Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-06-02
HINTS ON HOUSE CLEANING.
1t Should BE Done Without Disturb
ing the System of the
Home.

The woes of the household when the
season of spring house cleaning comes
have been retailed repeatedly. Yet un-
til this work is done on thoroughly
systematic plan many of those woes
must remain. Women can no more
learn to attain system, however, in af-
| fairs of the house by precept than they
can expect to learn to play upon the
oiano by merely listening to lectures
On the subject. 1t requires years OF
practice to be a systematic housekeep-
er. The green girl who has the re-
spOnsibiiity of house thrust upon her,
with the holy responsibility OF a home
and all that this implies to her, is in
deed a remarkable woman if she does
| not meet pitfalls at every step In her
| career. Her ignorance of her duties
eXcites a natural contempt in the most
| lenient of husbands. \ man, who, like
the irascible captain inthe Heart of
Midlothian" has broken his shins over
a pail of soapsuds left on the stairs, is
very likely to use strong language, how
ever gallant he may be on ordinary oc-
| casions. If he finds a siatternly wOm-
an presiding over cold joint dinner,
| the most amiable of men will feel some
| revulsion, and the excuse of house
! cleaning will not materially help mat
| tiers.
No woman has right to invade the
| peace of her family with the plea of
| house cleaning. As long as her husband
takes care of her and protects her from
| the struggle with the outside world she
| should always see that he has peace
| full, happy home, free from all veXations
| and petty annoyances. The outside du-
| ties of the home are naturally his, and
| the inside duties hers. If either i'm
| poses any of their legitimate duties on
| the other it is an imposition that is
| likely to be fatal to respect, without
| which love cannot long survive, 1t is
| therefore the first duty of wife that
house cleaning be conducted without in
| vading the regular. systematic life of
| the home. The best housekeepers are
| skillful in avoiding all outward show of
| the upheaval of the house that is going
| on. The new condition of things should
succeed the old one so quietly that those
who go away in the morning and come
| home at night are unaffected by the
| change. Whatever cyclones of dust may
have ragged during the day, they must
be laid aside at night. Put off the cares
and annoyances of the day with sun
set. Do not make the folly or imperti-
hence of servants a subject of conversa-
ton at night. 1t is part of your duty
as housekeeper to bear wisely, and it is
not a fair thing to burden anyone else
| with such matters. Do your own duty
wisely, thoroughly and well. Do not
let your husband or children for one
moment know you are not master of
any household situation. If you feel
weak in any point that you ought to
know, conceal the fact, and master the
details of the work quietly. Do not
wreck your claim to respect by show
ing yourself incapable of meeting the
vulgar annoyances of house cleaning,
but respect the rights of those of the
household whose duties are outside the
house by keeping it all to yourself
However tired you are, for ''policy's
| sake" master the WEAKNESS. 1t displays
poor management to become exhausted
and nervous at such petty crisis. You
are deserving of no special sympathy
for poor management, and the legiti-
mate work of properly managed
household need exhaust no woman in
health. Want of ability to manage the
housework wrecks the health of many
women-N. Y. Tribune.