The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-01
1RKsoMH HOUSEHOLD DUTIES.
Suggestions as to How They May be
Lightened.

LiRhtened.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Jan. 3I.--''What can
a woman do who hates househould work.
and who is compelled to cook, sweep and
wash dishes every day of every week Of
every year without a vacation or rest of
any sorts"
l am positive that my readers will agree
with me that the case of this correspondent
has been most succinctly stated. Nothwith-
standing this fact am very much in the
dark. suppose we must accept the word
compelled" In its most literal sense. and
take for granted that she Is speaking the
truth when she leads me to infer that there
is no earthly way of getting rid of part, at
least, Of these most disagreeable
duties. II had not been ac-
quainted with many martyrs who
need not have been martyrs, and with many
Marthas who considered the sweet, passive
Marys OF small account in the world, l
might take with fewer grains OF salt state
menss like the above. That there are just
such unwilling drudgss, such domestic
slaves, we all know, and my soul is always
filled with wonder to see how bravely the
most of them wear their CALLING yokes. To
have to wash the same dishes, to ecrape the
same pots and kettles, 70 sweep the same old
carpets, to mash the same old potatoes day
after day, is enough to make a woman
who dislikes such work and who has a taste
for different career sour and old before
her time. fully and affectienately sympa-
thize with such an environment. When to
this is added man who feels that his wife
Is in her proper place, and that no domestic
service is too hard or TOO monotonous, and
that to him il relocated the right to spend
his evenings where he ploases, aud to come
home when and as he pleases-that little
word "as" holds IN Its letters anything from
bottla OF extra dry" TO a cask
of beer - then the state of
that woman is too grievous to be borne. and
think am acquainted with one woma n
who wouldn't try TO bear it. Between the
women who think they are obliged to do
uucongenial work simply because they have
always done 1t, and the women whose
husbands spend evsry extra dollar that
might be used for tightening their labor in
dissipation there is great differences Let
the wives who have loyal husbands thank
God and take courage and strive In all
sensible and tactful ways TO improve upon
their uncongeniai surroundings. do
think that more women could lessen
their work than now think so.
There need not be quite 90 much sweeping,
quite SO many varieties of food cooked.
Every woman who does her own house,
work should always manage to have
loungs in close proximity and something
nice to read lying close at hand. Half an
hours coed rest with al interesting book,
magazine or paper for company, will do
wonders in equalizing the nervous system
and resting the tired muscles. Let the
dishes go until the WEAKNESS wears Off
little. And now Ia regard to cooking An
Augusta lady asks me to say something
more than have in the past in reference to
the fndigestibls qualities of hot bread, and
adds that the average southerner does
not feel as il he had anything fit
TO eat unless there Is some kind of
hot bread upon the table. In a warm, we'll
baked, raised biscuit or roll there seems to
me no more harm than in good, fresh
bread. The trouble with the usual biscuit is
that in order to insure lightness they are
raised from large doses Of soda aud cream
OF tartar. Those acids and alkalies are
very hurtful, and the digestive apparatus,
Which is obliged to contend with the
tpefy after more or less suffering.
Many housekeepers think it less
wotk to make bread in this way. but it is a
great mistake. There is life aud health and
peace in good bread, and there is death, dis
ease and moral destruction in bad bread. A
Richmond gentleman suffering from cancer
Ief the stomach told me that his doctor
traced the disease to the irritation and
Inflammation produced by diet of bread
sttffs risen at the moment by means Of
cream Of tartar and bi-carbouate of soda.
i%esI was extremely fond Of hot bread" he
| teld me, land as l never minded the green
lIspots on the biscuits, ate them morning,
moon and night, and this is the result"
If one has perfect bread, there is always
| sdrnething nutritious and appetzing in the
house. With a broiled steak or chop and
some stewsd or canned fruit, one has sensi-
| BILE and healthful meal. Without good
bread one has no foundation to build upon.
Biscuits can be stirred together at a mo~
.dnents notice. but who ever wants to eat a
hscold soda biscuit or loaf made from these
volatile substancesG Such bread could
never by any stretch of the imagination be
| called ''the staff of life."
The idea that has SO long prevailed in
reference to the difficulty in making good
raised bread is q fallacious one, and j wish
l could convince my readers OF this fact.
because out Of such knowledge would come
health and all the graces. Good -four is Of
course vitality necessary and good oven is
important. But one may have these and
the skill to combine materials, but if the
| yeast is not perfectly reliable
good bread Is an impossibility
One must know before commencing
operations that the yeast will do its work. /
cannot remember having q heavy or I'M