The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-12
POOR TIRED WOMEN WORKERS.
Eleanor Kirk Gives Them Some Words Of
encouragement.
HOW THEY FOOLISHLY WASTE STRENGTH.
Danger of Oyer-Exertlon of Either Mind
Body-Necessity for Loafng When
Losfng IL Needed.
fror the Tines.l

you manage to keep your engagements, which,
/ should Judge from what know of your life,
must be- various and exacting? Perhaps you
have some vitalizing cordial that keeps
you in good working order and cheer
ful spirits. If So let the glad secret be
known The work Of SO many women is
done by the hardest and If there is
practical way Of easing mp, we should all
be Your debtors. ! do not think that !
am lazy, though ! might have been born tired.
but the details Of Housekeeping wear me
almost 10 death. do not dare 10 leave days
duty until tomorrow. for tear that ] shall not
be equal 20 the tasks of both days, and 50
pl0d along like n poor old horse, without
courage and enthusiasm. No child ever
dreaded a whipping more than always dread
the next days work no matter what II a.
An EXIRENE CASE.
So writes a lady from Norfolk, Va. and tins
letter II a sample of many others that iiutter
in. via the United States mail. from all points
a. the country. This IS an extreme case
which is very hard TO deal with. am moro
sorry than I can express not 70 be able TO give
my Norfolk friend some practical help; but
one can deal logically only with the average
case. The woman who hates house-work
aad never feels able 20 do 1t
Is past assistance from my pen. ] may have
an exaggerated impression Of tho difficulties
under which my correspondent labOrs, ana l
40 wish from the depth Of my heart that she
would Try NY way. and see what would come
ont or H. Once after "a serious illness, caused
by foolish waste ~ strength IN professional
work. my physician. q soft-hearted. hard
headed Old gentlemen. thus addressed me-
FOOLISH WASTE OF sTKESGuI.
1T viii not be neccseasy for me to visit you
more than twice moro on this siege, and II de-
r.
have another or not. You have sufficient VI
taity 10 enable you 10 accomplish great
deal of work but remember that your tenn
permanent needs no driver. Rest when you
arr tired. and never urge yourself 20 the task
which is uncongenial only when you
arc not in physical condition %
perform IT, II YOU are too weary 20 keep
social engagement. break it for righteousness
sake We sre none If Us Of half SO much con-
sequence as We imagine. The dinner OF the
reception will get along very well without
YOU II Won rest the day you DO not feel like
work. my word on il you can do double duty
tho next day and not mind IT,"
This advice is always present with me. II
acted like q charm. and / bnye never ceased
trying ~ have Others profit by 10,
nrrRARY woHEERs.
Literary work differs IN many respects from
house work but am engagement e. have copy
ready az given time Is quite as binding as 10
Is 20 have dinner ready for a large and hungry
family. Then there ore few literary women
who DO not have moro or less responsibility
IN housekeeping. For instance / have
ueigLb0r, very bright writer. and a
constant worker for Harper's l3azar. who Is
the mother OF FIVE children. and who IS now
without either cook or hOusemad. Some
thing happened Something j. always happen
Ing IN the domestic reQOns-which made II
necessary for hcr % 90 1t alone" Tor time.
] saw her Yesterday and found 10 my sat.silc-
ton that she Lad neither hurt herself
with work. nor broken single one OF
her literary engagements. The secret
OF this II that size was Wise enough 10 write
ahead when she was N the hunlOr az writing,
and when the time camo for including three
meals day. dish washing. etc. etc, ad IN
fnitum. ad nauseam IN the daily programme
She was not distressed hy the knowledge that
she had nothing ready for the printer.
u am sure YOU would laugh - Sec low
manage she told me, ''and II isn't half bad
after all Ii have an idea, down l SIT and
elaborate il. II the dishes are not washed.
thew wait. and never upbra!l me. have found
that bv doing what l feel Ike doing at the
moment. got through prodig'ous. amour,
0i satisfactory work with very little friction.
ovguvonFFp HoUsEEEEPERs.
The trouble Is that housckeepers get into
the wnv 4 thinking that they must perform
certain tasks on special DAYS. Now l DO not
believe Ia sweeping q whole house on Friday
Just because II is Friday. think II every
other week this sweeping day was turned into
a reading and Longing day there would be q
vast increase If health in tie world. Then
there are IA hundred things cooked IN the or
binary family that never ought - De found
on any bill OF fare They arc huTtful and
worry expensive. both as regards materials and
the time and strength Of the cook.
DANGEROUS CAKE.
What is the matter with the babies" !
asked of q physician whose carriage had
driven mp 70 my neighbours twice day for
several days
Cake. WAS the response.
'Dangorousi" ! inquired.
Cake is always dangerous" he answered
We do not need cake. and our children
should have only the simplest kinds. The
craving for sweets l. more or less natural, and
should he carefully gratiiied. There are
brittle cookies, and plain iumbles, and bread
cake. that if properly made and baked can
not hurt any stomach. but the rich layer
cakes. pound cakes. etc. etc. that house
keeDors spend so much time and strength IN
making, answer 10 other purpose than 10
look pretty and breed dyspepsia. cannot
have much patience with the woman who
uses W. her vitality in concocting unnecessary
ana hurtiui Gishcs.
STOP WHEN YOU ARE TIRED.
have no vitalizing cordial, and | have no
secret IN the matter. When the working tit
rs on ! know that my condition IS primo for
work. ! try not 20 impose on good nature,
however. and do not as the old saving goes,
ride Il free horse 10 death" / stop before !
am cross or hoadachy or stomach-wesry. And
I always have something az hand 10 read and
something pretty u knit or crochet or en-
broider within reach / can rest myself with
fancy work, and it Is nobOdy's business but
my own II | stretch myself at full length
while I read or knit II there comes a day
when do not feel like writing. ] can safely
humor my need or my caprice Tor by working
industriously when do feel like 1t | am pre-
pared T. loaf and invite my soul" Which
Ike best-to work OF 20 loaf have never
quite decided for there IS 50 much 70 be said
in favor OF both.
LoAF WIEN NECESSARY.
II tho workers Of the world would cease 10
sacrifice themselves 10 precedent aud details.
and would consider themselves % the extent
of buying the things that they cannot make,
both in the kitchen and the nursery. they
would gain in strength and grace. II they
would school themselves 10 loaf withou, re-
card TO yesterday or the day after tomorrow,
Ne should have fewer wrinkled and cross
grained women fewer chronic diseases, and
a healthier SET OF children. insist that