Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-10-22
Myth Of the
Young Wife

syou can't tell me-" said Smith,
when the joshmg ceased and he was
allowed to get In q word in his own
defense, that there's anything at all
in the joke about the brides ignorance
Of household matters. I've been mar
lied only a couple Of weeks, but I've
seen enough to convince me. Why,
the first day l went into the kitchen
without being called, my wife drove
me out just as naturally as I've seen
my mother drive my father out. But
before | did get out had grabbed a
couple Of hot homemade doughnuts,
the first I've eaten in years, and they
were somethin' scrumptious.
And say, all this truck about the
bride ordering half dozen OK livers
or q sirloin Of chicken or a yard and
a half Of pork roast is the worst kind
Of rot When the butchers boy
brought the goods she looked 1t over
carefully and then she weighed It.
Tell Mr.. Sparerib,' she said to the
boy, that there is no trimming on q
leg Of lamb, and this is three ounces
short with the bone weighed in
The boy opened his eyes pretty
wide and then he got red and began
to fish around In the basket. Finally
he brought out another slip for five
cents less. I guess there was a mis-
take he mumbled.
When he had gone my wife looked
serious. He's gotten hold of a bill
pad she said, and is adding a few
cents to the bill Of each customer. I
hate to complain, but l will If | sus-
pect him of using 1t again. Oh, he
won't try to use 1t on me, but it's a
shame that he should cheat the other
customers and ruin a mans business
That was the way it went all day.
Nothing came in without being ex-
amined. None Of the ten cents a
whole lot men and none of the two
big buckets a quarter men worked
any OF their goods Of on her. She
looked into everything. But the limit
came when the groceries arrived. She
kept the boy until she had gone over
the bill and checked of the items
Then she looked the things over. One
OF them was q package Of seeded
raisins, and she opened that at the
top and at the bottom. Then she
gave 1t back to the boy. Take that
back she said. Some one has been
eating the raisinS out of the bottom of
it. He took 1t, and half an hour later,
the grocer, whom / suspect Of being
named Meyer, came around to inquire
and protest. That is all right she
said. Only the other day | saw your
son eating seeded raisins out Of the
bottom Of package, and thought
that if he did II once be might do It
again.
"The boy had been too darned lazy
to eat the raisinS with the seeds in
them, and SO he had been stealing
them out Of the package and closing
1t up again. told her / didn't think
there was 80 much need Of sharp
watching, but she only answered:
Try to run the house without it. You
don't earn enough money to allow me
to waste anything, and so have to
make every cent count for its full
value, or else well have to do without
lots Of things
And do you know how spent the
last two or three days of my vacation
and honeymoon? Peeling peaches and
coring crab apples. Yes, sir. Togeth.
er with plums and grapes we put up
IL dozen quart bottles, besides a dozen
jars OF piccalilli. That was something
different from the way mother used
to do. At preserving time she drove
US all, father included, out Of the
house and let US eat windfalls from
the orchard trees. II was a time Of
terrible storm and strain for her and
US. The results were good, though,
Wnen 1t was over. But my wife lust
put a big kitchen apron on me and
made me help; not try To direct
things, mind you, or offer any sugges-
tons, but do what she told me to do.
what do you think Of that for the
new woman, the product Of our mod.
ern ineffective civilization, that these
bum political economists and others
are talking their heads Of abouti
It's my one best guess that most WON,
en- are pretty much alike If they get
nalf a show and have half a teaspoon,
full Of brains.
AS for cooking-well, I'm In easy
Yet she learned 1t all at school. the
same as thousands Of other girls. and
she claims the average girl can have
the same success If she isn't lazy and
Is willing to sidestep the delicatessen
store habit That's the rock Oh which
a good many housewives are wrecked
The man who falls a victim to II soon
Will have an annual meal ticket at the
free lunch counter, and he will 20
there when he wants substantial
food"
Say, Smith," broke in the book.
Keeper, 1T listens to me as II your
wife was one Of these old-fashioned
slaves to the cook stove"
You've got another guess coming"
said Smith, hotly. "she puts less time
but more brains into the work ana