New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-09
SUMNER VACATIONS OF WIVES.


The subject for discussion has great variety of
sides To begin with, let NE quote the opinion o.
an Englishwoman in London She remarked that
nothing was amazing TO English wives as me
way American women left their husbands alone IN
summer She was not spea king OF II as an unkind-
ness but as a risk which no woman should run-to
leave her husband in such absolute freedom from
all domestic safeguards II he fell into temptation
she seemed TO think the wife would have herself
partly 10 blame. So much for the question viewed
from the English point OF view.
The next question is whether ii is absolutely
necessary for wife 70 leave her husband in
lonely. and generally uncomfortable. home. and
why she should expect entov the pleasures OF sea
shore or country for any longer time than he
I wonder whether. II her heart OF hearts. many
a wife would not prefer stay az home. II she
were not so comrletely in the chains OF a lifelong
habit that she never even asks herself whether she
needs 10 go away.
Let me give my own experience rs an example %
one woman's feelings After living for many years
in country home, It never occurred TO me, on
coming 70 live in New-Tork City that IL would be
possible 10 spend summer in town until found
myself obliged 10 do so by a shrinkage OF income
The result OF a summers experience has been that
in our family OF three have all decided that
when We can once more afford summer outing
we shall all prefer TO take only short excursions,
and practically spend our summers in the city
To me. the hOusekeeper. IL has really given
great sense OF restfulness and satisfaction TO have
no move TO make in hot weather. either last sum
q Hating boarding mouse NE ana a.
most equally that OF hotels (Which were also too
exuensive) we had spent fourteen summers in our
own or in a hired cottage. The work OF moving
which must come mostly upon the housekeepeT'
and which occurred Just il the beginning OF hot
weather was followed bv journey-often a long
one-and after that came the work of getting 10
rights which II the place new one, meant
endless complications with domestic AFFAIRS ana
new tradesmen, and many questions TO arrange
before I could feel settled and rested Then at
- +l,.
over again so that I sometimes asked myself
whether if had only myself 10 consult, should
not enjoy the peace Of staying ar home
Having found it impossible entirely TO escape
heat no matter where I went, found last summer
that the rooms in apartment being nigh up
the air. generally quite as cool as those OF
summer cottages which, being almost always TOO
near the roof, often especially hot or course
also our own were altogether more com
Portable and We had our own home comforts our
own books and piano, while al the same
time We had the Art Museum, the theatres the
concerts. the branches Of the public library and
above ali. Central Park close by There we could
spend hours if we liked and there by leaving The
most freQuented paths, could find ourselves IN
real country scenes where all was as WIG ana
natural as If we far away from a great city.
Al the end of last summer We all felt as well as
usual and expect pass this season pleasantly.
with occasional visits friends. such we also
made last summer
Il is true that last year had cooler sum
mer than usual. but there were times of tremen-
do1s heat which lasted for many days, and caused
many deaths and prostratons Even such days
were quite bearable in airy apartment. and it
seemed TO me that I never had known summer
We now come TO the question of families in
he settled belief that they must be taken out
of the CITY at matter what sacrifice OF expense
necessirv seems a little doubtful. considering the
orer cars in which they be taken TO Central
and Riverside parks. whore they can daily spend
hours IN the open air Their Inotners. having the
iesure and the long days which they do not get In
winter have ample time TO devote themselves 70
tbair little ones whose childhood matter Of only
En- better would II be many of these
49, srronnded by their children than TO frttter
800 Tbeir time on hotel boarding house piaz-
chatting aimlessy Wiz R gGpie So bi,9re g
will probably never see AGAIN WillIe Their ciiiuis IN
are becoming demoraiZed by living perpetua4y IN
the public eye and counter balancing the sood
which they get from me cIiaiiee u al - '0o
rich diet at public table .s,, b., 49,. e.,
II parents would more careruI now they Ieed
their children there would NOT De nluSn "eeo OF
an ,pheavsI every summer for the sake or Inc
family health The little ones 90 ,, s- 20 b Ue
unhappy about hot weatn@a raIi,, FED dTrne rhe
,,,yer % - IN imitation OF people IN the North
ern nations namely. almost entrsiy upon meat
not animal food being spread or soaked WITH nut-
ter. 4. ,,-,r,a- n ,vni+a+a +ba
- 20 SoTtherr countries and feed themselves
RnS Sbeir children largely on cereals, bread veg
etable fruits maccaronl ana So ue oi 49,
cookeo dry and eaten Win uuleIeilt sauces sucH
20 jassss fhckened milk. fruit syrups tomato
s 90 or grayy In hot countries the natives do
hoL atleii cG,cb diet as I have described, with
total exclusion OF candy any Y.bie-
probably make sumner u ia r ,,o1 tns
az 70 adult shs1arsn che s9ns Rka tie sAkhaEA