Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-23
Psychic Housekeeper.

0 clubs are promised genuine
IEYHk8I comfort bearing the label Of
Vn6lW the great central foundry OF
hot-air reformers, designated on the map
as Chicago. Psychic housekeeping is the
coming Joy, and a Chicago woman is the
inventor. She is positive her plan solves
the servant problem. In her house every
body works cheerily. including father and
the guests, hence the housekeeper only
needs to direct the operation.
Hitherto the management Of the house
hold has been considered woman's especial
p~rerogative. Man has been general man.
ager Of railroad and factory and store and
mine, but under the psychic system he
becomes a general manager Of housekeep-
ing, a working manager in name and deed.
The first man to hold the office and adj
minister culinary and other domestic af-
fairs is John Forsell, an artist, who lives
in a big square house at No. 1O1 Wave
land avenue, Chicago. The mistress OF the
mansion is Mrs. Forsell, yet she does not
say my home when she speaks of it.
but rather ''our home" thereby wishing
It understood that every occupant Of this
unique habitation is as much the boss"
rs she herself. She is the inventor OF
psychic housekeeping, a kind which she
asserts is adaptable to two or more
families, or to one family and its relatives
or friends.
To start at the beginning, it should be
stated that the Forsell family consists of
nine persons-the artist and his wife,
another man and his wife, and five young
men who have not yet mustered up suf-
ficient courage to undertake the support
of a help-meet, even though psychic
housekeeping dispenses with the servant
girl question, and, besides, reduces the cost
of married life to the minimum. All share
equally in paying expenses, and every one
does an equal amount Of work.
The messenger who calls for DR.. Brook
at $50 a. m. will find him in the kitchen
frying eggs or making coffee. And II
the business house employees, who consti-
tute part and parcel of the Forsell family,
happen to register late on the time clock
1t is not likely to be due to an elevated
trains delay, but to their pledge to make
up their beds before leaving home for the
store every morning.
As the general manager of this "psychIc'
household Mr.. Forsell keeps a set of
books, accounting for every penny ex-
pended, and sees to it that no one shirks
his allotted tasks, such as waiting on the
table, turning the w~ringer, scrubbing the
kitchen floor or attending the furnace. He
also has to remember from day TO day
whose duty it is to feed the family cat.
Such a revolutionary system of managing
a house would be impossible Of execution
were it not for the basic principle on which
It Is established.
"The secret of our success" SAYS Mrs.
Forsell, 'lies entirely in the reation of a
'pysehic' atmosphere. Nobody must harbor
a grudge."
But how can anybody avoid having one
occasionally ?" she was asked.
Nobody can" replied Mrs. Forsell. but
nobody needs to keep one. When one Of
our family comes home with a thing like
that he must sit down alone and say, Go
away, grudge,' or Get out, Crouch, until
his soul gets into harmony with altruism.
When We are all in that state we have the
psychic atmosphere"
What is the practical effect of such a
frame of mind?"
why, you see,'' the artists
wife, 1.-THE motive of self-interest as the
driving force of personal conduct Is subor-
dinated. Instead of the man. and also the
woman, wishing to do only that which
pleascs hin or which benefits him alone,
he strives to accomplish something for the
pleasure or benefit of his associates.
Hence, whenever there is work TO be done
in our house, each is ready for any task,
whether it be personally agreeable Or disa-
greeable."
Surely you do not mean that such an
approach to human perfection is attainable
In Chicago?"
Not only attainable, but attained right
in this house." replied Mrs. Forsell. "You
should see II when we are all at home"
A. - -fa1,.l- 49,. rt--.L- u --- A----
to come home. The first was the artist,
from his easel. He had a place to hang
his coat and hat, and he put them in that
place, not on a chair back.
Have you started the dinner?' asked
the general manager of the psychic house
hold, who didn't seem to be in a mood
that required the obliteration of a grudge
or crouch.
mot yet" answered his wife; 1--WE had,
unexpected company that remained late"
The general manager STROBE across the
rugs of parlor and dining room, through
a drilled doorway and into the kitchen,
where he adjusted an apron over his
waistcoat. The women followed and also
put on aprons. Mr.. Forsell lighted the gas
range. His wife brought out a skillet.
The doctor came in He Immediately set
to work to make the tea. He needed no
suggestion. He saw that portion OF the
meal was not under way, and proceeded to
start it. A student arrived. He washed
the celery. BY the time the counting house
men got in the dinner was cooked and the
table set; so they enacted the role Of
walters.
They were exceedingly awkward at
first said Mrs. Forsell as the young men
brought on the edibles, but that didn't
last long"
When the dinner was over the nine
member cleared off the table, brushed up
the crumbs and washed and put away the
dishes with celebrity, Afterward they
spent fifteen minutes in deciding on the
bill oil fare for the morrow. This routine
accomplished, they gathered in the parlor
and talked philosophy or sang, as the
spirit moved" them. The next morning
they got breakfast in the same way, then
departed from the house, each TO his task
OF p~royider.
Mrs, Forsell contends that her system
is adaptable to a number of families. She
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