davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

and patching for the men and getting
the kindling for the kitchen fire in
the morning. And, this done, she has
at last won her title TO her only re-
ward-six hours sleep-and falls ex-
hausted into bed.
This. however. is an ION day" ON
Mondays there Is the family washing
to do; in spring she has TO work her
garden n in summer to find time
to gather and put up preserves OF
blackberries and other wild fruits.
Nor has she the luxury-called ncces-
sity by city people-of the hot bath
before bedtime. Lucky. indeed. II she
has water enough left in the pail on
the back porch to wash her tired feet.
1.-THE burden of many letters" COM
ments the Department, lis that the
farmer is ever ready to purchase mod
ern farm machinery for lessening his
labor, but ever backward about maxi
ing an investment hat will make the
farm home a p~leasanter place of abode
or a more convenient workshop for
the ome Many wives think the
animals have more attention than tho
women"
But far beyond physical hardship,
the woful failure of the farmer to
give his wife a penny in cash is n
of the greatest complaints. Working
day after day and year after year.
with never the sight Of a COIN, much
less a bill; allowed to go to the cross
roads store and there barter her but
ter and eggs. never for cash, but only
for such goods as the merchant has;
this is the almost unanimous state
ment And, hardest Of all. in many
cases she is compelled to urn over
the hard earned proceeds Of her milk
and butter and eggs toward the pur-
chase OF a new mower or c%ultivator
or something the farmer says Is i'm
perative-and his word as to money Is
law-while she has to cook on n bro
ken down stove or scrub owe an an
tiquated ~washboard.
III there is one thing in which the
American farmer excels." cries one
Wisconsin woman, at Is in getting
the utmost out OF his wife and fam
lily. When you see a farmers wife
washing filthy linen after dirty hired
men you must decide that no one who
realizes the value Of human brain
and labor could so misuse it,"
81 asked my husband for a few
acres 10 plant and use as l saw best"
writes a Texas woman. THAT was
denied me-. ! then asked to be per-
mitted to rent a few acres adjoining
upon which to plant potatoes and use
the money from them to buy furni-
ture. But he thought ! wanted the
whole world and wouldn't allow it,"
when a m raises chickens,
turkeys. milks cows, sells garden truck
all the year and, out of 1t, buys coffee,
meat. -four. &C., for the family, she
should have her W. money" writes a
Tennessee farmers wife. "A woman
on a farm is a secondary matter with
too many farmers"
Here IL a bitter cry from Kansas:
ut is not the lack Of cosmetics tina.
ages us on the farm. 1t is
the treadmill; the life OF incessant,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

help unless they are sick and about
to die"
This cry came from a Michigan
m
THE farm is run for the benefit Of
the farm and not the family. What
use is 1t to buy more land to raise
more corn to feed more hogs to buy
more land?"
Following is a fairly accurate por-
trayal OF the typical life of the far
mer's wife, as shown by many Of these
letters; not all, but perhaps half of
them:
A winters morning with a snow
storm hat has ragged all night sup
plying the setting described in John
G.. Whittier's "~Snowbound.' At
four or five o'clock she crawls. shiv-
ering. out Of bed, makes her way to
the kitchen STOW and. after wrestling
with kindling and matches. lights
the fire. Thence she ploughs her way
through the snow to the well. (The
we'll is generally placed with a view
to the convenience of the cattle and
rot the wife, write many.) There
she draws, with an iceclad rope. W
buckets of water and staggers back
to the kitchen.
Then. Selling her milk pals, she
hurries to the barn, breaking her
path through the snow, and spends a
chilly half hour in milking the cows.
Returning with her milk. she must
hurry up with the breakfast for the
men who have arisen and are impa-
tiently awaiting their meal. She
drives herself through this with all
the haste possible and. dishing up
the food with the coming of the dawn,
finds now a house for her to clean-a
house left In utmost disorder.
As she washes the breakfast dishes
she has to stop and get the children Off
to school. This done, she completes
her tasks in the kitchen and dining
room and then addresses herself to
the bedrooms, left by the men in utter
disorder and chaotic with wet and
muddy garments. Hardly has she
completed the last of this when she
must hasten to prepare the midday
meal. Again she stands over the
stove. hurrying to supply the men
who come stamping in with mud and
snow and never a thought OF the
dirt they make. When they have
gone Sne must Cledn up again. anu
when she has finished 1t Is late after
noon.
Does she have a moment then to sit
down and rest? Never a moment.
The children are coming home from
school; there is one worriment after
another with them, from putting n
patch on Johnnie's torn trousers to
listening to a complaint from teacher
about Susie. And then there's the
churning to do. and the chickens and
pigs to feed-and here it's almost
supper time and the men will be In
very soon.
over the kitchen stove she hastily
bends again. too tired to answer the
complaint OF the hungry men who
can't understand. why supper isn't
ready. And by the time the supper
things are washed up 1t Is almost
eight o'clock And I'm almost dead"
adequately expresses her condition.
Small time for mental or artistic rec
%reatlon. Into the bed the poor woman
wishes to fling herself, glad OF the
oblivion Of ~sleep-but not yet! There's
an hour or more's work yet, sewing
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

W money. to be used for her W
expenses" writes a Missouri farm
wife.
Farmers wives could remedy
things for themselves If they had any
money of their own and a right 10
keep and spend it," cries a woman OF
Florida.
This letter came from Tennessee:
II think IL the farmers would give
wives and daughters a better chance
on the farm-that is, let them have
chickens and turkeys and COWS to
make some pocket change. they would
be much better satisfied"
one OF the most frequent complaints
Is the selfshness of the husband In
providing himself with labor saving
machinery with never a thought Of
doing the same thing for his wife.
Furthermore. he will take the money
she has individually wrested by hard
work from the dairy or the hen house
to buy himself a new b~uggy-plough or
a Cultivator with shaded top. leaving
her still to tote" water from the
distant we'll or spring, n hundred
yards or more. and break her back
bending over the same %antiquateI
washboard her great-grandmcther
used. Thus feelingly writes a woman
of Texas, land of the broadcast acres
in the Union; the letter is a common
type:
my liege lord Is availing himself OF
labor saving appliances such as a
icarer. riding plough, gas engines. Sc.
while the woman's labor saving ap-
planes consist of her old sewing
machine. The routine work of the
Southern farm is about as fol-
lows; She is up at 1 or 5 o'clock,
building her fire and preparing the
breakfast. She milks the COWS, churns
the cream by hand, puts the house in
order, gets the dinner. leaves the
house in disorder, goes to the cotton
field and plants. hoes or picks cotton
all the afternoon. often dragging along
a weight of sixty pounds over the
rough ground.
About shutdown she goes back TO
the farmhouse. puts the house in
order. washes the dishes left from the
MONDAY meal. prepares supper. her
self, most of the time. too h listed
to eat: gets the children To bed and
falls asleep herself, And so it yocs
with us from day to day. somehow
and somewhere in between times.
though heaven only knows where 1t
is, she finds time to do the washing
and ironing and mending and knitting
and darning. II she is under 45 years
OF age she is probably nursing a baby.
The result is she is misermbly weak
and frail.
There are n few we'll to do farmers
in whose homes We find better condi-
tons, but the above description ap.
plies to most OF the tenants and young
farmers homes"
One Ohio woman, with acumcn.
makes this pregnant remark; Get
statistics OF the sale OF farm imple-
ments and the sale OF nostrums for
the cure of the ills for women and
you will ascertain the relative condi-
ton Of the farmers and their wives"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

Some Of them-especially in the
West-look upon Government loans
at a low rate of interest as the Moses
that will lead them out Of the wilder
ness of their distress. Upon this the
report says:
They enormously think that a low
rate of interest would itself be a solu-
ton of all their difficulties. They have
the idea that if they could only 80 10
the bank or the Government and OBJ
tain cash their troubles would be over
ven though they put the money in
non-productive improvements. II Is
true that such money might be in
vested in improvements that would
greatly lessen the burden of the
housewife, but 1t is not at all clear
how they would add to the cash In
take Of the farm"
Another cause of distress, especially
in remote districts, is the inability TO
market their products. And many
look TO the parcels post as a means
of salvation. Nor is this limited 10
such remote districts. Thus write
more than two score, mostly from the
State of New York-and in almost
lutNllCdI WORDS.
Inability TO sell market things that
are generally considered women's
work, such as eggs. chickens, butter,
milk, &c. That is our trouble And
they all close with the prayer. I'm
proved parcels post delivery"
In justice To the Post Office Depart
ment il must be said that most of
these letters were written before the
new parcels post tariff and schedule
went into effect n few months age.
In the South ii is not only inability
to find a market but the fact. as stated
above, that they can get no cash from
the stores where they sell.
I'VE need in this country" writes
a Georgia farm wife, typical Of many.
"a cash market for or products. The
stores will not pay cash. 1t is all
barter. They give us what they
please for our stun and then make
us take it out in goods At whatever
price they please"
And yet after careful reading Of
these numerous letters the judgment
must be that the main want Of thu
farmers wife is the sympathy and
affection Of her husband. Different
causes of complaint arise from Maine
to Texas, hut there is that onc
note running throughout them al.
Throughout are many letters telling
Of hard drudgcry on the farmland
yet Contentmcnt m as one reads
between the lines he sees that though
hard worked she has this oon Of per-
feet companionship in her struggles.
ADVERSE as circumstances are: as
self-dcnying as she is compelled to be,
yet she is happier han persia's
King" because her husband appre-
ciates her and gives er all the love
and affection she Graves. Even though
his help To tighten the burden be
small, she is nevertheless content IL
he only give her hat great desider-
atum-his whole love and apprecia-
ton. A woman can make a little
love go far. And never has il been
shown more than In this remarkable
collection Of letters. Scores of them
say In substance:
"Oh. I work fifteen hours a day
and get nothing for 1t. Simon Legrcc
never worked Uncle Tom as hard as
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30

railroad track to get to school.
I have to slave. But your Agr..l..
tural Department cannot dc aN,'.. D.;
for me. I've got everything / want.
even though l do need the cuuu,,
comforts of life. For my husband
and my children love me more Than
anything on earth. | am the ,.u'-i
sun around which they rcy,.,, .t'l
what more can woman want
This is the story hidden .U m.
berless letters; tales Of hir. .
borne cheerfully because they ..,
loved.
ms letter embodies not 81.
appreciation and love as t..
of il:
THE chief thing hat the farmers
wife needs writes a New Nut, 'fn
wife, is the sympathy and CON. ...
ton of her husband. Her ,u. !
can be but little better UNI. t.,- Peg
aroused
Another one from the sam -'.
with more Of a practical mote.
Most of the farmers wiv,- u, :
washing, ironing, co. king 800. .-n
washing in the same old wtr
Observation-Disclosures did sov,r'..'V'
years ago. with never a thuE-f =
cleaners. washing M a'f
or kitchen sinks. Even thus, o. "
more enlightened can never w.n"
their husbands understand, 80, .I-a
their mothers did all tile wuI. t-
eight or ten children and the a .at
have any of these things Yv, ',.'
husbands have all kinds Of !m.' ".i
farm tools. Until the sympl'.e ..l
affection of the husband is a|ruu-.i 'H'
condition of the farm wife mus. .a-
main the same"
The majority of men folks az g..
liberal toward the women
writes a West Virginia farm w. 70
the same tenor. They buy n,tg. '..y
while the women have To carry r
and supply the wood. They haF. 10
sympathy or affection for them
Here is a bright light IN tn a.'.-
ness of this West Virginia farm '.
1t is from a farmer himsc.f;
Il allow my wife a full voice "
my business and she takes as 81 b
interest in my affairs as myself. -
lieve all farm women would h. (
not kept down as slaves
Many women make pract..a.
gestions to assist their sister .. '."
farm. one of the most novel, y' ?
practical, comes from a New
State farm wife.
Dirt and mud from the men
in from the fields, she finds
bane of the farm wife. .Acy.r.
she has had Duiit-at a cost ~ D
"a sort Of anteroom t. the h H
1t is a large room, about t!-...'
twenty feet. II is connected S..
kitchen door by a sort OF tan
or five feet long. Instead OF 81
this room has-for economy dH.
an open space about three e, .'
running all the way around '.' IT'D.
This affords ample light and -
the most Of the year, and IN
shutters can be made to let q j
bad weather.
Into this room the men cl''. '
they come in, wet and m3t .'
dirty. HIRE the farm VII, 20
cooking and washing in the w.
son of the year. Here every ' .
soiled must enter and throw
traps" of whatever kind 3D.
and there is ample room. Ii.r,
'"es r''N' '"'
Gays we "'ea's '"n "e Sf''''
the "lhIhs room Tree IRON
broad three 1901 OPENING i"''
lgAt ana iresh arr eve" i'''"
OF the COOK stove Inc l"'"'
view n incoming OF h,' !" .
lily wlthout a huune '"l
pass 'hroush mo he' "t'''
theS must u4N's' mems
,nIhs nat Wall S"" - "'
housc' ..
III No'ieIus,on' Wv o.
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
EVIDENTLY HAD LOST SAVIOR
Had Been Long in British Army
commissariat.

ANY complaint" asked the Brit
ish orderly officer of some men who
were about to begin dinner in a GER
tain barrack room.
Yes, sir" instantly exclaimed .
raw recruit: "the beef an bacon In
this ere Irish ash amt fit for the
likes of US to eat, an wish to report
it."
The doctor was sent for to inspect
the food.
50 you think this meat isn't fit for
a man in your position to eat?" said
he. ALLOW me to tell you that greater
men than ever you will be have eaten
it. Even the commander In chief
wasn't above eating it in the Crimea,
and made many a hearty meal of 1t.
"Oh. did 'e?" said our over-nice re-
cruit.
Yes, he did," replied the surgeon.
"Oh. WELL" retorted the man. 1T
was all very well for the commander
in chief, cause the meat would be
fresh an good then. You see. sir, it's
long time since that ere Crimea
Job, and 1t can't be expected to keep
good all these years"
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22

The students at Tuskegee are quot
ing with enthusiasm the following
statement from recent census bulle-
tin:
Farming In the South Is passing
into the hands of the black man. In
the last ten-year census period the
number of acres occupied by whites
actually decreased; the negro acreage
increased
The proportion of whites engaged
in farming decreased; the proportion
Of Negroes increased. Ownership of
farms by whites increased II per cent:
by Negroes, II per cent. Among the
whites the increase in farm tenants
men who do not own the land they
work-was 81 per cent; among the Ne
groes 1t was but 21 per cent.
THE total number Of white farmers
working not their own but another
mans land increased $4,000; the to-
tai number Of Negro farmers working
another mans land increased lis. ;"
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
Evidently Welt Cared Fer.

During the progress OF the morning
bath of a few months old infant .
neighbours little girl came into the
room carrying doll, and stood watch
ing the operation for some time. The
little girls doll was much the worse
for hard usage. being minus an arm
and a leg. Finally she said TO the
mother of the child:
How long have you had your
ba5y?"
The child was informed. and. look
ing from her doll to the baby. she
said:
My, but you have kept 1t nicel"
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
His Chief End In Life.

Their was once rich but very
mean old lady. says Answers. who paid
her servants as little as possible. and
kept very few.
One of her staff was a thin. niiser-
able-looking lad of twelve. who an
swered the door, did the knives and
the windows, waited at table. weeded
the garden. washed the poodle. and
had the rest of the timeto himself.
One visitor asked him: ~
well, my boy. and what do you
do here?" &2ts..
II do a. butler and a gardener out of
jobl" snapped the lad sourIy.
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22

Once In q while, when small chill
dren are witnesses in court, they have
an original way Of framing their an
swers to questions put to them by the
attorneys, says the Boston Post. The
other day little girl In the divorce
court was asked:
How do you know that this state
ment is true?"
why. my papa told me So" instant
ly replied the little girl.
And do you always answer your
stepmother politely, no matter what
she says TO you. as your father told
you TO do?"
NO" said the small witness. aud
after q brief pause she added: MY
heart did not bring forth the words"
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
AFRO-AMER|CAN CULL|NCS

The fifty-third anniversary of the To-
suance of the emancipation proclama-
ton by Abraham Lincoln was cele-
brated by the National Emancipation
Commemorative society at Mount Car
mel Baptist church. Washington. Lin
coin issued the emancipation procla-
nation September %, 1862.
Louis f. Post. assistant secretary OF
labor, was the principal speaker at the
celebration. and congratulated the col
ored people OF the country upon the
progress made by them since their
emancipation. He commended the So
ciety for having adopted September %
as the day for the general observance
and celebration throughout the coun-
try of the issuance Of the proclamation
by Lincoln.
England and France said he.
were on the eve of recognizing the
southern confederacy as they we're in
need of cotton. and would have done
so had not President Lincoln issued
this. preliminary proclamation, just
when he did. threatening to forever
abolish slavery I'm the cotton produc-
ing states should those states refuse
to lay down their arms and come back
into the Union. Not only should this
day be celebrated by the colored peo-
pie. but the people of all races
throughout the country ought to unite
in celebrating the anniversary OF an
event that was the first step calcu-
lated to making the Declaration of In
dependence a living verify"
Prof. Jesse Lawson in opening the
celebration commended the colored
people for their loyalty TO country and
flag, and urged the establishment OF
chair In patriotism In American uni
versities and institutions OF learning
In every section of the country.
II. Martin Williams. reading clerk OF
the house, said that the abolition Of
Negro slavery in the United States
gave freedom. in part. TO all OF the
people in the country Rev. w. A.
Taylor of the Florida Avenue Baptist
church. and \. w. Mcgowan. chairman
of the ways and means committee OF
the commemorative society. also de-
livered addresses
The society adopted resolutions rec
ommending 10 the colored people OF
the country that they set apart Sep
TENDER % OF each year for a eelebra-
ton of the issuance OF the emancipa-
tion proclamation. The resolutions de-
clared that no class of citizens In
America viii long suffer injustice be-
cause OF the spirit OF fair play OF the
American people and called attention
to the recent decision OF the Supreme
court of the United States holding IN
constitutional the, grandfather clause
OF the constitutions of some of the
states by which colored voters were
Disseminated against.
The resolutions provided for the ap-
pointmenf OF committee of 100 by
the president of the soeietya TO make
all necessary arrangements for the
congress of colored Americans to be
held in Washington next year. and
recommended TO the coiored people OF
the country that they take steps 10
participate In the national exposition
OF colored Americans TO be held In
Washington In 1920.
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
On the Water WAGON.

The alfalfa delegate was paying his
first visit to city of any size. Stand
ing on the sidewalk he CHANGED to see
a sprinkling cart coming down the
street. and no sooner had he set eyes
on the thing than he began to laugh
like boy at a minstrel show.
Say. old pal" he remarked hiia-
riously, punching a cop In the ribs.
don't that Just beat all?'
Don't what beat all?" responded the
wondering cop. What's the joker"
Just look at that Teller ON that
wagon!" replied the alfalfa party.
pointing to the sprinkler. That
derned chump won't have drop of
water left by the time he getJ homel'
Philadelphia Telegraph.
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22

The weather affects man In more
ways, 1t appears. than many suspect.
For example. II is believed that pres
sure variation due TO fiuetnating winds
has peculiar pathological effects. that
certain electrical conditions of the afr
induced by low atmospheric pressure
have a pathological effect on nervous
subjects and that solar radiation has
peculiar effects which vary according
to the season.
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
To Drive Out Malaria
And Build In The Svsfen,

Take the Old Standard GROVE S
TASTELESS chill TONIC. You know
what you are taking. as the formula is
printed on every label. showing ii is
Quinine and Iron in a tasteless form. The
Quinine drives out malaria. tho Iron
builds up the system. so cents. Adv
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
Honest Advice.

would you advise a young man to
90 into Wall street," asked a friend
OF successful broker.
yes" replied the broker. Il would.
I have often advised rich young men
to do that very thing. In fact. that's
how | got my money"
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
The Obstacle.

Wouldn't you like to SIT IN ; gen.
tiemen's gamer" insinuated = shifty
eyed casual acquaintance.
'Nawl" grimly replied Sandstone
Smith OF Rampage. Okla. who is tenn.
porarily in our midst. I'm no gentle
mani"-Judge.
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
An Application.

Yen excuse me. captain" said
O'Harrity. addressing the commander
of the battleship. but is Ut thrue that
ut costs swim hundred dollars to ire
wan o. thin big gunsY
yes. O'Harrity," said the captain.
''Why do you ask?"
"Oi fought OF might save yez some
money, sorr." said CHARITY. Sure.
and Oil fire EN- for yez for tin
New York Times.
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22
Where war Is Not He'll.

Chatty Neighbor-l suppose you
don't stand for any war arguments
among your boarders?
Boarding House Mistress-Oh, yes
You see, our biggest eater gets so in
terested that he forgets to eat and
our next biggest eater gets so mao
that he leaves before the meal is half
over.-Puck.
Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-10-22

A New Yorker left In his VIII pro-
vision that loaves OF bread stamped
with his name should be given TO the
poor and that the viii should be pub
lished in five papers. Heirs have tried
TO break the last provision on grounds
of eccentricity. but the court has said
II must be done.