Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-28
If TABLES WERE TURNED.
Nhy Men shoaId Know Something Of the
Art Of Housekeeping.

Here are some reflections from a lively
'eminine philosopher:
Social students are forever telnHS US
now women should acquaint themselves
With the art of houscwifery; all women
too-not just those who expect to put
their knowledge into practice. House
aeeping theories. say the students, are
quite as important as housekeeping prac-
ices and no womanS education can be
considered complete. nor her character
toundcd out. until she is well schooied in
such things. She may never he called
lpon to put her knowledge to the test.
but. be that rs it may. the woman lgnor-
mt of housewifcry in all its moods and
enses is hut II half-developed creature;
But why not men as we'll? Why should
not they, Just the same as women, know
III about the theories If not the practices
Of the domestic arts? 1t would not only
mean great personal comfort to them
selves. but 1t would mean still greater per
Sonal comfort to women. Just think what
4 difference ii woull make. How patient
and forbearing and sympathetic and all
else that they ought to be. but which
they are not. men would become under
such changed conditions. The prime rea-
son for masculine fault -lnding and lack
Of appreciation whore household duties
are now concerned is because men know
Aothng about such mdtters-becalsc they
have never realized all the trials and trib-
ulations which the housewife has IL put
up with. Depend upon it, ever so iittl. a
nbble of fruit from the tree of domestic
knowledge would open their eyes.
How many men of not imino Ieratc
means come home at night to find the
house in order. everything just as II
should be, their wives aud daughters ar
rayed FOR dinner and with apparently
nothing To do but smile and look pretty
and how many men realize all the care
ana labor and oversight that it has taken
to bring about this orderly and seemingly
indolcut state Of things? If they did they
wouldn't be quick to criticise when
in spite Of everything. sonnet hing goes
wrong. No man likes to fint his wife
and daughters otherwise than ready and
smiling to receive him. Just as though
their Whole day. if not their whole lives
depended upon him. but for all that. men
cumstances: We'll, is this all you've been
doing all day just sitting round Ike this
enjoying yourselves Dtd" me. what an
easy time women do have" 1t became
necessary last summer for the wife and
daughters of Il certain suburban house
hold to tear themselves away from every
thlnS and go to Europe. leaving the h,fS-
band and father IN charge. The woman re
turned III the autumn to lind the husband
and father a saddcr hut wiser man Jr
had kept house, and NJ last he rcaiiZ.d ii
all the endless possibilities bound NJ in
those two words. He was Il changed be
ing. Never a Captious critic Of hts wife :
ways. he had. nevertheless. from the
height of his masculine ignorance felt il
necessary before that to give her point
trS from time To time. He doesn't do SO
now Ills wife finds no Surcr SympathiZor
and adviser in her domestic train IMAM hu
for he has been through it all himself
ana n" knows just how hari it is. II
other men could bat tie put through sue h
a course OF discipline it would mean an
eighteen carat increase in domestic com
fort Philadelphia Press.