Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-12

Pages and pages. columns and COL
umns are written about the farmer. but
what, oh what, OF the farmers wife?
Entirely too little Is known generally
about her. Claiming no profession. de-
string no fame, she nevertheless leads as
busy and as useful life as her most
active urban sisters. 1t was not until |
lived for several years on miniature
farm near Washington that / learned
something of her problems. feel sure
that thousands of women, ignorant OF
her manner Of living, would behave as a
! friend of mine did one afternoon in
March. We had driven 10 a neighbor-
ing farm to buy some eggs for "sct-
ting" and she had listened attcntivcly
to the conversation between Mrs Miller
and myself Returning home she asked
me, What did Mrs. Miller mean about
putting the newly hatched chickens In
q box by the kitchen range and wrap
| ping them up in towels or something
for the first "a hours? 1t sounded
strange and mysterious TO me-"
yes. undoubtedly it did," I replied
"You probably think that baby chickens
require no care, that hens lay every day
| in the year, that cows automatically
| give milk morning and evening, un-
ceasing; that pigs" Here paused
and asked, sarcastically, Have you ever
been in a farmhouse kitchen at hog
killing time? No. you have not Then
| you have never seen woman surround
| ed by pounds Of meat, dripping blood
making her buildings. and lard and
sausage, etc. And at wheat-threJhing
time, think Of the work 1t means for
her She must cook dinner for num-
| and right at the season when she Is
busiest with her canning, picking and
preserving"
At this point my friend held up her
! hands and cried. mo, I have never
thought of any Of this. Hush, hush. or
| / shall worship her. Good gracious. we
city jewellers are but parasites to her.
| What is a knowledge Of books. Of art,
/ of music, Of the drama compared to
hers?"
Though was speaking dramatically,
half in fun. of course, she realized that
what / said was true and. her interest
aroused, she has remained from that
day appreciative of and full Of admira-
ton for the farmers wife--that simple
type of woman who would be surprised
| IL she heard herself described as ener-
getic and courageous.
Up to the last decade In this section
Of the country her life was as pictured
1t, day after day of unceasing toll over
her housework, her children, her poul-
try, cooking, cleaning, sewing, raising
chickens. turkeys, ducks; her horizon
bounded by the garden fences. Ma
terially, the reward of her efforts was
the value in trade of her butter and
eggs at the nearest country store.
I use the past tense, but there are
still many families today who have not
progressed beyond this mode of buying.
As an example last Summer when mo-
toring through Virginia. we invited two
little girls who were walking on the
road to ride to their destination with US.
They each held two eggs In their hands
and one had also small Oil can. Their
mission was journey to the store TO
get four eggs worth Of kerosene oil.
/ However. conditions have changed
and are changing every year for the
farmers wife Ten years ago hard
surfaced roads began to be built
through the countryside, passing right
by or very close TO the farmhouses
and stretching on to the city. The
| farmer bought an automobile and
when he went to the city on business Of
his own he took the butter and eggs
his wife had to sell and disposed of
them In ready market that paid in
cash. Then the good roads began to
bring customers to her own gate. FL
nally. with money In her purse. she de-
cided to go to town with her husband
when he went. for. though there were
still the chores. the steady round Of
tasks to be done. there was time for
the trips now and much to be gained