The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-05
THELOW DOWN WORK
SUCCESSFUL HoMEMAKERs DO NOT
scoRN COMMONPLACE TASKS.

A Woman's Work and n Woman's
Pride Greatness Coupled With
Simplicity Small Things Well
Done Are Stepping Stones.
There are some verses fitting about
the country dedicated by one woman to
another. The title is not specially at
tractive, but there is a deal of good ad-
vice in it and the verses that follow.
One of these bright women, who is as
busy as she is bright, suggested that it is
well that you "never get above your low
down work." and the other put the senti-
ment into verse, reading like this:
Oh, sister, growing weary of some service SEEM
ing vain,
Some ministry to sorrow. some lullaby to pain,
Remember, you are reaching the place where
dangers lurk.
cob, never, never, get above your low down
work."
oh, sister, growing tired Of some service seeming
small,
Yet seeking your attention to be done. II done at
all,
Remember, in ambition will your greatest dan
gers lurk.
ooh, never, never, get above your low down
work."
It isn't sermon would preach about
contentment There is already too much
Of such cant. 1t is the story of an am
bilious woman who does not scorn the
tiresome and commonplace things of
everyday life, but attends to each faith
fully and with dignity, though longing
to do greater, that would tell
There is ring in her voice Of pride
and not hint of discomfort when she
says her work is to be homemaker, and
homemaking does not merely mean in
her case the selecting Of new wall papers
and furniture to correspondence
chances to show her artistic taste. 1t
, means, as we'll, sweeping and busting
and baking; but all this perfectly done.
you may be sure. And the daughters
Of such mother-well, one day when
they take their places maybe among the
brilliant women of the land perhaps you
will lot guess it, but shall know and
probably boldly say, ''They are just like
their mother" though their mother was
only homemaker. For it will be be-
cause she was such homemaker that
her daughters have grown into ambi-
! tious women. The small commonplace
they had never seen overlooked or heard
| to attend to them.
|
i Not to be one of a group Of bright spots,
either. but to be the only one. But do,
do never forget that greatness is never
! 80 impressive as when coupled with sim
: plicity. The ambitious man may need to
/ learn this lesson early in his career just
% well as the ambitious woman, but if
he doesn't he will be better able to stand
the trying experiences in after years that
may force it upon him than will the
more sensitive woman. And so to the
woman who would accomplish great
things, would ask, il you chance to
know her, that you give the bit of advice
that the verses quoted contain.
| Here ia a neat little illustration Of that
nice combination of greatness and sim
plicity as it was told to writer in cur
rent magazine. 1t is from leaf of now
prominent physicians student days ex-
periences:
/! II went" said the doctor, ito course
Of lectures on natural science. The first
was given by Professor Blank, teacher
In small preparatory school. He began
In a sententious tone:
The primal laws Of natural science
are 30 reconcile as to challenge the COM
prehension of the Hottest intellect Then
followed statement of these laws in
technical language. majestic and ponder
GUS.
1.-THE next lecturer at the college was
man who ranked as the most learned sci
derstand tie little man, said the stu
dents, what is the use of listening to the
great oneY
"But the great man was fatherly
looking one. and with kindly nod he be-,
gan:
"'Young men. allow me to make per-
sonal allusion. Ny father was halter,
who lived on Third street. His second
wife was my stepmother, but kind and
wise In her treatment Of me. When
was mere boy, loved to study beetles
and plants and birds. LET him do It,"
she said. ut is good for him." When
was grown, she said: '"That Is his work.
He must keep to it." So It il owing to
her that have learned little about
these living things. l am now going to
4 try to tell you something Of the little
that know"
One can easily guess the attitude Of the
students from that moment on. Tho
great man was simply zone of them"
and I'll venture to say that they have
never forgotten what he told them.
1 1t is Just as well to have certain
amount OF SELF respect as IL ID untOrtu-
nate to be puffed up with vainglorious-
ness. But the self respecting woman is
never ashamed of her task.
The smallest things. IL well done, prove
a stepping stone to something higher.
The room that is well cleaned and kept
dainty inspires those who come into it
with a desire to look and behave their
best. to fit the surroundings as 1t were
do not believe the crossest man or wo-
man in the world could say ill natured
things at the breakfast table If the cloth
was snowy white and bunch Of lovely
pink roses nodded from their vase In the
/ center of the table, but ! do know that
II that table was carelessly arranged, the
cloth wrinklcd and none too fresh and
those same cross people sat about 1t, q
very merry little war of words would
probably wage. And 30, you see, pin
great faith to my belief that common
place things well looked after are step
ping stones to higher things. 1t 10 truly
wonderful what one may accomplish if
one IL not above ones ''low down bust
ness" The high up time comes Only the
faster If one is content to shine only q
Il II