The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-10-03
Easy Housekeeping.

UlSlIlDuNC TeSpOlii lbllliH ~ NlsO cNtly luO-
tor not only accepts i,s snare Of duty, but
continues unfailingly to do it. Persistent
pursuit of this course makes the victorious
general and the successful business man
as well Us the satisfactory housckeeper
do not believe, however, that there is
one woman in thousand who ever stops
to contemplate this fact. Every one of
the number wonders though, why keep
ing house is the very hardest work in the
world. And men with well disciplined
offices who are able to reduce their indi-
vidual labor to minimum they regard
envyngly. They persuade themselves that
women's work is so peculiarly intricate
and exactng that 1t refuses to be reduced
to simple rules and principles. Yet If
all those uneasy, overburdened Martins
could only take few practical lessons in
well ordered counting room they would
soon solve the problem which causes them
such painful wrestling.
Able business men who accomplish re.
suits are those who know how to make
other people feel the Importance of the
trust imposed upon them, and as nine
tenths of mankind spend their best efforts
in lodging responsibility there is as much
real genius in stimulating sense of it
in ones employees as in actually achfev-
ing things oneself.
There is, | know, superstition ex-
tant to the effect that a good housewife Isl
busy bustlng person-one always active
and alert who follows up her servants and
never relaxcs her vigilance from dawn
till bedtime She is not supposed to take
chances on anything, but goes herself from
garnet to cellar daily, peers into every clos
ct, hunts eagerly for dust, takes constant
account of storeroom, pantry and kitchen
and keeps II penetrating eye upon the en-
tire mcnagc. If mans work is from sun
to sun, while woman s work is never DONE
the fault is every bit her own. The reason
man can define his hours of toll and rest
SO sharply is because he knows when and
where and how to put in strokes that tell;
also he knows how to make those who
work with and under him directly an
swcrable for their share of the labor.
Now, the case of "a woman having sew
eral small children and only one or two
maids with which to keep the house.
Properly managed the result should b.
leisure for the mistress, discipline for the
maids and comfort for everybody. But
nine times out of ten the chance system is
in vogue Servants are given general in
structions, but they are quick to apprcci-
ate that the mistress expects to shoulder
all the real responsibility herself She
means to rely upon her own vigilance rath-
er than their fidelity for the execution of
the daily tasks. Realizing this, they get
in the habit of depending on her prodding
to remind them of the simplest duties.
1t is this spirit in the household that
makes drudges of the employer, who is
only given eye service and finds her do
mestic machinery runs with many creak
and groan.
AS there is always a right way and
wrong way to do everything, little clever
management conducts home on the same
principles precisely as those which regu-
late counting house. But the little 10
year daughter whose business it is to
strip withercd leaves and blossoms from
the plants, change the water in the vases
and attend to the bedroom candlesticks
must be held unswervingly to her duty.
She must be taught at once that the whole
family relies upon her for the faithful dis
charge of these tasks. Mamma must never
do them for her, and thus lessen either the
sense of responsibility or the force of con
demnation when she is guilty of neglect.
These principles should be rigidly on
forced with every factor in the household
There should be no trespassng OF one
persons work on another. Most women
declare it much easier to do things them
selves than to follow up careless maid.
But the really clever mistress knows bet
ter. She finds Il way of making the serv-
ant answerabie for her mistakes and CON
tinually satisfactory in the performance
of her tasks
a bright woman whose soul has sicken
ed within her by reason of domestic ire
ularitics workCd out the following system,
yIbich nrnVoJ a trb SiD ,Dln and nm
tircly ctllcacious She had, it seems, been
present once at a military inspection and
was much impressed by the quick, bust
ncsslike manner in which the examination
was conducted. After watching the oil
Ger inspect each soldier in turn as to his
| personal cleanliness, arms, etc, she con
| clU'tvd that something of the same sort
might with advantage be applied to her
domestic mana 1ment.
Full of this idea, the clever little mis-
tress prepared two lists-one for morn
| ing drill, the other for afternoon parade.
| On the first was set down in order each
particular household chore that should be
properly done before noon, and each day
at 1880 O'Clock the entire establishment
was called out for inspection.
First came the nursemaid, marshaling
her charges and ready to show row of
neatly polished boots, clean, pink palms,
white, well brushed teeth and Sleek shin
ing heads. The matter of buttons, garters,
finger nails, etc, was well looked into,
and then the order to break ranks given.
The housemaid reported lamps cleaned,
busting done, windows washed, and the
stock of polishes, soaps and other require
ments of her department that were needle !
or on hand. As the list of her tasks were
set down in detail, there was never any
danger of CLOSING them over or forgetting
to enumerate them. Unless all the cham
Der work was completed by that hour a
satisfactory explanation was required he
fore the girl could be excused.
Living in the country, as she did, it wGs
In the management of her kitchen, how
ever, that the lady found this book so great
q comfort. Neat columns of kitchen ne
cessities logged her memory as to th,
thousand and one little pantry details tn,
lack of when never intrude themselvo,
until the days marketing is done. Coos
reported dishcloths washed and drying on
the line, when the chickens were fed, COW,
MIXED, and so on ad infintum.
AS at II o'clock, so at p. H. an after
noon parade developed the condition of al.
| fr.,i, hat