Gloucester County Democrat., 1902-09-04

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the arms and wrists 1t stiffens the
fingers if one does too much of it, but
we are not talking of too much of any
thing. Ironing is better than dumbbell
practice Polishing windows is better
than swinging Indian clubs.
The rich mans daughter must search
out devices for muscle development.
: For her have been invented tennis,
pingpong, archery and dozens of cord
and ring and bar arrangements. She
is so put to it to get outdoor exercise
that she must even take to hunting and
galloping after hounds. The woman
who does housework and gardening
gets quite as healthful exercise with
out price and without trouble.
Nearly all country girls are healthy
and comely until they get artificial
notions from the city into their minds.
Really and truly, in the matter Of
physical development and strong and
Independent character building, the
country girl has infinite advantage over
her sister of the city. Fine complex
ions and beautiful arms are found
nearly always among women who milk
cows and do dairy work. | have seen
and studied girls of all stations and
nations and have decided finally that
the most fortunate of all are the daugh-
ters of well to do farm families in
America, families in which the wo-
menfolk do their own housework, tend
flowers, ride horseback and rear chick
ems. A majority of the distinguished
and successful feminine artists, teach
ers, writer's, physicians and business
women in the land today are from
homes that gave them this noble bring
ing up Those who later in life use
their brains most effectively are the
ones that in youth also learned to
use their hands.
Though this fine country rearing is
lost to the city girl, the healthful phys
ical training of household work re-
mains to her. Especially is she priv
ileged in the matter of climbing stairs,
which is so promotiye of health in
heart, lungs and muscles that running
up dONh II lAitSSlI d4AiAOoI pC
recommended of itself as means to
physical culture. Physicians are some
what to blame for so much preaching
of the i'll effects of climbing stairs
There are none absolutely except to
the confirmed invalid, and it is gem
uine sign of the progress of the race
that no woman except the most out of
date is willing nowadays to aclnowl-
edge herself an invalid. Delicate fe-
males have gone out of fashion, for
which let us be thankful
l know a few women who pride
themselves on their weak hearts, but
none of them does her own housework.
One eats too much, another takes no
active exercise at all, while a third
laces herself SO tightly that she ought
to be sentenced to prison for it. Not
one of them gives her heart any chance
A good. strenuous course of domestic
labor would cure every one of these
danes of her weak heart.
l know of one woman who says
kitchen work makes her i'll. When she
is absent from her own house, doing
nothing but idle visiting, she is we'll
but the day she arrives home and be
gins her domestic duties she says she
gets Kitchen backache." But this
same woman also despises housework
and proclaims it "mean and sordid
occupation" 1t is not. The meanness
and sordidness are in the worker. not
In the occupation.
There are not a few young women
ind old ones. too, who make of house,
hold labor really aesthetic employ
ment. They begin their tasks with
joy, singing as they go. Their fine,
delicate sense of cleanliness and order
revels in the polished floors shining
windows, crystal pure glassware and
snowy linen, which are made thus by
their own strong. skillfnl hands. These
make of housework real fine art.
And their health is always good.
KATE SHARP