The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-10
a SERMON ON AN OLD SAW.
Some Ref sc;io1s That May Interest
the Wives of Farmers.

a SERMON ON AN OLD SAW.
Some Ref scsio1s Taat May Interest
the Wives of Farmers.
BROOKLYN, n. Y, Jan. 9-S0mebody,
thinking had never heard the old saw, o
written it in my youthful copy books, takes
the trouble to send me an unsigned posta!
card with the following chestnutiau inscrip-
ton: Economy is wealth" Then my un-
known critic remarks: you evidently do
not agree with this sentiment, judging
from your advice to women not to work,
except when they feel ike it.n
1t is not my custom to notice anony-
nous communications, but this one hap
pens to point to text which have omit
ted to preach upon, and for which l shall
endeavor to make amends in future
The wouid-be Solomons of the past cent
ury have in their egotism formulated Ger
tain sente nces-I was about to say princi-
ples-upon which the youth of different
| generations have been reared. Some Of
| these aphorisms, il not all, contain grain
of truth. A few will bear the test Of syllo-
CYSTIC analysis, but there are others which
are 50 misleading as to be positively dan
gerous. Among them is the one above
quoted, Economy is wealth. We will ali
agree that if the word economy is properly
| understood the danger will be modified il
not eliminated, but If there is one word in
the language that is less comprehended than
another, that word is economy. 1t means
precisely what the individual wishes it to
mean. Even true economy will not insure
wealth. 1t will insure, under ordinary ctr
cumstances, degree Of comfort in later
years, which is very good thing to plan
for. But the ordinary translation Of this
ancient saw does not embody this logical
principle. Men III hot pursuit of wealth
say 20 their wives who ask for money to
provide, in many instances, the actua
necessaries OF life: 1--WE must do without
these things; economy is wealth, you know"
The farmer sees bis wife grow shabbier and
ugier aud weaker day by day, but economy
| is wealth, you know, and so she scours and
washes and irons and bakes and makes and
n1ends until she develops tumor or dis
| ease of thu lungs, or loses her reason
entirely in the awful hand
to hand struggle with circumstances which
never should have come into her life. The
farmer digs and plants, grows careless and
slovenly in his appearance, and has no in
terest In anything but taxes and mortgages.
de may work as hard as his wife, but his
environment makes great difference in
the effect of his labor. His roof is the great
blue sky, and he is helped and sustained by
all the beautiful forces of nature. He may
not care for these things-in the majority
OF instances does not-but oxygen is oxygen
whether ones cares for it or not, and the
effect of deep and pure breathing goes
great way toward counteracting other evils
This is all the difference there is
usually between the ambitious farmer
who believes that economy is wealth,
and his wife who is killing
herself by means of this hoary-headed false
hood. His economy is not wealth, it ia
poverty, poverty OF the mind poverty of
the soul and poverty of the body. l believe
that am in full sympathy with women ,
but my sorrow for the farmers wives and
daughters Of this country is an abiding sem
timent. We talk about the women workers
or the old world. They cannot labor any
more necessarily and their tasks are not
more difficult than our women are Obliged
TO perform. Our wives have kinder hus-
bands. They are rarely hurt and humili-
ated by blows, but there are farmers whom
l know, and who are regarded as Just men
and loyal citizens, who would not allow a
dumb beast on their places to be treated as
they treat their wives. | wish these wives
would sirike-would absolutely refuse to do
certain things which have been heretofore
required Of them, and for which they are
lncapactated by weakness or illness. | wish
those who have common sense would assume
this attitude ofindependence before they are
too week or too i'll to perform those incredi-
BILE tasks. Such labor is slow suicide for
which there is no excuse. Why, would
feed my family on bread and milk and beans
and apple sauce, before | would work NY
self into the grave with the preparation of
pies and doughnutS and Jelly cake and good
ness knows what, that the farmers wives
think they must prepare for their husbands
and children.
will stop my lecture right here for my
pen has grown too hot to handle with
safety. But l do wish that my friends who
live In towns and cities and who have thought
these matters out in the lines presented here,
would use all the influences they possess to
induce their personal trends, who are far
mer's wives, to consider this subject. There
are many fields of missionary work In our
beloved land, but | consider this one second
to none in importance Make these women
see that their economy is not wealth, but
poverty of the most niggardly and criminal
description.
''Baltimorean" wishes to know what par
ticular vocal school l approve of, and saws
that she has been taking lessons of two
teachers, who were opponents of different
methods, and was compelled to stop singing
on account Of the effect upon her throat
and lower internal organs. What shall she
do!
This is a question which l do not know
how to answer, although her complaint is
only one among thousands. There are fifty
false methods of vocal culture to one true
one. and it remains for the parents and
guardians to look into this matter and de-
eide intelligently about it. A method that
acrApes the throat and causes an ache IN
the lungs or the pelvic region, is as destruct-
i've OF health as it is of voice.
At present know of but one teacher-at
least one that l would give my child to for
this purpose-though do not doubt that
there are scores Of equally conscientious
and competent ones right around me. A
teacher of vocal music must have a spiritual
as well as q physical basis to work from
and must know how to show the folly of q
false method at once. In the meantime do
not try to sing until you can do 80 without
injury. ELEANOR KIRK.
THE United States fishing and surveying
steamer Albatross has arrived at San Francisco
from Honolulu. She has been engaged in sur