The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-11-19
Putting Things Off

comes about by leaving things undone
until we want to go somewhere,
when there is mad rush which
could have been avoided if just a
bit of foresight had been used
Heated arguments in the bosom of
the family, late trains, and that half
ready telling that takes the joy out
of life, could all have been avoided.
| When we get home from our sum-
mer vacations we know every weak
spot in our baggage We are familiar
with its poor locks, inefficient straps,
hte multiplicity of useless trays, the
back-breaking weight of suitcases,
cheap, but roomy; of broken trunk
castors, dilapitated hat boxes, and
all the rest of it that spells trouble
| We empty our travelling receptacles
and send them downstairs or upstairs
for the winter, and then forget. In
the spring they are brought back for
packing, and their weaknesses, half
|
does our temper. 1t is almost impos-
sible to get repair man for these
things in hurry, and our old wor
ries begin.
How much better is to have all
the repairs made before storing the
baggage, when all of the deficiencies
are fresh in our minds! Then we
can rest easily and work expeditiously
when next the commodities are
needed.
Keys should all be tagged.
Trunks and bags should be marked,
and list kept of what is stored in
them.
All bathing paraphernalia should be
carefully washed and mended, to be
ready when wanted.
All regular vacation stuff that
changes but little from year to year
should be cared for in the same way,
and anything lacking should be listed
for spring shopping days, instead of
being left until haste and clustering
heat make shopping an awful task.
When mems clothing needs pressing
and repairing, why wait until the last
of the week when everyone is rushed,
and the work likely to be poorly done?
Begin in time.
Fresh collars, cuffs and shields are
needed often in tailoredsuits, so don't
wait until it is time to go out before
replacing them, then madly tear
around and stir up the entire family.
Do it now! Like mistress, like maid!
You cannot quarrel with help who
get into slack ways if you have set
| the eample
One woman never thought about
filling her lamps until it began to
get dark, then she had to get a candle
to see how to do the work Another
woman never mended small tears in
linens until she had a rent worth
WHILE" then she said she felt as if
she had done something"
The old story of not having time
to answer friendly letters is thread
bare. If we counted the time we
waste we could have written reams.
Taxes should be placed on the in
dividual's loss of time, and if they
were high enough to scare us, my
how we would begin economizing that
which we now waste!
1t is astonishing how we all love
to watch others work. A man digging
a hole in the street will have such an
audience in short time that the
police, if not too busy watching, will
have to interfere and move it on.
If we have servants working for us
the temptation is to stop and see how
tehy take hold. There are few of us
women who treat employees as men do
put them to work with definite in
structions, then fire them if they don't
suit. If we did that we should soon
have better and more competent SER
VICE, LOT uOSC Ol IuGIH huOW ouOuSu
to obey directions. When they are
not put on their mettle they lose in
terest on the job.
This same idea works all along the
line of household endeavor and makes
hard work out of misdirected tasks
that should slip by without a ripple.
It would be an eye-opener to many
of us where we go behind the scenes
of one of the monster modern theatre
production during performance,
and see how every one has task for
which he is responsible, and nobody
standing near to watch or prod. Each
employee knows If he doesn't do his
own part on the minute, the whole
structure may fall. Silence, expedi-
ton, patience, efficiency-and all
moves as if on creased wheels.
Our lives should be just so balanced