The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-02-28
East Madison Orange


Saturday, February %. East Madison
Grange held its regular meeting. After
the usual business meeting varied pro
gram was given, the topic, which pays
the better, special or mixed farming, was
introduced by w. NJ. r. W. French and
discussed by A C. Heald, d. b. Hobart
and others. Mrs. Lila French gave a
reading The question, "Shall the far
mer or his wife build the kltcheL fireP'
was opened by Mrs. Nellie Hobart in the
following able manner:
Worthy Lecturer, Sisters and Bro hers:
When this question was
first brought to my attention 1t seemed
to me, az have M doubt il may TO you
upon first thought, very frivolous one.
1t is question that supposed was de
cided rightly in all we'll appointed
house Odds. But since thinking 1t over
and making few Investigations, L
find that this Is very serious question.
1t Ia an important problem and the time
has come when it should be discussed in
all its bearings and decided. l propose
that We take what time is necessary this
afternoon and decide for all time, wbe
Their the farmer or HIS wife shall build
the kitchen fire.
In taking up this subject | can see no
way In which my opponent can do away
with the kitchen fire altogether. 1t Is
necessary and indispensable adjunct to
all home life and the fact that 1t must be
rekindled every morning is before us
There are several good and suffi cient
reasons why tie farmer should consider
ii his especial duty and privilege to kim
die the kitchen fire and after | have
named few of these hope the sisters
will mention others.
The farmer loves to think he ia the
head of the family and my worthy sis
ters, let us do nothing TO prevent this
state of mind on his part however erro
neous the idea, for it is good for the
farmer aud harm Iess to the rest OF the
family. What then could be more APP
propriate than for the head of the family
to klndle the fire that starts in motion,
for the day, the wheels of domestic
activity.
I.e, us consider this duty In the line
of character formation. does ii not re-
qulre persistent effort to kIDule fire?
remember tying To kindle a fire at one
time IA long time ago.. | had plenty of
shavings and put liberal supply into
the fire box and followed these with n
nice large round stick of wood, applied
the match and awaited results, the shaw
ngs burned we'll but 1t was some Tune
and only after persistent effort that ]
| had fire.
Does 1t not require patience, that
noble virtue which men have always
lacked, to kindle a fire in sulky ash
cogged stove on cold morning? Shall
we then deny the farmer the exercise of
tho virtues of persistent effort, energy,
strength of mind, perseverance, endur-
ance aud patience9
DO hear some one say that the wife
needs these aids to character buildingp
/ " ell she does need them and she gels
plenty of practice in the exercise OF
these virtues, especially patience, just
by living with the farmer.
LIT US consider some of the results of
allowing anyone but the farmer to build
the kitchen fire. Not long ago read a
story of a middle-aged widower who
married a young widow They had
been established in their new home but
| a short time when in the course of hu
man even's 1t become necessary for some
one to arise and kindle the fire in the
kitchen The story has it that the lady
of the house asked her husband il he
wasn't going to get upP he replied that
he "guessed he wouldn't till she got the
fire built" adding as an after thought
"Mary always built the fire." Did shep'
said madam settling her head comfort
ably on her pillow $50 did poor John. "
The story goes on to say that after some
time had elapsed and Madam showed no
symptoms of following Mary's example
the man of the house arose and built the
! fire.
Now my worthy sisters if any of you
have allowed your particular farmer to
form the habit of waiting for you to
build the fire, do not beg, hesitate to
correct this fault do not leave this mat
ter for the second wife to attend to but
insist and maintain that the farmer and
not his wife shall build the kitchen fire.
Mrs. Lena Heald and other sisters ex
pressed their views after which the
question was voted upon and decided al
flrmatively. The printed programs are
ready for distribution.