St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-09-20
I sttera ID Eatfaers, Daughters.

{ Letters TO Fatfaefs' Daughters
Dear Girls--You perhaps hate house.
hold drudgery as heartily as did when a
lass in my ''teens" II so, "let US reason
together" There is some hard, disagree
able work to be done in the farmhouse.
Somebody must do it. Shall it all be left
to the poor mother just because she is used
to it. or shall she be relieved from a por-
ton, at least, by the strong young daugh-
teri Don't fancy, girls, that you are of
the select few, designated by nature to be
exempt from labor, and for whom it is the
duty and privilege OF others to toll. l do
not believe the Father of All has created
human lilies to be tended by persons of the
common sort.
Silly women often bewail the lot which
compels them to do mental work which a
common, ignorant servant could do as
we'll" 1t is this feeling which makes
Homework seem bitter degradation. 1t
is a hard lot which subjects one to con-
slant labor in a heated kitchen. | always
pity the girls in hotels and boarding houses
| who must pass the whole, long, beautiful
day st the moulting board, washing dishes,
or, harder yet, in the laundry. But ordi-
narily, in country home where families
rise early, all the heavier work may be &C
complished In the forenoon. Then follow
long, pleasant afternoons for sewing, read
| ing or visiting.
a friend used to say, eff you have work
on hand which you particularly dislike, do
it at once" If there is one task which
girls dislike worse than another, it is the
cleaning of greasy, sticky pans, pots and
kettles Let this then be done rs soon as
the table is cleared Never put dishes
| bod OF 10 10 q
nuisance and should not be tolerated. 1t
is not necessary to scrape the scorched or
sticky surface throw saucerful of ashes
into the kettle or pan, pour over it hot
water, and in five minutes or less it can be
quickly cleaned. A bottle of I've kept to
| cleanse greasy ware etc saves much time
as well as dissgreeable labor.
Dishwashing may seem the least esthetic
of the various branches of household work,
| it certainly is If performed in slovenly
| manner, but if daintily done the contem-
| plation of shining array of dishes on the
| clean pantry shelves is source of satisfac
| ton, Keep the towels clean. A dirty,
ill-smelling dish cloth is an sbomination.
| Whatever work you slight in order to gain
time for study and recreation, do not let it
be the dishwashing.
At the present time housekeeping Is re-
ceiving attention as an art. A good omen
that manual labor is now becoming fash
| ionable. The girl of to-day is proud of her
skill in butter making cookery, or garden
ing, while her aunt some twenty years
ago, was ashamed to acknowledge that she
could do any of these things. In that
'elder day" the summit of many girls
ambition was to marry and place herself
above the necessity of work, "Katie has
made an excellent match she needn't lift
her fingers to do thingl ~ This would be
proudly told by the toil-worn mother of
the fortunate BRIDE The time is not far
distant wheu to make an excellent match
will imply..that girl has married man,
one rich in mental and moral endowments,
if poor in This worlds goods.
But have depressed. Wewere talking
about work, One thing, dear girls, when
YOU recognize the household work as an
art, as noble and fine as any, half its sting
will have been Withdrawn, and when in
terest and enthusiasm are aroused, you
will find real enjoyment i'll those very
duties which have seemed so dull and
prosy There is an esthetic element in
country house, keeping which is lacking in
cities. Early rising lends charm. You
are up at five, throwing open windows and
doors, letting in the sunshine and the fra
grant morning air. At every turn your eye
falls upon some exquisite view, the heavy
landscape, the tinted wreaths of mist rising
above them, leaves futtering by the win
dow, outside there are birds singing in the
naples, song and JOY and beauty every
where You make little trips to the poul-
try yards, and the young fowls, soft,
fluffy, yellow creatures, crowd up to you
for their morning meal The caring for
poultry was feature of farm life which |
never hated Then the early breakfasts in
the cool, clean dining room with open
windows and the glimpses of blue sky and
waving vines or swaying trees are so de-
lightful, or they ought to be. Of course
if group of untidy people with unkemps
locks and dirty clothing sit there and
snatch the food, devouring it like hungry
beasts, the effect is spoiled.
Your morning work is done up Just about
the time that your city cousin is emerging
from her bed room, looking pale and list
less. The tasks that intervene between
eight o'clock and dinner time are very
pleasant, If it be summer. Maybe there
are peas or beans to pick, or berries, from
the garden close at hand Under your
broad brimmed hat, you may think or
dream as you will. Many little plot fer
story or though t for poem has hoated
into my mind while engaged in this de-
lightful solitary work. | remember, too,
pleasant tete a-tetes in a little dining room
with half-closed blinds, when we girls
hulled strawberries, shelled peas or snap
ped beans. l really pity girls who have
had no such experiences. If only would
have counted my marcies," as the dear
old Puritan dame advised her husband to
do, in those far off days of feverish impa-
tience, of girlish unrest.
l hope you are especially interested in
some particular branch of work indoors or
out. Remember that gardening, bee keep
ing and poultry raising are considered
fashionable employments for ladies. So
don't blush scarlet if an acquaintance from
the village happens to catch you with hoe
in hand. There is pleasure, profit and
health in either of the pursuits I have
mentioned. Read up ON your chosen
branch. Learn by the experience of speci-
alists how to care for your bees, your
chicks or your garden.
Try to gain some leisure each day in |
which to read and study. Many farmers |
daughter who is unhappy because she can.
not be sent away to school, might gain a
substantial education at home if she would |
but use her time and opportunities as she
A. Hevwood, in Western Ruraz !
He Made q Clerical Error.