The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-03-18
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

1 am sitting here waterbound on
Monday morning. The rain is falling
in torrents, the sidewalks are a~sheet
of water, the cutters running branches
and the streets on the hillside streakcd
with mud.
Here 1 am in the dining room, break
fast has been eaten, the table cleared
and the usual Monday morning rush OF
the busy housewife is on with ven-
geance; after a family council was
held to determine whether the boys
should venture forth in the nasty
weather.
After carefully weighing the prob
lem it was decided that as both had
bad colds it would be best to keep
them at home. Now, two healthy. nor
NAL lads indoors is enough to keep any
house in an uproar, and I am getting
sample of what my good wife fire.
quently has to put up with. ! can cas-
lily see how a full day of such distrac-
ton is calculated to get on ones nerves
a bit.
They started off very peaceably.
The older one got a magazine and read
for awhile as the younger one enter
tanned himself by drawing. But the
good Lord evidently never inteAdcd
that a IL and 14-year-old pair of
youngsters should long remain quiet
without testing their physical prowess,
and SO I have been audience and ref
cree to both a boxing and a wrestling
match; and only regretted that Bob
McDavid was not present, for it would
have given him a chance to write up
two contests that were not thrown but
fought to q finish.
got book which 1 had put ASIDE
for a rainy day but, believe me. it was
impossible to concentrate my mind o.
it for every few minutes l was called
upon to decide some dispute or reply t.
some question and SO 1 shelved it and
concluded I would take things easy and
fit into their games and moods and
not be crouch. They have at last set
tied down for a few minutes and l am
taking a chance on finishing this be-
fore they erupt again.
| Some of you fellows who think you
are dreadfully overworked and THAI the
good housewife is loafing on her job
should stay at home few hours ON
Monday morning and watch her as
she goes about her daily tasks to find
out that you are not the only working
member of the life partnership in
which you have embarked, for, believe
home has her hands full if she is true
| helpmeet.
| Now, this a very intimate but trutn-
full story. 1t may not appeal to the
| rich whose establishments are run by
their servants, but I am sure it will
be understood by many women who
have to give their personal attention
| to household affairs. Take the matter
of gathering up the weeks wash, and
| it's no little work. 1t appears that the
washerw omen have a way of calling
for it while the family is at breakfast,
and these be times when one must cater
| to the wishes of the washerladies IL
| they desire to keep them, and SO the
soiled linen has to be hustled up be-
fore the meal grows cold
Then when one has a COW she de-
mands much care, even with milker.
for careful housekeeper watches to
see that she is properly fed, waterod
and mlked. After these have been al
tended to comes the care of the milk
for tidy housewives wish to handl,
lit themselves. There is the straining,
| the bottling, the icing and the churn-
ing. AS I write my wife sits by the
fireside over the churn, and as her
hands move gently up and down I hear
the swish of the milk as it is bein :;
beaten to bring forth its treasure. Oh.
yes, she gave both boys a chance Ia
help, but they soon tired and then she
took up the task and went on with i.
until she had gathered up a bowl OF
golden butter.
She went with it into the Kitchen
where she is pressing it into mould
and as soon it is put in the refrig-
erat tor, she will give out dinner. If l
hang around a little / will see her with
pile of stockings busily darnns,
for two romping boys who play foot
ball and every other kind of rough
and tumble game can come pretty neal
taking up the whole time of any
mother in sewing and mending then
clothes. It's housewifely sight to SEES
any woman as she plies her needle.
1 The housekeeping has begun. The
maid peeps through the door wit
broom in hand with a look which seem:
to say: Dis amt no time a-day 70,
man to be hanging around: why dom
you go on to town where you be.
longs?" and so I am going to hake tht
hint, for up to this point I have rattle
enjoyed watching the homely tasks il
the home. but ! am not going to pre-
tend that anyone can get any joy ou
ing.
But hear the scornful woman ash
why it was l sat quietly writing Will
/ left the churning to my wife. II
make answer whether it satisfies o
not l hate the COW and her products
I do not eat milk or butter and to m