Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-17

Hotspur's case.'' added Mrs. Pepper
sqeezer, when we had smiled over her
story, land it's poor plan to say, for
certain, that any illness is due directly o,
wholly, to such and such causes, when
you re not qualified to judge. But dc
think" she said with some decision,
that nervous exhaustion seems pretty
large price to pay for even real knowledge
and superior culture
Nobody disputed this, and as no one else
offered any further remarks on the sub
ject, Mrs. Amiabella said, somewhat
timidly, that she had often found it neces
sary to repeat to herself phrase she had
seen somewhere, when she wanted to have
two advantages which were plainly in.
compatible with each other, or to use her
time and strength in two or three ways
any one of which fully employed hcl
capacity, Not this thing and that thing,
but this thing or that thing"
There were things for which it was
worth while to make sacrifices; and the
sacrifices should accordingly be made.
The person should not think, whether ii
were man or woman, that either be or she
could have the coveted requirement OF
equipment or opportunity merely as an
accessory to life. Any real and valuable
knowledge or accomplishment, or oppor-
tunity of service, has to be taken, by the
majority Of US, in communication of some
thing else, very likely, of many other
things. The mother counted the world
we'll lost fer the privilege OF the nurture
and companionship of her children.
Every woman with warm home instincts
was glad to hold other things somewhat
loosely in order to keep fast hold of its
comforts and possibilities. While who
ever was called to other vocations doubt
less had a similar, though in most cases,
d less compelling feeling in regard to
those callings. And she thought the
principle equally applicable to the lesser
choices and adjustments that are newt
able in every life.
Nobody had ever heard Mrs. Amiabella
make 50 long speech rs this before, and
we all clapped little, very softly. And
Mrs. Hotella said she fully agreed with
her One OF the most perplcxing prob
lens is often to know what to let go. or to
leave out. You couldn't carry formula
for living In your head. as you could a
rule for one-two-three- four cake. And
our neighbours standards could not be
our criterion. She thought herself that
it was because Of failure to perceive or to
apply this principle that SO many women
were over worked, harassed and anxious.
And which was even more to be re-
gretted, the husband was also over bur
dcned and made to go beyond his means; ;
while the children grew up with no ade-
quate idea of what suited the famlymeans,
and Of the relative value of what money
or effort could secure. Subservience to
custom, fashionable follies, questionable or
overdonc amusements, snowy accomplish
ments and entrance to socalied society,
when the stress of parental opinion and
example was added to them, made comfort
and independence, usefulness, knowledge,
and genuine human fellowships, seem
. feather weights in comparison.
Nobody disputed the Justice of this
though some of the women
looked as il 1t might be new to them,
in its everyday application
And perhaps it was. 1t Is one thing to
assent to q truth in general way, or to
approve principle on theoretical
grounds; and another to apply it to par
ticular cases, your own, for instance, and
maintain its supremacy in them
There was a lull in the talk, for time:
then Mrs. Carfern said that she had lust
heard that DR.. Hotspur had serious case
on the old mill road
Mrs. Dewitall had been taken very i'll,
1t had been thought at first that it was
heart failure, but she had rallied q little.
though still very low, and the doctor de-
clared it an aggravated case of prostra-
Cion, with complications which might
lead to almost any fatal seizure One or
two Of the women exchanged significant
glanccs with their neighburs while she
was speaking. Indeed, those of us who
knew the woman and her circumstances
were not surprised at the news. But Mrs.
Hotella seemed to express the common
conviction when she said, decidedly, that
it wasn't Mrs. Dewitall's fault Mrs.
said she knew her circuln
stances were difficult and peculiar; but
that in her opinion she ought to have in
sisted on some tightening OF her burdens.
"Insisted!' echoed Mrs. Hotella. "She
would have had to insist, 1 think"
There were some peculiar circumstances
in her case.' she added, "but in many
respects 1t was the common lot of the
farmers wife of the old-fashiOncd sort
only little more so. 1t was the comb
nation, and the multiplication, that wore
her out. Though, indeed, the work. the
care, and, not least. the unrelieved mo.
notony of it all had overcome MANY
another in easter circumstances.
She, Mrs. Hotella. thought it time that
the women in towns and villages started
new crusade, for the relief, in very I'M
costly and practicable ways, of the re-
stricted and barren and monotonous lives
Of their sisters in remote and tbinlv-
settled neighborhoods. The trouble wouii
be, it would not 60 deep enough. what.
ever the method, to win the co.operation
Of the women themselves It was said
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