The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-13
FOR FEMININE READERS
BOARDING HOUSE QUESTION DIS
CyssED ~ a DEsULTORY
The Growing Boys Appetite should
Cause Maternal Pleasure Rather
Than AIarm-Here and There.

EElA'AAA ~ NAZ 49,
she saw the after-dinner group on the lawn,
sank down in a chair with a tired sigh and
exclaimed: Its such a job to break up
housekeeping, I don't know how l ever
got ND courage 70 undertake it. But it's
the last time, for, as l tell Henry. shall
never keep house again and so there will be
no more breaking up"
And what does he say TO that, Mrs.
Jones?' some one inquired, as she paused
to fan herself vehemently.
He? Oh. he doesn't want to change our
way Of living. Says it seems TO him that
women make too much TODD over the diff
hculties Of housekeeping. quotes his mother
and what she accomplished. and thinks the
troubles with servants could be avoided
IL women knew how to manage. Isn't that
like a man? he lived in "a boarding house
for ten years before he was married, and
says il was purgatory. L tell him that what
his mother did in her day is not a measure
for women now. that conditions are diff
ferent, and that he ought not to expect me
to be cook. and housemaid. and nurse. and
seamstress, and general drudge, when COM
petent cooks and maids are not to be had
as they're not. half the time. l. never had
TO drudge before 1 was married, and l
don't see why 1 should now. when Henry's
income GOeSu I Cdn y QCD ttOliOHg L III
tired Of the worry Of it. of being without a
cook, of hunting new ones who turn out
not to know their business. and of being
cook myself when no other is to be had.
/ tell Henry 1 simply can't stand 1T any
longer. and we'll have to board. Besides.
we're going to a family hotel where things
are just lovely, and not to a common
boarding house. such as ne remembers"
She stopped to catch her breath, but re-
sumed before any one else could speak.
After all. were not. exactly breaking
VI. l couldn't quite coax Henry into that
at the start. He'll come to 1t by degrees.
Were renting our house furnished, but OF
course there are a lot Of things we couldn't
let any tenants use and that must be
packed and put ~away-the silver, the best
china, all the best table linen. the bric-a-
brac, the lace curtains. the best rugs and
all those things. you know. OF course. as
i say, we won't need the tableware again,
though the other things we can use in our
new rooms; but L can't bear to think OF
strangers using it-some OF the things were
wedding presents. and there's a kind OF
sentiment about them. don't you know? I'm
on my way now to find a carpenter TO come
in the morning and nail up the boxes. 1
just stopped in for a minute. you looked
so cool and restful. all ~ you"
You'll miss your lawn and veranda
when you go to the hotel. won't your"
asked the lady OF the house.
Oh, well. one can't have everything.
And. after ali, there isn't so much time
that one cares TO sit out of doors. Baby
and 1 are going up to the lake next week
to be gone till October. and after that it
will be too cool for a porch. But 1 must
g. 49, -
Shaking out her frills, she went rustling
off. talking back over her shoulder about
the perfectly lovely time she expected to
have at the lake. where there was going
to be a gay crowd.
There was silence in the group she left
= until after she had turned the corner.
when the man Of the house calculated
olemnly Poor Henry-poor devil"
Yes. 1 agree with you,' said the neigh
Dor from across the street. This particular
Henry is to be pitied for more reasons
than one. but a good many people of my
acquaintance. with better reasons than
the Joneses, are seriously considering
whether the comforts of having a home
of ones own offset the cares and worries.
To board or not TO board is the problem
with them. 1t is an outcome in part of
the servant girl question, w~hich-don't be
alarmed-Tm not going to discuss, and in
part OF the general restlessness and de-
sire among women for change and ex-
element"
But boarding's no crime" interrupted
the woman from next door. Myself. 1 pre-
fer TO keep house, but the first year after
John and / were married we lived in a
boarding house and suffered no reproach of
conscience. besides faring very we'll in a
physical sense"
1T may be no crime" said the lady of
the house. 'but it's the next thing to 1t, TO
my mind. especially for married people. OF
course. Henry Jones objects TO leaving his
hcme. What man wouldn't if it was made
half comfortable? And / must say for that
foolish creature. his wife. that she could
and did make u fairly good housekeeper
when she turned her attention that way.
There is no Henry. I'll venture to say. but
pictures a home of his own as an essential
part of the felicity he expects in married
life"
Did you ever notice." asked the woman
from across the street. that people who
board never have the social standing or i'm
portance belonging 10 those with separate
haoitations? They are looked upon as no.
mads. here to-day. there tomorrow. They
can't entertain. they have no responsibility
ues-they are nobody in particular"
THANK you" demurely remarked the
young woman in the pink shirtwaist who
lad seemed TO take no interest i'm the con-
versation- Thank you. l am glad TO know
just how | rank, having boarded for the
last five years"
"Oh, yOu-Of course no one means YOU.
or people like you. You're not married and
can't set up an independent establishment
but don't you. now. honestly, and in the
light Of your experience. agree with what
has been said about boarding. inquired
the woman from across the street.
Not entirely. There are two sides to the
matter and one of them you people who
have always lived i'm your own homes and
cherished their privacy and your W in
dependence can hardly understand. I'll
acknowledge that l wonder when married
people who can AFFORD to keep house choose
boarding-hcuse life instead. but there's
often a good reason. / discover. and il
doesn't always have TO do with servants.
either. l know some charming people AZ
this mo~ment-three couples al my boarding
house-whom 1t is a privilege 10 know"
Oh. yes. interrupted the lady Of the
house. well all admit that there's an ire
sponsible liveliness about many boarders