Telegram-herald., 1891-02-11

&C rhx Lxess III s<xaEsa IE1o uEasF--l b11
alasosz sssa Ally esnza-aseaass q l@ksx
Iaan th..s of hzsz.SsekF~sy. Eaxezness 10
break ~ issSzsekeapsng sxsf ny oo~rilas
fsr ~isLAs, u ordzE - gs< rested eaz. .
AIT eonsSz.ad ~ the tEsco4apss~as xaa ths
izsl0lzsn1. Ma h &c albossthes the FssSlE
u ths naalosAal G2soouG1at vtEh .ths
greatest D1sss1s of kfsS-eerssnts-
Aa.krlZssss szsEBeu from high 10 los
keeg hoazs soo n4<d heeaas 80 2nDA-
tioasly.
Il IL, fzrthsrEaore. ssasissan without
kn0s lesla.es heace ualSlrecte1 We have
the met izsia aferonG dofassfle service Ia
ths world bGt we employ as a rule TO
tsss servants, s2ch - they are. IL Is
considered altossssher seassbls and De-
coming for the uazz- sszzIies vile u 10 her
0~n bsosewoxa a. hriie ard as q matroa
Of years Ualess her husband pfosE~V
ragidly She = accounted ''sairtiess
should sA.s hire a waslerwom4ns while
20 .keep giri- Is exsrayagaace, 81
sissnihoaRt stride toward gentIhty. Tbs
wife Il the English lotglsK or mason or
small faru4eT, II bTisz, notsble and
healthy, may dispense with the stated
service of = maid of al work, bat she
calls IA eaarsoman on certain days.
and Is content 20 live es becomes the sta
tion OF a housewife who L. st 90 her own
dom1stic staff
Here Is the root OF the difference. In
a climate that keeps the pulses IN full
leap and the nerves tense we call upon
pride % lash on tho quiverinS body and
spirit 10 run tho unrighteoas race, tho
goal OF whicu Is 10 seem richer than we
are, and make ''snartness' (American
srnartnessl cover tho want OF capital.
Having created false standards Of respect
ability We crowd insane asylums and
cemeteries In trying 10 live up 10 them.
The tradesInan who begins 10 ac-
knowledge the probability that he will
become rich citizen, and whose
wife has feelings on the subject of hv-
ing as her neighbors do, takes the con
yeationd step toward asserting himself
and gratifying her aspirations by NOV
ing into bigger house than that which
has satisfied him up To now, and fur
nishing il wcll-that is, snartly. accord
ing 10 the English acceptance of the
word.
Silks and moquette harmonic as well
as calico and ingram once did. A three
story and-a-half- with-a-hig gh-s stoop house
without a piano IN the back parlor. and
long mirror between the front parlor
windows, would De forlorn contradic-
ton Of the genius of American prog
ress. AS fat "a denial would be the en-
deavor to live without what an old lady
once described 10 me rs pair of par
lors." The stereotypsd brace are sense
less and ugly, but one of the necessaries
OF life TO our ambitious housewife. She
would scout as vulgar the holnely cheer
fulness of the middle class Englishman's
single ''pnrlor." where the table Is spread
and the family receives visitors.
Having saddled himself with house
too big for his family, and stocked the
show rooms with plushings SO fine that
the family ere afraid TO use them unless
when there is company, the prudent citi-
zen satisfies the economic side of him by
making menials of wife and daughters,
without thought o. the opposing circun-
stance that he has practically indorsed
their intention 10 make fine ladies of
them selves Neither he nor the chief
slave of her own gentility, the wife, who
will maintain her reputation for "facul-
ty' or perish In the attempt, has sJls-
picion that the strain TO make meet the
ends of frugshty and pretension is pal
pably and criminally absurd. By keep
ing up certain appearance of aftluence
and fashion they assume the obligation
to employ servants enough to carry out
the design, yet in nine hundred and
ninety-nine times out of every thousand
they ignore the duty.
admit without demur that as Amer
lean domestics go they are a burden, an
expense and vexation. Notwithstand-
ing all these draw backs, she who will
not risk them should not live in such
way that she must make use of such in
str1ments or overwork herself physically
and mentally.
The entire social and domestic system
of American communities calls loudly
for the reform Of simplicity and congTu-
ity. We begin to build and are not able
TO finish. Our economies are false and
mischicvous, our aims ara petty and
meretTicious. The web of our daily hv-
ing is not round and even threaded. The
homes which ara constructed upon the
foundations of deranged. dying and
dead women are mockery of the holy
name. Our houses should be planned
and kept for those who are to live in
them, not for those who tarry within
the doors for night or an hour. When
housekeeping becomes an intolerable
care there is sin somewhere and danger
everywhere. MARION HARLAND.