Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-01-31
The Wife on the Farm.

The Wife on the Farm.
Viewing the matter from a point OF
advantage, it is impractical for men edu-
Gated and trained for work they like,
TO take up another for which they have
not the slightest preparation. No true
wife will insist upon the husband chang
ing an honorable business or profession
in which he is engaged, and which BY
nature and education he is fitted for, to
suit her whims or fancy, and thus force
him into business conditions in which
he is apt to prove failure. Sometimes
women have selfish, peculiar ideas of
pleasure and by nagging and complain
ing compel their husbands to sacrifice
the farm, move to town and 60 into
business. What direful results often
follow! III a woman, possessing good
common sense, can marry a man, know
ing at the same time the business he
expects to follow, she will not only be
true to him but also to his work. Be-
cause many women in the city can in
dulge in expensive habits and luxurious
living, it's the thoughtless wife on the
farm who sighs and grows discontented,
and thinks il she lived in the city she
could do likewise. What sad dis
appointment usually awaits her. Does
life present more handsome picture
than a woman true to her husband and
his best interest, cheerfully presiding
over her home, miuistering joy and COM
fort to the members of her household,
and turning her mind and eye away from
fancy scenes that are prone to bring dis
aster to her home and family?
The wife on the farm sometimes be-
comes nervous when it is announced
that guest will arrive from the city,
thinking that there is such great con-
trast between the farm home and the
city home, and that the expected guest
will miss some of the conveniences of
her home. 1t is the pleasant hostess
who is true to her surroundings and is
not found trying 10 initiate others mode
of living. When city people visit the coun-
try home, what they want and what
they need is the genuine country air,
the welcome that has the true country
ring, and not the affected city fashions
and customs where they were never in
tended to be. Social enjoyment does
not depend, as many think, upon arti-
fetal accessories. We speak of people
as being blest when they have beauti-
full home, lavishly furnished, their table
provided with everything necessary for
dainty and fashionable serving when
they have expensive clothing, horses,
carriages, servants, etc. These things
we speak of as everything to make them
happy. And many people living honest
ly on farm or in small places cannot
understand that it is possible for them
to CLEAN from life social enjoyment.
There is nothing better as promoter OF
sociability in the country than the old
fashioned visiting, when it was consider
ed proper TO come early and bring your
work. Women in the country should
make it matter of duty to continue
social relations. A day set aside for
entertaining their friends will serve to
keep them young and ambitious. The
lady luncheons, the afternoon tea, and
the gentlemen suppers, may be appro-
pirate for certain places and times, but
the truest social life is found in inviting
the entire family, the wife, the husband
and children. No matter how busy the
farmer and his wife may be, by such
sociability they will be mentally stimu-
lated and physically rested. We all
know that the "Joneses" become cross,
narrow and a prejudiced set when they
continue to live year after year, meeting
no one at their table but the "JOneses."
1t is not necessary to set elaborate
tables, and in making this effort many
women exhaust their strength and are in
no condition to meet their friends. This
spoils the visit for both the visitor and
the visitee, as it gives the guest the i'm
preston that the visit has caused dis
turbance.
Practical women should set the ex-
ample of simplicity in their hospitality,
for more satisfaction is derived from
frequent gatherings than from few
elaborate affairs. In summer time,
though we find the wife with no help
and no end of work to do, yet there are
so many delightful social possibilities.
The berries, the spring chicken, the real
cream, the sweet home made bread and
butter and the fresh vegetables served in
a neat manner, make bill of fare tit to
set before king. You may not be
strong, and you may have to work hard
and economize, but do not drop out of
the lives of your friends. The farm
wife that makes her home the center of
pleasant, uppretentious social life is
indeed a benefactor to humanity.-The
American Farmer.