Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-08-31
{By Margaret Wheeler Ross.)

"Not at ALL" promptly answered
Grace. GA woman who has as much to
do as I, and I might add, who fails In 80
many attempts, is perfectly safe from
the wiles of flattery. Indeed, she needs
little from the outside, and good deal
from the home circle properly to en-
courage her. Perhsps," she continued
with a sly wink, "thst is why, In certain
directions, / seem to do well-you know
how Jack and the children, to quote
them, can hand out that jollying DOPE"
"But seriously speaking said Hilda,
"here you are without money enough
for a maid, doing the bulk of the drudg-
cry in your home, and yet you seem to
find spare moment for new book, q
caller or q call; perhaps q party, and
time for even such feminine nonsense as
a bit of fancy work. Come now, give
me your recipe"
"Here 1t is-one magic word; aud 1t
is the secret of the success of every large
business concern, system. Now the
great enterprise confronting each one OF
Us is the successful elimination of the
individual life. 1t matters not where we
are or what we are doing, this victorious
end Is the aim of all. Though some
women have better opportunities, more
money, wider acquaintance, and greater
genius than others, no one can conscien-
tiously say she has less time than her
sister. She may have more demands
upon her share of time, but that should
make her the more thrifty with its
expenditure"
Cor aya.yfbfpr opd
thing on time, would be good running
mate for the old adage, wouldn't itP"
put in Hilds.
eyes, indeed" emphatically answered
Grace, "for that would mean system.
There Is no work so nearly routine, and
therefore, so adaptable to regular divis-
ion and assignment, as is homework.
At the same time there Is no form OF
labor done with so little system. Now
10 my house use the card index, just
as flrst-class business house would do.
/ have list of the days of the week
with regularly assigned employment for
each day for all of rs. Then the days
are subdivided into parts, and special
duties allotted to each subdivision, then
into hours with certain tasks for each
hour. We all work on time, and the
gain is astonishing, and I am sure you
Will admit that We do not seem to be
rushed, nor mechanically stupid in our
living"
ITO the contrary" replied Hilds,
"you seem to have more leisure than
most of rs in the neighborhood, and you
get more done with less hurry and
rush"
"Wsll, you see," went on Grace, ITO
start out on Monday morning with q
well-planned week puts the reins of the
housekeeper's hands. There is no waste
of time In deciding what to do first, and
the result is successful journey to the
Saturday night goal. II the children
thoroughly understand what is expected
of each one Of them in doing their part
and they should have part, there is
no loss of time in wraugling over which
one shall do certain things, and besides,
you can hold them Individually respon-
sible for the thing they fail to do, which
you will admit 10 good discipline, and
helpful in character development"
81 begin to see now how you manage
to get so much help from your children"
put in Hilds.
"Time-tbrift; that's ALL" replied
Grace. "I've seen too many homes
where the rush begins in the morning
when the children are hurried off to
school with hastily prepared and q
half eaten breakfast, and ends with the
drawing of the curtains at bedtime on
q scene Of utter confusion and disorder,
as the weary mother lies down, worn out
in body and mind, . martyr to ausrchism.
II is just such domestic chaos Stevenson
had 10 mind when he said: Into bow
many homes would not the note of the
monastery bell, dividing the day into
manageable portions, bring peace OF
mind and healthy activity of the body!"
Grace paused, as she folded neatly
darued pair of hose.
go on" said Hilda, as her shuttle
few faster and faster, 't1'm terribly in
terested, and 1t is all so businesslike."
"When was BRIDE" resumed Grace,
"some one gave me cook book that had
on the inside cover q dedication some
thing like this: To those plucky house
wives who master their work, instead of
allowing 1t to master them | made up
my mind then to be thrifty with my
time, and to spportion Il systematically,
that might be master, instead of slave
to that grinding tyrant, Drudgery. 1t
took me good many years to work out
my system satisfactorily, just as 1t does
any business concern, and mine would
DOT do for every body, but I am satisfied
that, fundamentally, some form of card
index system could be adopted with
profit In time-saving in every home,
each housewife working out her own
scheme In minor details."
81 agree with you," said Hilda, "you
have certainly put me to thinking along
different lines"
sob! there are so many small ways In
which you can practice time thrift"
resumed Grace. "You can enlarge your
speaking vocabulary by memorizing aud
defining words while you are making
your toilet for the sfternoon-keep q
list pinned on the dresser; and You can
commit quotations and inspiring verses
and hymns while you are making beds
aud dusting and washing dishes-that
sort of homework does not require con-
centration, and 1t keeps one from getting
into careless mental habits, allowing the
mind to be idle, or drift along on the
petty affairs of life."
"You'd be lot happier, too" put In
Hilds, 'you would not be plying your.
self 90 much, 30 You sre apt to do when
ut the same old routine tasks"
Fright You are" replied Grace. "And
another thing, You can keep your needle
work or the darning bag handy 90 you
won't have to waste time while you visit
with your frisnds," laughed Grace.
"I'm going to take my doll rags and
20 home," pouted Hilda.
"Not yet" replied Grace, "for I'm
not through. You can keep, on the
kitchen table, .. magazine Of current
affairs, that you can look into while you
walt for the kettle to boil, and the gems
to brown-or burn" she laughed, land
then you'll know q few things about
which you can talk intelligently to his
Royal Highness &C meal-times, and
thereby retain his respect and admira-
tion-but, let me give you note Of
warning, born of bitter experience, don't
try TO do any Of these mental stunts