The Washington times., 1894-03-21
For a Woman;
Bu a Woman.

Does the tired little mother know, asks the
could not take another step, and it is almost
n question when she closes her eyes at night
if she cares to open them in the morning, or
would be question il 1t were not for those in
whose behalf she is SO weary, that there is
really no occasion for such fatigue as hers!
She smiles at the idea. mo occasion!" she
says. with my Janey needing this. and Harry
wanting that, and Willy suffering for the
other thing, With the baby to have his
rights, with the house at skies and sevens,
and its dear master demanding and deserving
the best and most-no occasion for my IA
tigue."
But let her pause and reconsider. Does
Janey really Iced this? 1t Is not fancied
need merely? Would she not be as well OH
without it. after all! Is it indispensable TO
her health and good name and her souPs
welfare2 Is it finery, frills. and furbelows
that make the extra stitches and steps which
tire the back and eyes of her that takes them?
Would she not be Just as happy and whole
some in simpler garments? And If only the
ambition to rival her mates causes the work.
would it not be "A good exercise In moral
strength to let her know the trouble and ap-
She loves her mother she cannot wish her TO
tire herself out for her own little vanities or
great ones: and il she does not love her enough
for that. then she ought not TO be considered
to such an extent And does Harry want
what he wants sufficiently for him to pay the
price OF pr sently having no mother at all. or
at best stepmother. in order to give il TO him
now? There are some things too costly for
her to give; and the price of Harry's gratiiied
desire. added to ali the rest, is the price
of strength. and it may be of life. And
for what can Willy be suffering that his suf-
fering should outweigh hers? And the baby's
rightsi All, we verify believe that there's the
rub
The baby must be kept as the first baby
was, when all was new and bright. and the
strength was new and bright too. His little
gowns must be white; they must be changed
daily. and sometimes twice day, and they
must be in number for that reason, and If
there is no one else to iron the fluungs and
quillings and insertions and edgingS, she
must do II herself. or do something else to
make things even while that Is being done, in
order that he shall always look as fresh as
field daisy as sweet as white rosebud. But
whose is the baby? Does it give any but
passing pleasure to others than herself and
her household; and will not she. will not
they, love that baby just the same if be has
not a-ruflie on him and in little gown as
brown as the thrushes wear? viii he not be
just as sweet, his kisses just as dear, his fair
face all the fairer by comparison! And as
for the house and its order, does any one ex-
pect house full of children to be full OF
order too? When people waltz long. and
wish to restore the equilibrium, they reverse;
cannot the children who get things out OF
order put them back in order! And as for
the master of the house-ah. there we will
not be of the fools that rush in! Only let the
wife and mother think that it is more 10 one
and all of them to have her than to have these
things she is pursuing to her ruin, and that
she will do husband and children the more
good the more she simplihes her life and