Ellsworth American., 1903-12-16

EstusE over WHICH nave suiiiSo oeselal
times already; especially when think OF
her kind offer to "scoid the others" II
don't dare to. Whyl feel as a general
might, when he had word that s're-
Inducements" were coming to his aid.
thank you many times, Esther" for your
CHEEKY letter. 1t has done me good, and
the selection on the ''attic" is true to life.
Dear Aunt Madge:
think your helpers havebe very neglectful
of late, and left yor TO do nearly all the work
Instead of responding to your request for sug.
gestions for the winter, we have been neither
''seen nor heard, implying by our silence that
the greatest improvement to the column would
be to have you ill 1t from week to week. Wen,
that might suit us all right, but would come
rather hard on you.
/. for one, confess my shortcomings, and VIII
agree to scold the others If you don't dare TO. l
think "Anon" has found very good solution to
the little poem quoted from Emerson If it isn't
the right one can't supply 1t. surely.
/ found so good an article. the other day, on
the pernieious habit of saving up worthless
things, that "might come handy sometime, that
/ am going to include 1t with this letter.
AS many of US have just been through the
process described SO truthfully, it may have
more weight than at another time, and perhaps
Wen be led to have bonfire before the spring
attic cleaning comes on.
THINGS THAT MAY COME HANDY, BUT NEVER DO
bending their energies to bring TO themselves and
their sex, freedom from the slavery of their un-
happy condition as wives and mothers for the
sake of being supported, there are some minor
emancipations which may not be wholly unim.
portant If they can be brought about, which
would certainly add to the happiness of 1.-THE
sex" and are not beyond attainment. One
special enthrallment Is the slavery TO "things".
"I am dead tired" said woman not long
since. s1'ye been up In the attic looking over
the things. and there was SO much to do that |
feel completely exhausted" The $50 much to
do" proved when particularized TO be an unroll-
ing of trunkfnls of antiquated clothing, an
inspection of old blankets that were too worn
10 serve in their original capacity any more. a
taking down and hanging up again of old coats,
trousers and hats, shifting and ''snugging up"
OF legless chairs and tables, stools and other
riffruff and at last sweeping. busting and mop
ping as grand finale
Why do we feel 1t our duty go to burden our
busy lives with "things" of no possible use? !?
Why does II press upon US with the force CT
duty that these "things" are a part of our re-
sponsibility? Why can we not rise TO height
OF moral courage which will free US forever
from the care and thought yearly bestowed upon
an undomesticated clutter of articles long past
their usefulness? They will not cost good
housekeeper less than three days of hard work
in q year.
Broken furniture should meet one of two ends
1t should be mended and made to serve some
body's need, 1t should contribute its substance
70 the wood pile. Old clothes have no vocation
on peg nor In chest. III they are past service
with you, and have no mission for the less for
tunate. their appropriate refuge is the rag bag.
OF all tnsidions mental diseases nothing more
generally affects womankind than her voluntary
devotion to the decrepit contents of the attic.
And so strong is the hold Il has upon her that
she fancies her slavery virtue What woman
wants In this connection is conviction of sin,
repentance and such a conversion a. viii nerve
her hand to q resolute destruction Of the false