Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-06-03
LOST ART OF HOME MAKING
Amenities OF Old-Time Home s-NO-r
Rarely Possible.
(From the Christian Register

(From the Christian ReglSter)
7. sometimes seems that home-mak
'nc Is lost art. Between the grand
mansion and the humble fat the old
fashioned. simple. hospitahle home Is far
more difficult to create than in former
days. before service was bought with
hearts blood and the cost OF living had
risen to almost prohibitory heights. The
old easy mode Of existence, with good
living near at hand. ran in" in every
day clothes, chatting of all household
interests sympathetic in all that touch
ell each other, Is now, II anywhere.
fcund confined to remote corners Of me
earth. where the simple life is still pos
sile
The immense advance IN the cost of
living has done its blshting share in
this result. Life has become secretivc.
instead of frank and open-hearted. Who
would venture now into neighbours
kitchen without a special invitation. on
some occasion when the workroom looks
like a picture? The old. easy-going, IA
inlliar kitchen was formerly the pleas
ATTEST place in the house. There the
visitors sat at ease, while their friends
deity did the work Of the household
with that dispatch and neat skill that
has gone out Of fashion with the great
fireplace, the bake oven. the settle In
the warm corner. Now we must keep
Up the tradition shat we don't work at
anything mental. We call upon our
ne .ghbors in our best clothes. We EN-
| real meaning.
There are several reasons why IL Is
| increasingly difficult 70 create a home
t1a IA ut, fr;n INA
+: the growing aversion to drudsery. and
I included In the term is ordinary house,
hold labor. Like mistress Ike man.
| The drudgery OF the mill. tie sweat
rliop and the Once. with all their mon
otony and danger. seems far preferable
to the cheerful variety and change OF
the family interior. In the old days
mistress and maid served together. They
we're compnnionable and friendly. Il not
or an equality. They respected each
others rights and looked to each others
welfare, and the sense Of genuine at
tlchment often prolonged the relation
| fC1 years The maid was not an alien,
a person Of remote and unlike race.
with traditions, habits and modes Of
thought antipodal to ours. The eastern
and southern races are invading our
kitchens. penetrating the Intimacy and
privacy Of our lives. What wonder the
outlook Of home seems dark. They
! grasp at the highest wage possible for
the least work. They are money grabb-
ers. totally unaceustomed to family life.
lured ny the. golden bait OF American
gold and the ense with which It Is won
and thus outside the sympathies and
affections OF those with whom they are
forced into a false relation, The kitch-
en. too. often becomes thus battle
field.
T3ut II is useless to mourn lost hospi-
tally, lost ease and freedom Of inter
course. lost understanding and power Of
approach between employer and domes-
tic. Tho movement will continue until
.hc circle Is rounded. and there Is a,
least a partial return to the old condi
lions OF a division OF labor in the house
hold. and domestic work again becomes
honorable. 1t Is said that the number
OF helpers" employed to-day In middle
class houses Is 20 FER cent. less than Il
was few years ago.
The true domestic life Is based or
service and reciprocity, not hireling anc
scrvile terms. II there Is n crack In thu
house. II Is apt to extend from garrett Il
cellar, and shows the line Of rupture be
tween the two foreign and unfrendl,
elements that harbor under one roof
The servant has no idea OF the sacred
mes. Of contract. the employer no though
beyond the pound Of flesh barEained for
Tho love of home. once so much vaunt
ed appears almost extinct in many mi
sratory households. No plsce Is NOR
sacred to them than another. no roof
tee holds dear and sacred tradition
i from which they would srieve to part
I Their true home is a trunk and the out
S side Of the house Is far more attractiv
I to them than the interior. But house
:. the finest and grandest. is only the she
n that incoses the true home. 1t is a
d IDEAL that lives in the heart ana speak
= of rest and peace and love and racr
f fees for duty, stability and trust. 8
r opposed Is this to the restless spirit 6
= the age, the would-be home creator
n almost discouraged at the outset. WI
v vii! enter with him into a pact Of friend
@ ~ enjoyment and quiet pleasures? TIL
= home can scarcely exist alone. 1t need
l. ard demands a congenlal encourage II
very roof. as II gazes over the lant
scape seems to ask, "1s there any otht
roof at hand can love and honor, au
roof that will think and feel with n
d. and share the life ! would GREATER
Put the neighbor is practically III
ut Known In the city and In the country
fast Incoming obsolete The formal a