The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-11-20

grown up.
And yet. with all his natural love for a
home, which, without doubt he shares with
his sisters, the boy Is almost never a he pful
factor in goodhousekeeping. Why? Because
he is boy? Nay. verify. But because his
mother is a weman and has taken her son
much as she took her lover. as one not to
must govern the sex to which he does not
belong.
This is fatal folly of women-a folly they
do not realizs until il is too late, and which,
when they realize at last, they seek to
counteract by irritated protests with tongue
and pen against the double standard of vir-
tue.
"A young wife of some two years experien ce
having YEARLY picked up countless articles
with which her husband had Uttered the
house, exclaimed. 81 wonder why John al
ways throws everything down for me to
pick up" And Johns mother. who heard
the remark, replied with unpleasant en-
phasis, II suppose because Johns mother
loved him so well that waiting on him was
no trial to her."
1t would be interesting to know whether
Johns mother was equally as devoted to
Johns father. Johns wife will, no doubt,
as cheerfuIly sacrifice herself to Johns sor,
and thus entail perpetual servitude on
Johns future daughter-in-law.
The conscientious mother, with an eye to
the good housekeeping of the coming gener-
alton, rears her daughter to tidy and pains.
taking habits But the boy, born of the
same parents destined to share in the in
terests of some home. is entirely exempt
from the line upon line I'd precept upon
precept which go to make his sister home
maker.
81 hope you will excuse the appearance
of this room," VS. the mother to an I'M
expected caller. II havent had time to look
after it since the boys were here, and-you
know what boys are?" This last with the
air of one who has offered ample apology.
eyes, my trip did me lots of good.
felt like new woman when I got home.
But I have had to work so hard putting the
house to rights that am afraid have lost
all the benefit. Mr.. Smith was his own
housekeeper, and. of course, every dish and
every bed in the house was uncared for.
And believe there were at least two hun
dred newspapers scattered over the house,
to say nothing of soiled linen knee-deep on
the bedroom foor.''
Yet there was no reason why MIR. Smith
should not have taken his meals comfort
ably elsewhere, nor why he should have
failed to make his own bed daily, thus saw
ing the disorder of several rooms nor why
he should not have folded and laid his news
papers in ons place, nor why he should not
have sent his soiled linen to the laundry.
Of failing in all these points he could have
made the home coming of his wife far less
discouraging by hiring reliable woman to
set the house in order somewhat for the
comfort of a returning traveller. But men
never think of these things, being almost
never included in the plans and practices of
well-ordered household. except as beings
set apart from all housekeeping responsible
tiles. Their inconsiderateness, which lays
unnecessary burdens upon the women they
love best, has come to pass because they are
the creatures of habit which have arisen
and developed through the mistaken indul-
gence of mothers-an indulgence which
makes its first victim self-indulgent and the
unpremeditating oppressor of all his women
relatives.