The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-08
BY Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

o. Their Childreo.
By Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Copyright 1901 by Elizabeth Cady
Stanton.)
The contrast between home life now
and a century ago hardly can be mag
ined by those of to-day.
The home in both country and town
was then the great workhouse for all
the industries. Women, as mothers,
wives, daughters and housekeepers,
with all the natural duties that per-
tain to these relations, were constantly
engaged in many forms of labor prac-
tically unknown in the home at pres
ent. They were dressmakers, tai
press board, spinners of yarn, knitters
of stockings, weavers Of all the family
clothing, bed and table linen, dyers of
different fabrics and yarn for carpets
and blankets, skilled in all kinds of
cooking, preserving fruit. making
pickles. candles and soap. both for
toilet and laundry.
The spacious kitchens a century ago
differed widely from the little band
boxes in the fashionable homes of to-
day. Every autumn there were scenes
of great festivities. Huge pigs were
brought in to be dissected and the diff
erent parts classified according to their
value. The skins had already been sold
to saddle and harnessmakers. The
in Yain frr1,f,
or three pounds each, put into barrels
and covered with brine. Headcheese
and lard were made and packed in jars,
and the sausage meat, ground fine,
seasoned and stuffed in cases. All these
were carefully stored in the great
cellar, already filled to overlooking with
a goodly supply of provisions for win
ter's use.
1t was almost impossible to keep the
children, always on a tour of inspec-
ton, out of the kitchen during this
| hilarious season. Its attractions were
increased by the delighted negro melo-
dies, for, as number of the Northern
states had only recently abolished
slavery, colored help still reigned and
ruled In many families and were the
special favorites of the children.
Many pounds of butter and cheese
were made every year; turkeys, geese,
ducks and hens were fed and cared for,
and hundreds of eggs creased with
lard and packed in jars for the winter.
A large amount of mince meat for pies
and buildings, we'll chopped and sea-
soned, was put into small pals and
hung in a dry place for future use
You will see these little tin pals, tight
~ covered, hung on hooks in the
kitchens of England to-day, where the
neat is supposed to keep them from
molding.
Over all this and much more the
wives and daughters held the keys and
kept a careful supervision, in addition
to the daily treadmill and the never
ending cares of numerous children,
Now all is changed and most of
these industries are banished from the
home. Bread and all kinds of pastry
are made in public bakeries. Pickles,
Jellies, preserves and canned fruit are
sold by the grocer. Laundries DISPOSE
of the family washing. Butchers sup
ply every variety of meat. Men are
cooks and walters in the hotels. res
taurants and many private families.
Men are hair dressers manicures.
chiropodists, milliners and dressmakers
and to men women go for the modern
tailor made suit.
Thus women have been forced into
higher and more profitable occupations.
They now compose the majority of
teachers in private and public schools
and are the faculties of the universi-
ties. They give lessons in dancing.
music and all the arts. They have mer-
camille establishments of their own and
go to foreign countries to buy goods
Tor tnem and for other firms. They
are round IN all the public offices as
clerks, copyists and stenographers
Thew tVnaaaftarc
writer's and editors on daily, weekly
and monthly periodicals. They are in
the courts, hospitals and pulpits. and
In the theaters, concerts and on the
| lecture platform.
We often hear the complaint that
woman has driven man out of his legi-
innate employments; but the facts
show that man himself has robbed
woman of her legitimate industries.
IN the homes even of the richest
classes In olden times women had few
opportunities for intellectual develon-
ment. They read but little, as libraries
were scarce and magazines and Jour
nals Few. They were supposed neither
10 know nor care anything about the
technical questions OF Government
religion, science and art
The holidays were Christmas. New
Years, Fourth of July. County Militia
- oiiiliS Jay Wnen the troops were
reviewed. For this the farmers from
far and near came into town with
their barrels of cider. pies, ginger bread
apples and cheese for sale, while the
young people had their sports with a
full band Of music.
The contrast in the chlldren's Christ
mas stocking then and now is marked
indeed. Instead Of 1ewelry. handsome
books, expensive toys. attractive games
and boxes of bon-bons they had
twenty-five cent piece In the toe,
few raisins and almonds, bright red
apple, a fried cake, a catechism and
long stick, IL the owner Of the stock
ing had been unruly during the year.
Election day was another marked
event when farmers came to town
from all the country roundabout to
cast their ballots for men and nea-