Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-01-27

OFVlng along some Dack road
on cold dismal, fall day, we pass
the occasional implanted house, set
far back from the road, the only
sign OF life within the thin column
of smoke coming from the chimney
on the lean-to kitchen, and we say:
my! but 1t must be lonley. 1t
would drive me crazy to live in a
place like that" And the sad fact
is that just such a place deprives
many woman Of her reason.
1t Ia to the husbands Of these
lonely women I'd like to write my
New Year letter, so that they may
begin the new year with their eyes
opened to conditions, and their
hearts softened by sympathy.
Men are naturally kind, but they
are also naturally blind, and they
need to be talked right at once In a
while,
A big strong man, accustomed to
baching goes east and brings out a
fresh young girl, bred to every COM
fort and the friendship of her child
hood friends. He may have, and in
the optimism of the future, over
drawn the present conditions, or
she, full of too romantic enthusiasm
may have painted her western
home in too glowing colors. Any
way, the shadow of disappointment
deepens on her face as the days go
by. The husband, engrossed in his
outside work, does not notice is un-
til one day, coming in unexpectedly
he finds her crying. He fails to
understand or sympathize. The
changed situation Is delightfully."- new
to him. the house so frightened and
transformed by the presence of q
woman, that he is dumfounded to
discover that she is not so supreme
ly happy as himself-and why?
Simply because she is so much alone.
Yes, know Just what it means. I
have been on prairie farm with no
one to speak to from dawn to dark
night (the men took their lunch to
the distant fields), and the tears
coursed down my cheeks and l hard
ly knew the reason then; now
know.
A man goes out in the morning,
plans the work with the hired man,
whips up his horses. talks to his dog.
He manages to be at the end of the
furrow at the road Just as team
passes, and he leans on the fence
and gossips about the crops, the
market and the political situation.
In the meantime. the young wife.
with no one to speak to is wonder
ing how she can make a cake with
put eggs-they haven't hens yet,
and to buy eggs is out of the ques-
ton. She longs for a glimpse of the
home people. Their letters make
her glad and make her sad, and In
secret> she cries over them. The
poor. dear girl wants to talk to
some woman-men are all right, but
the best of them cannot at all times
satisfy all the desires of the heart.
Perhaps little one is expected and
her inexperience fills her mind
with dread fear and anxiety and she
is miserable indeed. Then, oh,
husband, is the time you should be
doub'y kind and patient with her.
God is truly good when He sends a
wee babe to the isolated woman.
Then she has something to talk to,
to care for, to love as her very own,
and yet something in which her hus-
band shares her interest. A little
child shall lead them to a better
understanding of each other.
You men on the farm can do much
to brighten the life of your wife If
you would only think and not mind
little trouble. Really, I've seen
some men I'd have liked to have
shaken, II 1t would have done them
any good. They would sit around
the stove smoking and have their
delicate wives bring in the wood to
keep them warm or have them go
out In the cold for water that they
might have a drink Such men
never see that their wives are tired.
You hear them say, what has she
done? Just puttered around the
house all day" That's 1t. The
very monotony of her work wears
the life out of her. 1t is the hus-
bands part to bring some little
change into the weary day Tell
her about your work; interest her
in the crops by driving her about the
farm; take her for a walk to the