The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-28
SAYS UNCLE CIV

Back in PuckyhuddIe we knew what
was good for domestic unhappiness and
the divorce problem. We ntpped both
in the bud. No man could be in good
standing in the community who wasn't
"a good provider." And the woman
who wasn't "a good housekeeper'' was
an outcast. We had a vigilance COM
| mfttee called the Daughters of Martha
Sewing Circle whose business it was
to see that everybody lived up to the
standard. That committee discharged
it's duties fully and satisfactorily 1t
knew just what was the matter with
every household and what was to
blame 1t knew that Alb Duggins got
mad when Mirandy didn't wash the
dishes in time and that his wrath was
righteous. 1t knew that Old Doc Houser
stayed single because he found out
that Addie Peppercorn didn't know
how to cook, and it didn't blame him.
When Addie threatened to leave Pep
percorn, whom she had married after
Old Doc had slid out of her net a
committee of the Daughters called on
her one afternoon and told her if Pep
percorn would do his duty by her he'd
stand over her with a blacksnake until
she clean up that house. Addie saw
the light and lived happily ever after
Hiram Junkins developed a stingy
streak and let Marthy wear one calico
dress for eight months, two weeks and
three days. On the fourth day Hiram
was buying chewing tobacco at the
general store when two of the "Daugh-
ters'' came in, bought forty cents
worth of dark red calico and handed
the package to him with the remark
that Mtssus Junkins need a new dress
IAN we've took up a subscription to
git it,
Public opinion was in good working
order in Puckyhuddle and the gist of
it was that if folks would get married
hot 7
must say, sisters" remarked Sarah
Anne Dwiggins, the oracle of the Wig
lance committee, that most, of the
trouble comes from the women folks.
If the men folks ran their business the
way some women I know run their
eat, much less to waste"
On the whole Puckyhuddle was hap
py village Domestic felicity was the
normal condition in its home, and it was
rarely that We heard either of neglect
upon the part of a husband or short
comings upon the part of the wife.
Let me quote you resolution
adopted by THE Daughters" the
same being in the words of Sarah Anne
Dwiggins and approved without a dis
senting vote:
Resolved, that men have come near
women, except a few drunken scala
wags that loaf around the BARRIERS
shop and shoot craps, and no woman is
called on to marry one of these. If
she does. it's her fault.
Further. that after hustling all day,
to keep something coming in a man has
a right to peace and quiet at his home.
and if he doesn't get it, he's not to he
blamed for raising a row.
ALSO, that If women will use their
heads in keeping house as much as men
have to use theirs in providing for the
house. there wouldn't be great deal of
trouble.
Furthermore, that a woman should
be a help-meet and not a help-eat-
meat, and If she is, she doesn't have to
marry a no-account man if she doesn't
want to-"
1t may be objected that Sarah Anne
was a widow and wanted to marry
again, but this slur is refuted by the
fact that the resolution received the
votes of seventeen married women, as
well as two widows and three girls of
T.,