Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-23

she didn't know about that obliteration
of personality that's so desirable when
you're living in some other persons
house.
And yet she was rather nice. don't
! you remember? At least, all you chill
dren liked her-and with good reason.
OF course, she wasn't really attractive.
! from grown-up standpoint. Her
clothes were too plain, and so was the
way she did her hair, and, anyway,
/ the mere fact that she had never sue
ceeded in getting married as your par
ents put it. settled definitely the ques-
ton of her attractiveness. So you chill
dren didn't praise her much. Your at
tachment to her rather cruelty went
| unvoiced.
What Her Job Was
But do your remember what her self
! imposed duties We're? If you do you
! will wonder, with me, that the present
day family can limp and stagger along
without her aid.
All the family mending fell to her.
without any question. Mother signifi-
! cantly introduced her to the mending
! basket on the day she first came to
the house. and the responsibility was
never relinquished. and the contents
weren't all stockings. by any means
/
adult skirts there were sheets and cur
, tains, even rugs and carpets-but we
all know what it means to keep a
lively family we'll sewed up.
| And all this was only for odd
moments. Long weeks were devoted
to the family canning and preserving
Weeks more went to the accomplish
ment of Spring and Fall housecleaning
Then there was always extra garden
ing to be done. And ever so often there
was a family festival to be prepared
for.
Or there was a sick child to be looked
after, and it was such a blessing to
have someone to leave with the children
! not only in the evening, but when
mother and father went away for Il
vacation in the Summer, and you really
! didn't mind being left behind, because
you were so lovingly indulged when
they were gone. They could even leave
the baby behind, If they wanted to, be-
| cause the poor relation had picked up
so much useful nurse-lore and was in,
her humble way sort of specialist in
collie and Group.
Hadn't Nerves or Suitors
With a dependent cousin in the house
one never needed to employ nurse,
you remember, even in cases of serious
illness. Just as we didn't need a seam
stress or nursemaid. And one could
really get on quite well without SER
want. Because the cousin had no days
off" and no free evenings. and no
| beauX, or other personal complications
of her own. You see. you really could
depend on her. She was never i'll, and
she didn't have Mysteries, either, or do
anything to make herself CONSPICUOUS
in the household. All her moods and
! her worries she kept with her belong
| ings in that little room over the kit
chen where she slept.
The poor relation received her board
and lodging free, and many Of the
! family connection gave her their worm
out clothes. And people said she was
fortunate to have such a good home.
Very likely she thought so herself She
wasn't unhappy, l am sure. She didn't
dislike darning, or even scrubbng, and
she often cared a great deal for the
children, in touching, secret sort of
way. I'm not sure she would have ac-
cepted wages. She wouldn't have
thought she had a right to them.
Well, she is vanished. We couldn't
find her now. or persuade her to under
take the drudgery of our households
even If we offered her the wages that
are now considered the equivalent of
such services. She has escaped us for
ever. She is living her own life. She
is busy with some work that she has
chosen, and is getting paid for it, She
has her own home either alone or with
some family companion. Very often she
adopts a child or two.
Personally she isn't recognizable.
You couldn't identify her with the color
less cousin who used to wear such ugly
7 Oh, NlHyI nd xH.lNn halr rn1 fNV.y
in secret such extremely delectable little
! cakes She's twenty years younger
and healthier and happier and prettier
She's never had the indoor habit, be-
cause her generation knows better.
And since she grew up she's never
been dependent because she knows
| how many ways there are for woman
to support herself. The idea of doing
odd jobs in a relatives family. with
complete suppression of her own per-
! sonality. and no wages-would be un-
thinkable. If she feels like 1t, she may
! girlhood But it won't be for economic
even marry, though she is past her
reasons She isn't looking about for
somebody who will give her a home"
She can contrive a home of her own
! without any trouble whatever. If she
! marries IL will be for romance,-for
| romance and friendship and comrade-
| ship.
But how in the world do the mothers
! and fathers and children OF this gen.
Grafton get on without her? Who
makes a family life possible? Who
watches the baby while mother goes
! shopping and helps brother with his
examples" and does emergency laun-
dry-work, and keeps track of the linen,
! and-Oh, WELL you can see why people
say that family life isn't family life
any longer.
There's nobody to keep the machin-
cry oiled. There's nobody to sacrifice
her life in the interest of the family
convenience. 1t does make a difference.
The fireless cooker doesn't replace the
poor relation for a moment, though we
may have hoped it would nor the
bread-making machine, nor any electric
devices that has ever been invented,
or ever will be-
Let's cherish her memory, at all
events. Let's have the gratitude and
the decency to acknowledge what she
did