Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-08-05
WOMAN IN The HOME.


sphere of Activity.
When we remember that, phys:olo.ic-
ally speaking, woman is considered the
weaker vessel, let us look at the demands
which are made upon her by the cares
of a family-made greater by the Gus
toms and habits of the nineteenth CEN
tury-and we shall pause in wonder that.
If all that is done iswell done, she is per-
mitted to live out half her days.
In the first place, girl who PERHAPS
has had perfect freedom and immunity
from all care becomes as soon as she is
married her husbands companion. She
must be fresh and attractive in appear
ance and feeling to greet him when no
returns homo in the evening. She must
have topics of interest on which to con-
verse and make herself charming TO him
after his days toll or be ready to 70 out
with him to theater, lecture, card party
or entertainment, as the case may be, or
to make the evening agreeable to him at
his home If he is domestic in his taste.
Ii she does not do this constantly and
persistently, the average man will. after
the novelty of the new life has worn off.
betake himself to his club, or if he is
lacking in principle he may drift away
altogether and find other company which
is more agreeable to him.
Where there is strong mutual affec-
ton and the man has fine sense Of
honor. chivalry and high principle, he
will of course feel that obligations are
mutual, and he will find for himself and
make for her and with her interests that
will be harmonious When to this happy
condition are added ample or very COM
Portable means, the woman's work in the
home is greatly lightened. But take tho
case of the mistress of n family in mod
crate circumstances with three or four
children. The house must receive enough
attention from its mistress each day to
keep all in good running order. even
surprising that two servants do tho
actual work Of the household Meals
are to be ordered three times each day,
with provision for the requirements and
idiosyncrasies of each individual from
paterfamilias down to the last conner in
the establishment. Now, this may seem
a mere trifie to the locker ON, who ut tho
well appointed table sees the daily bill
of fare, but let any such locker on try it
for days, weeks, months, years, season
after season, and he or she, whoever it
may be, will think that the position OF
caterer alone to family Of ordinary size
is no sinecure.
Then the difficulties with servants and
their management, the settling OF their
difficulties with each other, the task OF
instructing them in their duties, the fire.
quent directions which must be given to
the details of cooking by ordinary house
keepers, is something which few of tho
other Sex understand. Those who arc
able to pay very high prices for fine
cooks may be exempt from ordinary
trials, but the average housekeepcr
knows that she must often supplement-
her own knowledge and experience with
remarks like these. The bread this week
is not baked slowly enough or long
enough. THE soup is too weak" etc.
to keep up tho cooking TO the standard
requisite for the health and satisfaction
of the family. Then the care of tho
house, the weekly cleaning, the constant
supervision of cellar, closets and drains,
form, with the catering, n department.
in itself sufficient for the entire occupa-
ton of one woman, and the health and
comfort of the whole household are de-
pendent on the fidelity and intelligence
which direct it.
Yet the mothers responsibility and
care have only their beginning here. Tho
needs Of the children from infancy to
adult life, in health and sickness. their
training physical, intellectual and
moral-here is another department.
which demands for its fulGllment the
vitality and best powers of the mother
in the home. The oversight Of the cloth
ing of young aud changing forms is IL
care that is sufficient for one head and
pair of hands, even when people are sem
sible enough TO pay little court to Dame
Fashion.
Most of all in the home is tho COM
partnership Of the wife and mother TO
husband and children, for which sho
needs time for her own physical re-
quirements of air, rest and refreshment.
time to keep up her reading, her interest
in books, pictures and music, that sho
may never become household drudge.
mere minister to temporal needs. but
that she may be the beloved friend and
counselor.
once had a friend whose wisdom
and Judgment think worthy Of imita-
ton. She, or rather her husband, pos
sessed wealth. but doubtless he recog-
nized that she earned share in It's dis
tribution and might safely be trusted
in its disbursement, as she was not cx-
travagant or unreasonable in any way.
He employed no nurse for her little
children, but she. with relative who
resided with her, took the entire care OF
them herself, so that they were con-
stantly in association with refined peo-
pie and with those whose affection for
them was strongest, instead Of being
with hireliugs who might or might not
be trustworthy. But she never spent
any time on fancy work or sewing or
any kind, as ample means permitted tho
purchase Of things desired and this
hiring Of all necessary sewing for q
family. She was her children's COM
panion and friend, and she gave thcnl
the best of herself
When a woman Of large mind, ripe
Judgment and sound heart gives herself
to this loving service, who can estimat,
Its value aud its influence reaching and
widening out as son aud daughter 20
forth into the world, who have been
trained under such blessed ministratiour
But what wonder is il II, just az she Is
most needed, when sons and daughters
are growing mp, the stress and strain
which might properly have devolved on
three women have been too much for
one alone, and she Is taken from this
world just when her life is most valuable,
to those who are perhaps blindly una
ware Of the cares and responsibilities of
woman IN the home.
ASNA ALcoTT CoNFIIg.
The constantly increasing employment
Of women and girls in new occupations
is very gratifying It Is said that filing
places at the Worlds fair grounds ars,
q, 600 women clerks, sten0graphers and
typewriters. while half Of the persons
engaged about the exhibits are women
-. :. a