Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-02-01
NOT SUCH A HARD LIFE.
Farmers Wives May Well be Euvied
by City Sisters.

FarIncr'S wives May " ell be Euvied
by City Sisters.
When the Tribune Farmer so kindly
opened its columns for suggestions from
farmers wives and daughters reioced
in the hope that | might convince some
disconnected farmwoman that we are a
class to be envied, rather than to be
commiserated. No other class of people
of equal means can boast so many priv
egcs; and no other laboring women en-
dure SO few real hardships as farmers
wives and daughters.
We have no right to contrast our con
dition with that of the wealthy. If we
are to draw comparisons. let us take peo-
pie OF our own financial condition. and
thus we may accurately determine which
is the easier lot, that of the town or
city laborer's wife or that of the farm
cr'S wife
If we could 60 back to the days o.
our t-grandmOthcrs. those indepcn-
dent danes who spun their own yarn,
knit their own stockings and wove their
own gowns, we would he shamed and
silenced. Our petty grievances and
heavy burdens would vanish like this.
tlcdoWn in a whirlwnd.
The truth is. WE have been somewhat
disailcctcd with our calling, and chiefly
through the agency of people who know
nothing definite of farm life. but, having
| Il capacity for writing stories, have
| evolved n typical farmers wife from
| the inner consciousness woman. 'fall
angular. rough handed" invariably clad
| III 'short blue calico frock." and wear
| ing on all occasions faded bingham sun
! bonnet.
Let us take peep into the kitchen Of
! the townWoman who does her own work
| There is the mother frowsy and tired
! And where is her daughter* Oh, she il
delicate. You will probably find her in
an unudy wrapper or dressing sack.
lounging in the sitting room, waiting till
it is time to dress for something's" in
fact waiting for any excuse TO get away
from home.
The farmers daughter expects to Dc
her share She is trained to be useful
and Il companion 10 her mother, for the
farm home is the cenrerplcce. Around
the family inglesidc the family gather in
love and in common sympathy, instead
of scattering TO the mothers club" the
daughters club, the sous club" and
fathers club
Many years of observation convince me
that farmers daughters are not only
trained to lives of greater usefulness. hut
also they have as wide a range Of knowl
edge and higher grade Of reading than
the city girl Of the same means.
Another great advantage in the country
is that there are no class distinctions,
aside from moral rcCttude Steam and
electricity, inexpensive books magazines
and newspapers have made the world
very Small-so small that farmers boys
are no longer "haySeedS' ana buck
whcatS. II You had mixed one hundred
farmers soas and daughters with the
Fan American crowd There were thou
sands of them thcrei, YOU could not have
recognized them by the fit of their gar
meutS. hut 10y their animated faces and
energetic movements.
The iahoring mans wife is only a stew
ard of hiS purse. Her whole energy is
spent in making the most Of her dollars
and cents, In buying clothing and food.
| The farmers wife, on the other hand. is
his, co-partner With him she shares the
toll as we'll as the gain. Together thev
! are monarchs Of little kingdom. Their