The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-08-21
For THE HOUSEHOLD DEPARTMENT.
The Secret.

The Secret.
have not intended to be so tardy in my
reply to Subscriber who inquiries for more
light on the subject OF being able to accom-
plish so much in so short time in the mat
ter of housekeeping duties. | will en-
deavor to give her my secret, But may
say in the beginning that one plan will not
work we'll in all cases; it must be varied
by a iudicious little woman at the head OF
affairs before it will work smoothly. One oil
the first principles to be given thought of is
tlme-time your work, plan to do this or
or that duty and get right up and go do it.
That is the basis OF success-up and doing
at the right time. You know it is an un-
disputed fact that an idle person never has
time for any one, while person constantly
engaged in some work always has q few mo-
ments to spare here and there. This one
item I never lose sight of. l watch the
clock as | dress for morning duties; watch
while the little ones sleep; do the duties
then that will occupy all my time and ar
range some lighter work to engage in when
they awaken. In our home we have four in
the family-father, mother and two daugh.
ters My oldest daughter is old enough tC
be of great assistance and [ ana endeavor-
ing to teach her the value of time. Children
are prone to idle the best part of their life
away in play, ana older heads very often, to
their sorrow, allow them so to do from the
simple fact that they think they are enjoy
ing life, the best of life by Willing it away,
when the truth of the matter is they will be
full of vain regrets when matured, because
they know not how to value time. By this
do not understand me to mean that child
must never play. No, but it must be taught
duty first and then recreation. have al
WAYS contended that this is one great
trouble in families-the cause of so much
discord and unhappiness. Arrange to have
them help you in everything. Of course,
while they are very small, if the purse of the
home will admit OF help, procure it and
have the hardest labor done by other
hands, but let the delightful tasks in the
dining room and the living room be done
by thine own hands and the children's, fol
the husband, if he be true one, much pre-
lOTS 10 see IruICS Vi Ills WIG ldDOTS CuSTe
than some careless, unwifely person.
If you arise at 4:3O, taking fifteen min
utes to dress, Gncludlng short devotional
exercises, which will help you through your
duties) by 4 AS you will be ready to go to
the kitchen, supposlng you are doing all
the work yourself. l do not pass by the
children's room and leave them, but go to
their bedside, speak to them and tell them
tits time to be up helping mother. Thanks
to my training they are up and ready in a
very short time. and, with the kitchen all
ready for the breakfast meal, it does not
take us many minutes to have it on the
table. We do not spend an our "tussing"
about who will clear up the dishes, but each
taxes a part and in twenty minutes all is
finished and the dining room in order. A
mother should never do all the work when
there are children in the home to assist her.
Teach them it is their duty and a privilege
to perform the duties of the home and they
will grow up with that idea in their minds
believe in system and have lived in a
home long enough to satisfy myself that
nothing is impossible in this world with