The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-06
IRIS FALLACY INDEED.
To suppose That Mistress of the House
Has So Good Position ~ Her Cook.

"Do you want 10 know OF fraud
which ought TO be exposedy' said a
certain bright little woman to the re-
porter the other day.
"Of course"
"Well I'm it,"
Your"
eyes, I'm a whited sepulchre I'm n
popular falacy. I'm dclusion and
snare and false prophet
Nonsense! What do you mean?'
"Wel, | am supposed 10 be mistress
of fine house. with money and SER
wants TO do everything for me. am |
not2 OF course l am. And you think
my life is one long, lazy, luxurious round
of doing as l please? Precisely ! knew
you did And you envy me. And when
you think Of me II is with capitals as
a Happy Housewife? Just 50. Well.
now tell me, do YOU ever lie awake
nights wishing you were my COOK? All.
you do not Nor my waitress? No. Nor
my maid2 Not even that. Well, just let
me inform you that you are deceived
| am not a Happy Housewife. l don't
think such a thing exists. | am q slave.
A miserable, abused, downtrodden, fet-
tered slave!
IF you want to enjoy life that Is
as free as the ocean wave, as full OF
SUtt1 SdAASih'AAeH KS II - empty VI L.
sponsibiity, become cook or a domestic
servant of some sort. Any day i'm the
year a good cook may take her choice
Of good homes, fat living and substan-
tial incomes. once enscOnced she has
her regular work, at regular hours, with
ample compensation. She does not have
70 rise early nor remain up late. Her
mind Is not distracted by a multiplicity
Of duties. She is able to plan her en-
gagements weeks ahead, for she knows
just when she will be free.
But greatest OF all privileges. II the
cook wearies of the fare or doesn't like
her mattress or thinks she doesn't get
enough breeze in her room she can drop
It all at a moments notice. If she is
tired OF New York and thinks she will
try Newport she needs only to make
up her mind to that effect. II Newport
pals upon her she can HE herself 10
the Pier, or II she pines for religious
advantages her weeks wages will quick
ly transfer her 10 ocean Grove. In fact.
she can roam the wide world DER and
there is no one to say her nay.
"She can save enough money during
the winter 10 take her back TO the 'ould
country for the summer. and she
doesn't leave furniture behind for moth
and rust 20 corrupt, nor "A house where
thieves may break in and steal. She
Is absolutely certain OF finding a good
home with a salary at whatever time
and place the fancy or the necessity
comes.
Now look at met Responsibility hangs
upon me like the Old Man Of the Sea
on Snbad's shoulders. / must be cook.
waitress, housemaid. health inspector,
nurse, seamstress. justice Of the peace,
teacher, confessor. adviser and judge In
my own household. That is enough 20
try the resources Of any human being.
But in addition | must decide on the
wardrobes Of myself. my children and
my servants, IN 50 far as they appear
in nv household affairs / must be tor
tured by dressmakers; must wear my
self out In perfunctory social duties;
must hear and attend 10 the calls OF
charity; must cultivate music, art and
literature; be up on the latest novel,
opera, exhibition; must identify myself
with my church work, and must enter
tain people who will rend my personal
ity and my acts In tatters after they
descend the front steps.
Suppose / am tired and want 10 throw
or the care OF all these duties. Can
]? Hardly ! am chained 20 them. The
children must be fed, clothed and train
cd. The house-an1 that Is the bugbear
Of half the women ilving-the house must
be kept going"
why don't you just close II up and
go aWay?" yentured the reporter.
CLOSE II up. That shows that you
don't know anything about n. If / close
II up the moths get in and eat up the
chairs and carpets; the thieves carry
OF the silver and bric-a-brac; more bur
glars cut up the lead pipes and the water
floods the house; must and dust take pos
session except where they are routed
by mold, and weeks OF work Will not
make the place habitable again. Then.
too. II have servants who are salts
factory I dare not let them 90 lest /
nay never see their like again, at least
In my own house. II | go away and take
them must first sound them as 70 their
preferences and be governed according
~.
I'm short, my servants are as free as
the child who plays house till her fancy
calls for change AS for me. 90
about with such a gay pretense OF laugh
ter that you don't hear my chains clank
Nevertheless, | am In bondage. a slave
10 fashion, friends and family. SO II
YOU must be guilty OF the sin OF envy.
make the cook your object and not me-"
New York Sun.