The Detroit times., 1908-12-15
T6e Work ST a Woman
Never Ended, n ever Paid; But the
MoH Important in the WorId

disarranged again within the hour.
into the washing OF clothes that must
be washed again the next week. Into
the making and mending Of garments
that must forever be renewed. into
the washing OF little faces. the spread
Ing OF bread and Jam. the picking up
OF little caps and scattered toys. the
ceaseless striving to make q man
comfortable who complains when
things are wrong but says no word OF
praise when they are right.
II 10 q toll that takes the hear, out
Of the toiler. because 1t In marked
by no holidays and high days. Even
Sunday. that brings release from his
collar TO the work horse. and rest from
his labors, brings no freedom 10 the
house mother. On the contrary, II
adds to her toll. for on that day she
must get her family a better and
more elaborate dinner. She must rise
earlier and work faster to get every
body, but herself. dressed up In sheir
Sunday clothes and on to Sunday
school and church.
Her DAY Of Rest" q Moeksry.
The day of rest" Is q mockery Of
Its very name to her, and she il lucky
II she can steal away for half an hour
to lay her burdens at the feet Of Him
who was born OF woman, and whose
great heart went out In infinite COM
passion to all womankind.
Holidays bring her no 10y. They
mean merely extra cooking, longer
hours over the sewing machine. more
washing and ironing. fixing fathec and
the children up to 60 to the fireworks,
or the parade, or the Christmas tree,
or the picnic; and when they are gone
abe turns back to clean up after them,
and make ready for their return. and
to mind the baby.
Woman's work IL lonely and monot.
onous work. with no companionship
to liven 1t. no c0mradeship to blight.
On It
The men and women who work in
factorfes or ofnces. no matter how
hard their toll, have at least the d.
version Of seeing new faces every day,
and the stimulus Of interchanging
thoughts and ideas.
The woman working, working at
home has no such relief. She works
alone. with only her own dull. sad
thoughts for company. broken only
by the children's wrangles. the cease
less call for mother" the baby's wall,
and the coming home at night Of q
tired. selfish, surly man who only
grunts when she asks him what news
he has heard during the day.
Her Task Endless and Thankless.
Woman's work 10 never done. There
10 NO eight-hour day for the wife and
mother. She gets up Of morning
before the rest Of the family to pre-
pare the breakfast for them. and long
after the husband. with pipe and pa
per. is taking his ease Of an evening
she 10 cleaning up the dirt he brought
In with him.
Her working day Ia "a hours long,
for she sleeps with one eye open.
watching restless little sleepers, and
one ear cooked listening for croupy
little coughs.
Worst of all. and most pitiful OF
all. woman's work IL never paid.
There IL no fat envelope waiting for
her on Saturday night as reward for
all the labor that she has done SO
faithfully and SO we'll. OF all the
family. she has the least. She is the
one who does without, who wears the
shabbiest clothes. and eats the left
overs from the table.
Nor does she get her reward in
love and appreciation and gratitude.
Her husband and her children take
her services for granted. The world
looking on at this marvel Of devotion.
merely says that she has done her
duty. and the woman herself is 80
humble and 80 meek that she talks OF
the women who write. or paint. or act,
as the women who do things.
She does not even know that she
is the greatest woman In the world.
and that no other work compares In
importance with that of the woman
who just does q woman's work OF
raising up q family and making a
home.