The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-07-13

All suo hilchen. Inc majority or men,
who have the hurlyburly of life during
the day, do not find happiness in board
ing house or hotel, but want the home
comforts.
The majority of women in these DAYS
dislike housekeeping, with it's tyrannical
cares and responsibilities. To think ND
bill of fare for each day, to direct
servants to prepare it or to aid in its
preparation, to try to economize in the
household, TO keep the machinery of the
house all IN good working order-this is
purgatory to seven modern women out
OF ten. 1t is useless and absurd to tell
every woman that she can conquer her
dislike for pots, kettles, ranges, soiled
vegetables and raw meats. She cannot
learn to like such things if she is not a
born housekeeper.
The only way for her to do is to con-
slider this work the sacrifice she offers
on that altar of love and to compel her
self to do it well and cheerfully. Many
wife tells her husband she would die
for him if it became necessary, and she
longs to perform some difficult and dan
gerous feat to prove the strength of her
love. AT the same time she is making
him miserable by parading her dislike
for and inefficiency in housekeeping.
Why not resolve to control this dis
like and overcome this inefficiency by
courage, perseverance and system and
to regard it as the most needed and use
full sacrifice she can make for her hus-
band? She should say to herself: 81 do
not love this task. l have no natural
skill or taste for homework, but l will
take pleasure i'll doing it we'll because it
is the surest way of giving my husband
comfort and pleasure, and the happiness
we give others is the only pleasure which
lasts"
know scores of men who feel an alb
solute loathing for the struggle and toll
of money making. Every day they are
dropping dead in the counting room and
on the street with the severe pressure
on brain and heart. However bloodless
may seem this battle for dollars, the
wounds are given and bleed inwardly.
And what happiness can life hold for
such men if, after the office and market
is closed, they go to disconnected wives
and i'll conducted homes, where the
household worries are added to the strife
of the business world?
There is only now and then wife who
seems to realize that all this strife and
struggle is for her happiness and pleas
ure and that men go to their places of
business with quite as much dread and
distaste as wives go to the kitchen. How
heartless and devoid of sense would the
man seem who, after having asked
woman to share his life, told her daily
that he hated the work he was compelled
to do TO support her and that he did not
believe he had taste for such labor.
Yet it is Just as absurd and heartless for
the wife to constantly parade her dislike
for housekeeping.
AT the same time most men are not
inclined to give their wives the sym
pathy and appreciation in the manage
ment of the home which they need. eff
l had daughter" said man to me one
day, 81 would take her on my knee and
tell her what IL fearful strain money
making meant for man, and 1 would
instill into her mind sympathy and APP
probation for her future husband in that
way"
thought this very beautiful senti-
ment, but almost in another breath I
heard him say: II often think it must
be delightful to be woman. They have
such an easy, care free time of it, with
nothing to do but stay in the shelter of
home and keep the house,
1T is indeed great privilege to be a
woman" replied, because we are thus
permitted to be loved by men, But the
keeping of the house is in its way as
wearing rs the outer strife You men
ctr;1ntrlir,er wit Il
'Business'-who tries to throttle YOU.
10 overcome him requires all your
strength. We women are set upon by
an army of gnats-the petty cares of
housekeeping. They sting and poster us
TO distraction night and day, small as
they are. We need your sympathy as
much as you need ours. Neither should
sneer at the others toll"
a husband once asked me to talk to
his wife and endeavor to make her more
thoughtful in regard to his cares and
worries. "She does not seem to realize
The strain of business career" he said,
land L think you might present it all to
her Ill way that would set her think
ing"
felt sorry for him, yet 1 knew him to
accept the invitation of gentleman to
dine at the club one evening without
sending any word home to his wife, who
waited dinner two hours, compelling her
servant to lose an evening out and bring
ing discord and trouble generally into
the domestic regions by his thoughtless
selfishness. How could he expect his
wife to sympathize with his cares when
ne showed such lack of sympathy for
hers?