Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-11
WHEN ". WE'RE KIDo

When we were kids, you and I and
the rest OF US who are fighting
against the sore and yellow, whom We
were kids things were different
Young folks complain Of the hard
ness Of life nowadays. It's 50 hard
to get along. Expenses are 30 high.
So many things seem to drag at VIII
fred Alsernon's coat tails and Peyrle
Macs skirts to hold them back. Pitt
full. isn't 1t, compared with what We
went thru, we the old folks. when
we were kids.
Take tho house fr instance. What
did mother have to do with? She
never knew an electric light. Not
she. She didn't twist button and
then there was light. Not mother. She
had q kerosene lamp with a No. 2
burner that would look like a light
ming bug compared with the present
flood Of light that turn of the
finger and thumb or punch at a
black button brings her granddaugh-
ter. She had those lamps to wash
and fiji and the chimnsys to polish
day after day. She swept the whole
blamed house with q broom and
never dreamed of q buzxins electric-
driven vacuum cleaner. Not mother.
She did q weeks washing with her
own hands and had 1t on the line
before . o'clock on Mondays There
was a time In our memories when
she didn't even have wringer and
twisted the water out Of . pair Of
dirty overalls with her two hands.
She had q standing duty Of hard la
Dor for every day In the week. She
baked bread on one day and washed
on another and every day had its
stern and labor4ous task: and she
cooked every day. threet big meals.
She had no can opener for there
were no TIN canned ready -made
meals In those aays. The tin can
hadn't bsen invented and beans were
boiled on the kitchen stove ana bak-
ed In the oven In . big pan instead
of being dumped out OF . No. . can
between ll:l5 and II m. A descrip-
ton Of what mothsr used to do while
caring for the last baby and wash
Ing your neck and ears that you
might 20 decently to school and,
mendins fathers things and seeing
that We fed the pigs and gathered
the egss when dad was late home,
and % on and 90 forth would shock
the modern wife and mother into
oonvulsions.
Why trip 10 town was an outing
for the mothers Of those old days. II
sot them out OF the house lons
enough to breathe. There waan's
even > ladies' cid 10 20 to. Parties
and lunchsons were evants 81
months. Folks used 70 % visiting
now and then. perhaps Of . Sunday,
but mother always grabbed an apron
and hslped some whom We went Wis
iting ana the hostess bumped herself
to show us what . guest dinner
ought 70 b.
Lafe u easier now. Folks have
more And don't work % hard u gst
It but seems like they worry moro.
Most Of the worry. however,. isn't
over what they hAvs. but what they'd
lika 10 have Tmes have ohansed.
PsrhApa grandmother would have
changed with the times. too. We mo-
tice that those Of them who ars left
70 bless u drop naturally ana CRATE
fully Into many Of the new ways. II
you don't bslisvs II watch grandma
settle herself into the soft upholstery
Of the new automobile.
Go on Billy AMI get your bath.
The tubs all ready and TIE water
nice and warm. Quit your hcains.
Spose you bad to 90 to tAs wood
shed with q washtub and scour your
self like father used 70 DO. And
father never kicked and FUSED ever
It No. air"