The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-10-07
ENGAGEMENT TIME.

Much married misery might be pre-
vented if only women would under
stand that an engagement, though less
sacred and binding than marriage, has
its own duties, which ought to be con-
scientiously and faithfully performed.
Our great-grandmother in this. as in
most phases Of domestic life, can in
stfuct US by their examples, for they
were guided by sound common sense.
When one of these old-time girls be-
I came engaged, all the spinning wheels
/ We're at once put to work and they
| were not allowed to rest till a goodly
STOCK OF linen, mainly the bride elects
own handiwork, was stored away in
| the family presses to wait the wedding
! day. She fulfilled literally the descrip-
ton given in the Book of Proverbs of
the wise woman:
She seeketh wool and flax, and
Worketh willingly with her hands. She
layeth her hands to the spindle and
her hands hold the distaff.''
In the at-grandmother's young
days the engaged girl took care to
study the art of cookery, and to learn
all those housewifely arts in which her
mother eXcelled, and in which she knew
she must become past mistress, if she
would rule her husbands house eff
Gently. If her baking did not at first
turn out satisfactorily she would per
severe till 1t did, and she D-acticed
making iellies and conserves in the
stIll room till her culinary feats were
the wonder and admiration of her girl
friends. And while her hands were thus
occupied she was learning to estimate
the sacredness and the responsibility
OF married life-a lesson often left
nowadays to the unguided intuition of
the inexperienced girl.
The engagement time is the time for
preparation, and it ought to be no mere
holiday but one of the busiest times in
a Woman's life. She is then about to
enter a new sphere of duties. and she
ought to prepare herself for them 1t is
highly important that she should then
become thoroughly efficient in all sorts
of domestic work, for, though her hus-
band may be a man of affluence. with
a number of servants, still it will be
necessary for her to understand all the
details of housekeeping, or she can
never expect to be really mistress of
her household
One of the mistakes of engaged girls
generally is to leave the preparation of
the trousseau until so late that the last
weeks before the marriage are per-
fectly miserable from the rush and
hurry that are inevitable in order to
have everything ready by the time it
Will be needed. Those garments over
which fashion has little or no influence |
can be made up early, and ample time !
viii then be left for trimming them
with the dainty laces and embroideries
so dear to womans heart If she has
leisure the bride ELECT can then employ
her nimble fingers in making pretty |
sofa cushions, dainty doyleys and other
tTifies to make her new home pretty.
Above all, let her in her busy mo-
ments and in her hours of relaxation
earnestly the Importance of
the life which she is about to enter,
and the part which she is destined to
play in it. This should not be that of a
who gives nothing, or of a
goddess, but she should be
her husbands fellow worker and best
friend, sharing his life with him for
veal or for woe, and striving in all
ways to be his loving and helpful COM
panion.
a mistress ought not merely to find
fault when any work is not done prop
arly, but she should be able to show
Exactly how it ought to be done, if she
s to have the willing obedience and
aspect of her servants. A woman who
s content to know nothing of house
keeping, but to trust entirely to her
servants, may be an employer of labor
@ very large extent, but she is never
'eally mistress of her own house, and
instead of ruling as it is her right and
luty to do she is generally ruled by :
servants.
Here are four things that every
mother should teach her children: They
should learn that there are very many Is
hings in the world that they are not
lllowed to eat, know or possess until
hey are older. They should never be /
Illowed to speak mockingly or laugh {
It sacred things. They should learn !
prompt and unquestioning obedience s
o those in authority over them. They {
hould never be allowed to treat ami t
nails cruelty or with indifference to t
heir pain /