St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-02-02
THE HOUSEHOLD DRUDGE.
She Who Refuses to Avail Herself OF Mod
ern Methods.

She Who Refuses TO Avail f1eTseif % Atoses
arn Methods.
1t is strange how much the average
good housekeeper is the creature OF
routine, and adopts without thought
the customs of those who have gone
before. It is indeed gift to be able TO
assinuilate to ones self the best OF new
ideas and re fect the worthless and I'M
practicable The woman who buys
every patent who experiments with
every washing powder and decoct1on OF
food that is recommended, Is the nod-
| ern Mrs. Toodles, who buys all sorts or
| preposterous things because they arc
| SO handy TO have in the house or things
| that she does not need because they are
| so cheap, That there Is still d large
| body of these. housekeepers may be-
proved by the absurd makeshifts o.
| every kind that find remunerative sale
MS we'll as the success OF these bargain
counters that are palpable frauds. None
of these counters are more popular than
/ the ssburnt goods sale, . an alluring bait
/ which never fails to bring hundreds OF
shoppers and persuade them to buy
! household linens, bedding or what not
/ finaed with the smell of smoke. The
/ same goods may frequently be pl1r-
/ chased clean and fresh at the same
/ price ait q counter further on, but the
j shopper who is bent on a bargain sell
dom looks into the matter further than
10 Join the crowd and Take for granted
she has her goods at an astonishing dis
count. The bargain counter Is seldom
| prepared so 1t will attract the customer
who has an intelligent knowledge OF
/ goods. There is hardly d day when T ne
| country house is not invaded by agents
selling the most absurd, impracticable
things, which are In no way equal to
the simple old-fashioned contriyance
which they propose to succeed
i But an abiect object Is the house
keeper who rejects all modern methods
and drudges on In the laborious old
way. This woman Is not capable OF
instruction; she is law unto herself;
. she absurdly sets the Judgment aside
of scientific experts In commonest mat
ters of natural physics, 50 far as they
relate to the household. She has
evolved from her own experience. or
received in the course OF her domestic
Il training, a different method OF arrang-
ing her fire drafts, mixing her bread or
what not. and fair result is obtained
One might as well teach D Digger In-
S dian the correct method as this house
{ keeper who is intrenched In her belief.
j Show her that the principal draugi1s OF
] her stove is sealed up, ten chances to
one she will ignore the matter and ga
. ON toiling to lsindle the fire in the old
i
| always smokes. It is useless to tel
. such a person that the concensa1s OF eN
j berts declare that from 10 to 6s degrees
D Is considered to be healthy tenpera
I ture for living and sleeping rooms oc
I cupied by persons In health; she vii
y ssi Z i
that ..boiled beef IS q coarse, unWhole =
some dish in the way il is generaiAy
!. prepared; she settles the matter py
saving: II have always cooked y So
Until women are intelligently tralnee
J Ii their youth In domestic matters ane
! aorne tt, regard the problems Of mouse
y svorlf as matters of exact, not OF expert
:, n,arstal. science, the drudge will exist
che wifi refuse 10 learn after she ma
nnce acquired method OF her OWL
: hut will 90 blundering through th
xnorld the victim of no end OF foolisl
! : catastrophes. 1t is one Of those ineS
n1icab1e things that educated house
t,aeners who have not been educated Y
Y domestic matters are often pre1udiee'
= I,ousakeepers, who persist in warrin
!, AGAINST the common-sense laws OF phy
: ]. sizes. Some people, regardless q thei
= education, seem to be incapapie
= : Learning new ways. II Is not stfang
that ignorant servant-maids are o
:, stinate and unreasoning. when wome
- Of superior general intelligence, wii
oupf,t to know better, are narrow an
~ - incapable of adopting the wisest an
. best method in their houseWork. -
Y. Tribune.