Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-27
bertha of the same around the low bodice
and a pointed girdle TO correspond.
HoUsEBoLp.


Readers of Bab's eulogy on Helen Wat
terson wiz hardly be prepared To think Of
her as a writer on household affairs She
is pretty and engaging, and syndicate
letter of hers on housework shows that the
thoughtful woman is not absent
She touches upon that period in a young
woman's life when absence from homo
during the years of school life has in a
measure estranged her. The girl is dis
traught, and if the home is small or the
income not sufficient to admit of more than
one servant, she sees necessity for her
help.
To her and to ? young wife under similar
constraints the question arises, shall take
up the irksome duties. or let them alone9
Miss Matterson. like sensible woman,
does not attempt todisguise the fact that
homework is disagreeable, brt argues that
the details of no work are pleasant Inyes-
tigate life where you win, details are disa-
greeabilities, but do men abandon profess
sions because the hard grind is there2
Life is not fun and the daughter of the
family nor the wife, whatever the intelh-
gence, learning and accomplishments, has
right to expect it to have no earnestness
for her.
doesn't like it, y Of course not, who does
like beating up beds. sweeping dusty floors,
or listening to the rhythm of pots and pans9
If woman liked these what hope would
there be for herl Like and dislike are not
factors except so far as affects results.
The well ordering of a home, the minis
tering to the comfort of those you love, does
it not augment your own dignity and add
to your worth in way and in measure that
nothing else does2 Be a slattern, let the
genius of disorder rule, feed your family on
miserably prepared food, and you put more
arguments into mans mouth against wo-
mans intellectual rights than score of
Susan Anthonys can answer.
The first achievement of greatness is
mastery, and that woman whether wife or
daughter who masters the situation where
God has placed her is stepping fast toward
promotion. Yes, know you have an intel
lectual nature and that you wish to nour-
ish; yes, know too, how the majority
would nourish-these women who rebel at
details. They would lounge away the days
in reading sentimental trash, paint stroke
or two strum a note or two on the piano,
dress and go, and go and dress. Has it ever
occurred to such women that they owe a
duty to some one beside themselves How
about the aging mother who has borne the
burden of details through the years of your
school Iifel How about the husband who
daily bears the burden of details in bust
ness9 Improve the mind, yes, but is there
nothing in house-work of mind improve
ment? Miss Watterson thinks there is,
and of this she says:
You'll get more chemistry in one days
thoughtful prowling about the cooking
stove than you are likely to have got out of
school books. You'll find more physics in
the plumbers pipe than you did in the big
book you carried in to class so faithfully
every day. You'll find human nature more
interesting and more natural in your
kitchen than in your novels. DON'T worry
about your mind. 1t can take care Of itself,
and will grow without anxious feeding, if
it's any kind Of mind at all.