The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-01-27
LESSONS FROM LIFE.
the woMAs; WHO WORKS AND sAcRI-
FlcEs ALL TO HER WORK.

ne Other Woman, Who Also Works, but
tiss which Are Just ~ Important and
Are Much Pleasanter.
It II really quite wonderful how women
run to extremes. The woman who works
IL almost IA bad az the woman who does
nothing at all.
You know her. She works early and
late, in season and out of season, and she
can't be persuaded to do anything else. 1t
down. 1t IL the kindest thing nature can
do. Perhaps you have visited the woman
who works She never has time to enter
tain you. You must Just watch her work
and work and work. And when you think
she has finished she tears 10 all up and goes
over the whole thing again. Now, there Is
a right and proper doing and there Is a
wrong and sinful OVERRIDING, for, while
It IL the bounden duty Of every woman to
look we'll TO the ways Of her household, no
woman has a right to set aside the other
duties that she owes to herself, her fellow
creatures and her God. The work required
In the making Of a home is only a part Of
these duties, great and important part
but still only part.
In many instances the woman who works
loses sight of this She becomes n machine
The beauty Of life Is lost to her. The best
part of her being Is gone She is deaf and
blind because she misses the music and
beauty Of living. There Is no new and
beautiful Thought added to her mental
store, no healthy, upward growing, no ad
vancement.
This state of affairs may have come
about so gradually that she does not realize
into what sad plight she has fallen. She
has no time TO go anywhere, and indeed
nobody seems to expect her to go out
There is always something To do, and she
IL never quite ready.
Once l knew such a woman. She was
we'll and strong, the picture of perfect
health. Her home was bright and pleas
ant; her children, happy and well cared
for, were always we'll. An epidemic of
measles was spreading over the town. The
family physician warned my friend that
she was in no condition to take the dis
ease, and that every precaution must be
used. 1t was suggested that she take the
children out Of town for awhile. This was
by no means impossible, but my friend
buOukne bO ~ WINS INONoHlOoI duO bAo
winter sewing not done. There were 30
many children. How could she leave home
just now? 1t seemed simple and easy to
everybody else, but she could not be per-
suaded. She took the measles, and she
died. Those children are men and women
now. Think of their motherless child
hood. The husband Is lonely and broken
hearted STILL II only she had taken timel
nd kar tEar h..ss
never been notable housekeeper. She
was never what people call stylish, and
somehow she was always just little be-
hind with her work. Nobody ever seemed
to mind this or to expect anything else
There were big family and little pocket
book. The dishes were not always washed
when the meal was finished, the beds were
not always made In the morning, the
house was not always tidy, but there was
always time to go to church or q lecture
with the family, always time for talk
with the boys, always time for reading a
book to them, always time for writing
long letters to the ones that were strong
enough to leave the home nest. And the
boys-well, there are six of them, six of
the finest men have ever known; men of
honor, Christians, every one; men who
iONtiOheO WOiiSh III SOhSioi oiio 6uoiO thc
little mother in particular. Don't you
know she is glad she took timer do, be-
cause saw her once when one of the boys
IA fine handsome young man just home
from college-excused himself To n group
of pretty girls who were calling and took
his hat to go out.
where are you going, SOM" his mother
asked.
ITO milk the cow for Miss Nancy She
has hurt her hand, and see her going to
the barn, he answered In "A careless, mat
ter of fact way CHANGING out the window.
The young ladies opened their eyes in
anazement Who ever heard Of valedic-
torian milking a COW for a poor little old
maid who had burned her hands
But the boys mother took it in very
matter of fact way.
That's 81" she said quietly "Come
back in time to see my girls home. I"
And as we watched him crossing over to
the little woman she went on
Il am proud of that boy. College hasn't
spoiled him. l didn't think It would.
Surely am blessed in my boys
And we agreed with her. 1t was worth
being called a poor housekeeper, it was
worth wearing old dresses All, me, II
only all mothers were able to say that
Womankind.