The Washington times., 1936-06-10
NOW
WOman's Place
Is in the Home
SOMETIMES
BY HELEN ESSARY

Ndys
Today I think this woman's
place is in a quiet nook behind
that high red brick wall in Ana
costa.
AS I dream of that protected re-
treat, so remote from life and
house painting and paper hang
ing and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS day,
am CONCEALED with envy.
Either a spot behind the high
brick walls or Tahiti, with SKlrI
of grass and home on the SAND
for me-from now on!
Before Henry, the house worker,
came into my domestic life, I'd
been feeling twisted up in knot
"a normal indication that lie is
too much for the frail frame
but not insane.
I'd been keeping Sweetly serene
while the wall scrapers said thai
ceilings of two first floor sitting
rooms and one third floor bedroom
were crumbling and would have to
come down.
When the paper hangers came
three days later than they'd prom
tsed, and the furniture had been
reposing in the hall meanwhile
and announced that they the
paperhangers) would come back
when the plaster got dry, l Salo
with heroic restraint, very good.
Those gray smudges that the
furniture cleaning man left on
the upholstery of the inherited
sofa and the only comfortable
chairs did not outwardly trouble
my beautiful department.
The furniture cleaning m a n
said he would do the upholstery
again. The soap and water would
dry off in a couple OF Gays
maybe. This did not disturb
me.
The regrets of the painters at
their delay-they didn't finish
up at that other place as soon
as they'd expected-left me COM
posed. ,s
Nor did I complain out loud
when I discovered that the neat
but eccentric Head of the Family
had moved the chairs-to be re-
painted-to a crypt above tne
attic ceiling.
However, when I found out
that the ladder which reached
the trap door to the attic CRYPT
on occasions, had been loaned TO
the next-door neighbor, I notlceo
that my fingers were beginning
to witch. Also my best Soutnern
voice was developing a bark.
T. was lust at this time that
Henry came. Henry said he Woulo
like a little work to do. Any KIND
of work. He sure did need a Joo'
Wasn't there any little odd Joo
I could give him?
I sent him next door to get the
borrowed step ladder. Alice Wash
ington, who supports the family IN
domestic crises, showed him the
attic trap door. Gave him a flash
light. Told him to be careful when
he stepped across the beams.
I also told him to be careful.
And innocently came down stairs.
At the end of an arduous tele.
phone conversation, I discovered
Henry leaning dejectedly against
the baniSter in the hall.
81 was jest gettin' ready to
say" he said plaintively, "that
I certainly am sorry 1 put my
foot through your ceilin' where
that new plaster and that new
paint isl mean was"
"Put your foot through the
CeiIing!"
eyes, ma am, 1 certainly am
sorry. You see, the lathS broke
loose"
AS I rushed up the third story
steps, Henry followed at my heels,
trying to explain the disaster:
"My foot must of slipped"
I'm not strong enough yet to tell
In detail how the bedroom looked.
Besides, I've no words to describe
my despair. Even Emily Post
wouldn't know remarks adequate
to such a casualty.
About Is square feet of plaster
(new yesterday was lying in
hunks and bits on the floor. ShredS
of paper new yesterday and
pieces of broken laths were waving
from a jagged ceiling.
"YOu see how it was" said
Henry. II must of missed step
when was reachin' around up
there. / sure did mess up things,
didn't 1? And the paper hangers
Jest gone, too. Maybe you can
get him back. Looks to me like
falIin' runs in my family today.
I told you about our baby,
didn't II"
Behind the absurdity of the
maddening experience with the
day worker there is the tragedy of
the inefficient unemployed.
Now that machines are replac-
ing men, what is to happen to
the workman who is anxious to
please but stupid? Each spring
and fall at housekeeping times,
and often in between, I've tried
to find tasks for the men who
come to the back door asking for
any kind of job.
Without exception such poor
creatures have worked badly.
They have made confusion. They
have been destructive and always
pathetic. What will Government