The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-07-01
The Farm WOmen'S VaCa-
fiOn

LiUH.
That the farm wife reeds a vacation
cannot be doubted for moment, but
to convince the average farmer OF
this fact is not easy. And, besides,
the woman herself will tell you she
can never find g time or place In her
household cares poultry raising, ana
so on, In which toilet 60" Thousands
# farm wives of today have never
known what 1t was to leave all Of the
family behind while they went "a
pleasuring.
| For seven years had read each
summer the notices In the home paper
regarding cold Home" week For
seven years there were times when
cooked out across the cotton fielos
toward the Illinois praiTi s with
Inging aad heartaches that only the
farmers wife who has never had a
vacation can understand. Year 10
md year out had stood over heapiDQ
kettles of cooking things and mixed
and labeled, labeled and mixed, It'll
he soul of me siokened at the raven
JUS appetites of bands" and in my
heart I despised everything that
wore trousers. l awoke one day to
he realization that hald work and
barrow environments were maR1ng
me morbid, cross and ugly In dis
osition, as we'll as looks. For, as a
rule, we don't frltter away much time
m our personal appearance. NOW,
This woHt do at ALL said l to the
mirror one day. eve are going to
"eform."
So all that summer whenever | had
| time | fashioned for myself pretty
| Kings to wear-a white dress in which
shadow embroidery and lace insertion
held forth. neat travelling dress and
, black silk skirt. refused to COT
,Ider the usual plain sailor hat, but
bought a tan and brown Milan straw
instead. MY little hoard of savings
grew, and my heart grew light acc nd
irgly, for I was living with distinct
goal 10 view "Home week" /
exujted, aud laughed softly to myself,
thinking just what l would say to
each one. / knew how Aunt Fanny
would smile, and sisters new babies
look, aud the little old motherAAh!
swallow hard and my eyellds smart
with unshed tears as picture her IN
the old home meath the naples with
the cherry trees brushing the roof
and the gaudy hollyhocks by the
garden gate.
KNEW, intuitively, that Farmer
John would not take kindly to the
proposed visit. He was no worse
than the majority OF farmers on this
same question, for they get so used
to seeing wife right there all the
time that they imagine everything
will Immediately go to the 'demnit.on
how vows" should she be gone "a hours.
He even suggested selling off the
poultry, "as there would be no one to
see to it," but, hardened my heart
thought there would be "enough left
to begin with next spring."
Now, would you believe it? On the
morning l was to start awoke with
the feeling one has when there fs a
corpse in the house. If you had held
down a position for "a years, don't
you believe IL would demoralize your
equilibrium TO leave 1t, only for a
time? But l pulled myself together
and started, and there wasn't jolly
word spoken on that nine-mtle drive
to town. l remember che" asked me
IL [ would write Office, aud my heart
took another slump when l saw the
horses heads turned away from the
depot. But 1t all rolled away with
the smoke of the engine, and how
did enjoy every precious minute OF
that six-weeks' visit, eating aud sleer-
lag as had not done for years, and
gaining 81 pounds in weight!
When 1 returned 10 my Oklahoms
home. life took on new meaning.
could smile where / had heretofore
frowned. Never before had farm life
seemed so replete with y, nevel
before ha1 I 50 much to be thAnktu
for. The next time l saw the horses
turned away from the depot, | sal
beside the smiling driver; and as
snuggled down beside him L said, will
a jJyful little laugh: "How glad