Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-26
FARMERS WIVES DON'T
NEED SPINNING WHEEL

CURRYvILLE, Ga. R. F. D. 7.-Editoi
Journal: was much surprised to see In
a recent issue Of The semi-weekly Jour
nal some distinguished Georgian adj
vising return to the old loom and spin,
ming wheel Of by-gone days In order t.
give "our women and girls who are thu
wives and daughters Of our farmers
something to do. Heaven save tn,
mark. Because time often drags heavil,
on their heads" Glands suppose was
meant). 1 must say there is more sentt
ment than sense in that idea an
sure glad such a thing cannot be mad,
compulsory. Nor can I imagine where
the gentleman in question could have beer
travelling to find such an Eden Of idle
ness.
1t is Just the opposite of my experience,
and observation. Besides, who would be-
grudge a woman a little spare time"
to rest, who gets up at or o'clock in
the morning, gets breakfast and TIVE
other meals a day for a hungry crowa
and country folks are always hungry
you know, dresses the children, feeds ths
little chickens, the dog and the cat, milks
and turns the cows to pasture, churns
every day in warm weather, cares for the
milk and butter and a great many go to
the field to fill up the time between
meals, and work in the garden as side
line, and they are fortunate IL they have
some one to leave at the house to see
after the babies that can't go to this
field, to feed the setting hens" as they
come off, to set the broody ones, to gath.
er up the eggs, to pick or gather the vege-
tables for dinner, and incidentally to shoe
away the hawks from the little chick.
ems, unless they have a good dog like ]
have to watch after the hawks. and Otter
there are ducks, guineas and turkeys.
not to mention geese to be cared for.
And then there is fruit TO dry, can. pre-
serve and jelly, pickle to be made. and
this fruit Is not handed in at the door
they go to the orchard for the apples,
peaches and plums, to the garden for the
vegetables, to the woods and fields for
the blackberries and dewberries, to the
mountains for the huckleberries, for the
average farmers wife puts up q guam
tity of fruit for home consumption. Then
some farmers do extra canning for the
market, besides gathering and selling q
lot Of fruit.
Then there Is sewing to be done for
family Of from thre to a dozen, though ]
am glad to say a great many farmers
wives are learning to buy ready-made
clothing now, and dress the children In
''rompers," and 'overalls" everyday. They
are not pretty, but they save some work.
I've said nothing of quilting, and quilt
piecing, patchwork, as we'll as patching.
That is kept UP all the year round. The
farmers daughters, as well as a good
many wives, do a lot of fancy work,
embroidering. knitting and crocheting.
They have mostly quit knitting hosiery,
but knit lace for trimming, when they
have time, though theySbuy most Of it to
save time, in order to embroider collars,
belts shirtwaists and even dresses, just
like other folks do. And one, day in the
week you know, has to be devoted to the
wash tub, unless they are so fortunate
as to have a good old black nanny
around to do it for them. And another
to the starching and ironing and occasion
ally one for securing, and some even
keep up the oId-fashioned soap-makins,
for securing and cleaning purposes.
And strange to say, they read too, for
the majority take papers from one to a
half dozen, some more, and keep up very
we'll with what is going on in the other
world.
And once in a while they take a day off
and work for a picnic, or farmers
union rally, or a quarterly meeting or
association, when they get together and
have a good time. I am not CHASING
quarterly meetings and associations with
picnics, only they do have picnic din
ners and a good time. No. thank you,
we will excuse anybody from hunting
something for us to do just now, at least
NJ E. q.
July Il, 1910.