Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-04-24
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
:. .ss. :,:: ,;ss ssss: m:
CoIUss. Osisri Ds.~rsi. fsHs. hslss.
THINGS srowsp AWAY IN the
GARRETT
rnAr "xAY CONE HANDY, nut
NEvER 10.


While the clevercst women Of the
world are bending their energies to
bring TO themselves and their SEE FIRE.
dom from the slavery Of their unhappy
condition (as wives aud mothers for the
sake of being supported), there are
some minor emanclpations which may
not be wholly unimportant u they can
be brought about, which would certain
| iy add to the happiness Of "the sex,"
and are not beyond attainment. One
special enthrallmeut 10 the slavery to
''things".
81 am dead tired, ;" said . woman not
long since "l've been up In the attic,
looking over things, aud there was 90
much to do that ! feel completely cx.
haustesi."
The go much TO do" proved, when
particulsrlscd, 10 be an unrolllng of an.
iiquated clothing, an inspection of old
bed blankets that were too worn to serve
In their original capacity any more, .
taking down and hanging up again OF
old coats, trousers and hats, n shlfting
and .snugging up" OF iegless chair.
aud tables, stools aud other rlfi.ruff, aud
at last sweeping, busting and mopplng
as q grand finale.
81 have to do Il myself." complained
my friend, ..and Il always makes me half
sick. never had q girl who VAS willing
10 help me, and Norah Splllane left be
cause I insisted on her once carry Ing up
the water, though did the mopPing
myself"
There are q lot Of things In the wood.
shed" said . housewife to her husband,
"snd I wish you would carry them ~
Into the garrett" F.
80 her husband, tired with = hard
days work, spent more than half an
hour transporting the "thlngs." They
were not valuable things at all. There
were some obsolete window shades,
ome lsmbrequln cornices IN" longer
used, a basket Of old fruit cans whose
covers would by no means any longer
it, and some ancient coal scuttles which
had taken To leaking coal dust In = way
that effectively destroyed their useful
meas.
No one has ever moved from one
house Ia another but has struggled with
that dlssipsted looking last load OF
"thipgs," which, sold TO the highest
bidder, would not bring the cost Of
Transportation. by various hsndling-
and some expense we move them, how
ever, and give them houseroom and safe
repose.
why do We feel Il our duty to burden
our busy lives with "things" % no poe
sible use' Why does Il press upon u.
with the force Of duty that these
"things" are part Of our responsible
lhys Why can We not rise to . height
Of moral courage which will free Ne for
ever from the care and thought yearly
bestowed upon an undomesticated clut'
ter Of articles long past their usefulness
They will not coat . good bousekeeper
less than three days Of hard work In q
year. AZ good housekeepers are not
few. the time annually sacrificed thus IL
far from small.
Broken furniture should meet one Of
two ends; Il should be- meuded and made
20 serve somebody's need, or u should
contribute it, substance Ia the wood
pile. Old clothes have no vocation on q
peg nor In q chest. II they are past
service With you, and have no mission
for the less fortunate, their appropriate
refuge IL the rag bag. Could we but
assert our Independence of that lingering
reminder of past responsibility, which
makes us grant 10 the superannuafel
Accommodations of the house perpetual
shelter aud seryitude, what space.
would he freed from the cultivation Of
moth, mold aud rust. Better than all
What sense Of FREEDOM would give ~
lief To the oyertaxed vigilance Of mis-
taken care
Of all in.idious mental diseases, moth
Ing morr generally affects ~omsnkind
than her voluntary devotion 10 the de
crepit contents Of the attic. Aud %
strong IL the hold IL has upoa her, tina,
.he fsncies her slavery q virtue. What
woman wants In this connection, IL
conviction Of sin, repentance, aud sucf
q conversion a. will nerve her hand 10 {
re.olute destruction Of the false god
which her instinct for boarding has sci
ca high. The time and strength waste,
In caring for what "msy come handy
bat never does, 10 applied TO any one ol
the many pleasant things busy ~omet
long Ia do but cannot Ind leisure for
would make some of us forget what de
pressing old planet We live on.-Goot
Housekeeping.
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