The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-06

LlOH VI kAAG NAANl AGA kAAuAo 1hA
means by which her burdens may be
lIghtened are receiving much of the
attention which they deserve. They
are discussed at farmers meetings, and
# is hoped that practical good may ul-
timately be accomplished. Recently
two papers on the subject have been
read by women. One was by Mrs Liz
ze Cleaver McElroy. of Lebanon. Ky.
She was talking to the men. She de-
scrIbed the visions OF the wedding day,
with the glamour and brightness. and
then said:
After that day comes the home
homemaklng, the nest building, and.
on! how It absorbs the farmers busy
young wife. Unlike her city sister under
similar circumstances. she has no con-
slant stream Of guests, full of interest
and suggestions for the new surround.
lngs; her life Is necessarily one of lone
illness, even her husband being absent
from day to dark. But she is happy as
she works. For the first few years
there are gay little visits home and to
girlhood friends, there are guests to en-
terrain now and then. Sabbaths are al.
ways u pleasure-they give husband
and wife so much of each others So
clety-and churchgoing seems quite
social dissipation.
Thus time rolls on till the children
come, and as the mothers cares in
crease the hopes for the future are
mingled with fears, interest in outside
things are lost, pleasures are dropped
one at a time. seeing which the hus-
band becomes more and more absorbed
in money-mnking until well nigh all
else is forgottcs.
AT the first gray streak OF dawn
the wlfe's pea rooster crows long and
loud. He does 1t on purpose to awaken
her from her beauty sleep and is al
was successful. She has obeyed the
summons so often that 1t has become
second nature, and before she realizes
It she is out OF the warm blankets,
noIselessly trembling In her clothes lest
she awake the sleeping baby; half clad.
her cold figure still fdgetlng with her
brooch, she scampers to the kitchen.
Once there nervous fear that break
fast may be late seIzss her, and she
rushes about until 1t is on the table
and the family seated, when she draws
her first long breath while blessing is
being asked. The breakfast bolted in
hot haste, and the men of to work, she
resumes her hurry, scurries through
the washing and kitchen work,
hastens through bedmaking and house,
cleaning, skins over milk vessels. re-
frigerators and churnlng, hurries to the
garden for vegetables, rushes through
dinner, makes her fingers fly on the
afternoon sewing and securing. so she
may worry through supper at the prop
er time. to sink exhausted into chair
ut bedtime, too weary to speak or even
think.
she has not only lone the thousand
and one duties that fell TO her lot that
day, but she has done them well, has
sighted nothing. and before falling to
sleep has thought In utter WEAKNESS.
oh, II tomorrow might never comet
But IL does come and 1t is always just
the same tomorrow. the game unceas-
ing routine Of labor and rush. Day
after day, year after year, nothing but
toll, toll. hurry worry. rush: that is
the strange thing about 1.-THE eternal
rush, Amid the peace and quiet OF
the country. who not go on peacefully
and quietly doing ones duty as It
comes? There is but one solution to
the problem. and that is, her work ex-
ceeds her time, and she is constantly
trying to establish some equilibrium.
What does the hard, barren existence
yield in return for nil her efforts? Not
happiness; one look In the face Of the
farm woman of the dirk side tells no.
Not money; caretalnly not. Though
she is the hardest worker on the place
this farmers wife has no bank account
Of her own. 1 win tell you what she
gets-her 'vitties and clothes, that is
all, though in nearly every case her
husband is well able to grant her rea-
sonablc wishes, and the poor creature
never has unreasonable ones.
But thank heavens, all farmers
wives do not live like this; there Is
bright side TO this. as to all pictures.
Life on the farm ought to be to a
woman the happlest. most cnrc-free OF
eXIstenecs What with poultry and
bees, flowers and vegetables, she gets
outdoor exercises enough to keep her
young a long time and her lahors are
all thanksgiving and pleasant. Labor
Is necessity and part OF every use
tul. happy life Woman should share
mans toll and hnrdshI?s In the same
proportion in which she shares his Joy
ind ease, and ahc usually does 1t cheer
fully on n farm It has been a wlfe's
share OF the duties to do the house
work and rear the children ever since
Eve gathered fig leaves for clothes and
raised Cain in the Garden OF Eden.
Certainty work must be done, but let
It be done cheerIly and brnvely; do
10, make life drudgery.
IN contrast to the farm slave as
We have Just seen her, let us have the
far mmistress, the queen Of the benuti-
iul realm called home, one whom the
Maker, God, may look upon ns He did
q, tho first. and say, IT Is very good
Let US learn to have our farm houses