The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-27

veutious offer them. l am permitted to
use them all in this paper.
"The pencil may compass them II the
purse cannot.
after the regular routine OF house
hold duties, woman may, and probably
does spend her time in the way she pre-
fers.
''Many on dress, some in cooking dam
ty dishes, others devote hours to music,
art, the professions, travel, reading. writ
ing professionally, social correspondence,
receptions, calls and visits.
ave all know women who are not
wealthy. who find enough time to give
to the thing to which they most prefer to
devote themselves.
'And modern inventions allow them to
do this
''SocietY asks for a portion, tits true,
but it is fact that society pays homage
to that woman who has the energy and
independence to do and to be something
other and better than society alone could
make her.
'Sone of the time is devoted to that
wifely and motherly sympathy and care
which can not be done by machinery
nor bought by the pound
1.-THE mother of family must know
something about everything and every
thing about something.
THE multiplication of periodical liter
allure, as we'll as books and the public
library meet popular demand of which
woman is the creator. And how can
she read if she have not the leisure for
it?
There are thousands of women's clubs
because tens of thousands of women
have to form and attend them.
They feel their power augmented by
development in club work.
"a woman's work is as wide as the
world. She may choose what she will
do, and secure some leisure for doing it.
81 said her work is as wide the
world; it is wider; for to woman is dele
gated that refining, softening, uplifting
influence, which reaches Iongingiy to-
ward that spiritual hOme-eternaI in the
/ heavens.
Mrs. COwcilFs Paper.
Mrs. Cowgirl said: AT first thought one
believes there is but one side to the ques-
ton, and after having heard the able ar
gument in its favor, | fear you are con-
WINGED of it, but l shall endeavor 10 show
that not only have modern improvements
not Zig htened woman's labor, but have in
some sense been curse to her.
sit is a selt-evident fact that women
now are as busy if not more so than in
pioneer times, when they washed, carded
and spun their wool and flax aud made
it into garments by hand.
"This is an age of tired women, from
the humble washwoman to the belle of
the famous "four hundred" the mark of
wearisome and unrest is upon them.
Why is this so?
Modern Improvement and so called la
Dor saving machines have brought about
a complex mode of living, aud have
placed within our reach, not only things
necessary to our comfort, but many lux
uries. But these things can be reached
by most OF US in no other way than by
hard work. and when acquired are a
source OF continual care and labor.
Physicians call the sewing machine a
curse to woman. Even the threshing
machine has increased woman's work.
t'In olden times, the men folks patiently
worked all winter without the aid of out
side help No tiresOme time in the heat
of summer cooking for hired men.
1.-The washing machIne does the work
more speedily and clothes wear longer,
but those who use them say the method
is more laborious.
"Our grandmothers made candles by
pouring melted tallow into molds,
through which the wicks had been
drawn. This done, the labor of some
weeks was over, while we must every
day fill our lamps and clean our Chin
neys. The improvement which proba-
bly, affects US most is the Manufacture of
cloth.
"An abundance Tor every purpose is
turned out at reasonable prices and we
are prone to conclude that this is won
derful help and blessing.
But these goods do not wear nearly
so long as those made by the mothers of
long ago. The daughter was once con-
tent like Priscilla,
"'Seated by her wheel
And the carded wool like a suow-drift
Piled at her knee, her white hand
Feeding the ravenous spindle,
While her foot on the treadle
She guided the wheel in its motion.
x X * To make
Humble house and modest apparel
OF homespun.'
But the girl of the period, with her
heart full of unrest because she may not
possess az much tinery as her neighbors,
goes out from the home to enter one of
the many avenues of livelihood, leaving
the mother the homework and leading a
burdeDed life herself.
Modern improvements have destroyed
the simplicity and contentment that
characterized the lives of our pioneer an
cestors, who worked leisurely and pa
tiently, accomplishing not so much as we
of the present time, but expanding much
less animal force and nervous energy"
OTHER CLUB WORK.