pay. H,after the preparation Of
soil. much Of which is rather heavy
work for women, most of the remain
der were done by their own hands,
they st least, would be better off.
l ON speaking now Of the flower
garden. The vegetable garden at
fords a wider field for exercise, and
] fully believe that many q family
quarrel, many a headache and heart
ache and backache would be avoided
if women hoed more and sewed less.
raised beans and saaashes oftener
and fewer tunes. When things &c
wrong in the house, and you feel like
running away, put on your broad
brim, and take your hoe and dig
awhile, and you will feel thousand
times better. Women IN the country
need this exercise as much as any
for while they have too much exer>
else of one kind, there is far too little
Of it cut OF doors. II instead OIL
sweeping the house, and hiring some
one to sweep the yard, they would
sweep the yard themselves, and hire
the house swept, it would be better
II, Instead of baking biscuit and pies
SO much Of the time, they would
have fresh fruits and some simple
cake for desert, much time might be
gained for outdoor work. Arrange
for it, lay plans now, and give your
selves the opportunity Of fresh all
and sunshine outside the house. As
far as possible, get such clothes as
are necessary ready, so that there
will be no press Of sewing to keep
you in during the Spring months.
Have the garden broken up and
we'll manurej not a load or two, but
nearer dozen loads, in short, as
much as yo1 can get put on it. Have
it ploWed and narrowed, and Their
when the earth looks as though il
had been sifted it will pay you t.
begin. In the meantime have cab
bage, tomato, pepper, celery, egg
plaintiff you wish to try the las
two, sOWn IN boxes, radishes anC
lettuce in beds, buy your other seeds
and be ready to begin when the time
comes, and not wait for it to come
and then get ready. Small fruit:
too, are easily managed by women:
grape vines are no more difficult tc
care for than rose bushes, both
repay time and trouble ten-rold.
Currants are too little cultivated in
our southern country. They are
easily raised and make a delicious
addition to our table fare. Goose
berries about the same; these make
very good substitute for cranberries
when properly canned. Strawberries
require time and and patience: Let
each choose what shall be her out
door work, and then either make @,
take time for il, and her family will
be the gamer for it.
NJ. 81. HoBBs.