The Newtown bee., 1892-04-29
Au Every Day Story.

Au Every Day Story.
 Iwent to call upon a friend, the other day and, after shivering for many min utes on the doorstep before an unan- swered bell, I was just turning regret fully away when an agonized voice peal ed from an upper window, "Oh, bless your heart Wait one second longer and I'll let you in; I was taking my bath;'' so I bided my time and, present ly, seated in my friends cozy parlor, I listened to the following tale of woe:
 ''I want to be written up! I ought to be written up," said my friend, ''as a type of the forlorn class of women, un- fitted by taste, inclination or training to do their own work, yet obliged to get along without a servant. Look at Ned's income. It is inadequate to keep even the rats that overrun the cellar. We are liable at any moment to be arrested by the Humane society because we do not properly provide for the seven cats a grim Providence has sent us. And yet, you know that, thanks to rich relatives, I always dress we'll and keep up appear ances. But oh, the misery of this housework; it is never ending and I loathe it. Doyou suppose that Ned real izes what it is for me to grub in that old kitchen, tumble up stairs with coal, beat paths to hang out clothes, sweep, dust, cook, clean, etc., in a home that has more water bugs than conveniences and taip fol you hate my life so sometimes that I would elope with the first man who of- fered me surcease from kitchen drudgery forever. Just look at the door bell, alone! 1 never yet took bath but it rang 19 times to the minute. And the rich ladies from the church are always calling and asking me to my own face, 'Is Mrs Bender in,' take me for my own servant girl, because my hands look so and my face is always smutty.
 Rather than go on living this way much longer, I would rather die. have got heart disease anyway and some day shall just topple over into pot of soup, or into the wash boiler and be found that way when Ned comes home. Whats the reason a man can't support his wife after he has married her, anyway? I'm awfully fond of Ned; he has always been good to me, but there is something lacking in man when he can't make enough to keep a servant girl to save his wife,
 I listened to this eloquent outburst with more sympathy than amusement; and yet what help is there for my friend, or the class she typifies? Poverty is no discriminator of persons. It binds the refined woman and the impracticable woman with the same chains that rest more lightly upon the broad shoulders of a round faced Bridget, or New Eng land dame of 'sfaculty."
 To live in anything approaching com fort, there is more work necessary in a household than mere onloOkers have any idea of. The routine of we'll ordered house is like the steps taken by sheep on treadle, it is walk, walk, walk, all the time and forever, with no advance. There are more martyrs in kitchens than ever yet perished at stakes.
 Smile at their discomfort and their tri- als if you will, but the woman doom- ed to perpetual housework, with neither uplift nor outlook, is subject for tears rather than for seorn. There are only two pallatives for her lot; one is pa- tient endurance, the other is to get out of it. To endure it, lift yourself high as possible from its environments. Culti- yate (if God has not already bestowed upon you the priceless gift) an appreci- ation of humor., A good laugh will put to flight a whole flock of cares. Draw heavy line between the essentials and the non-essentials of work. Never neg feet the hygiene of the home, yet forego the frills. Toss pound or more of cop and carbelic acid freely as purifiers, but let your silver polishing and your win : dow washing go when you are tired , Never allow your work to drive you } Better sit down a minute with the worl 2 undone, play jig on the piano. or read 7 the newspaper, than yield slavish al 7 legiance to the work that awaits you ] Paste lot of your favorite poems al t about the wall and over the sink, so tha r the words shall greet you like an encour g aging voice and keep your soul, at least 3 out of dish water. Be heroic, be sen
 sible, be sweet tempered, so far as it b. i, possible, and may the good Lord hell i, and bless you whatever comes.-[ Uniol
 Signal.