The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-05-09

hundrum hours of everyday living.
They make no effort to be helpful
or cheerful in mood. They will
spend mournful hours over the con-
struction Of an ice-box cake or the
knitting Of baby blanket, and then
produce these things with a subdued
gloom that robs them Of all charm.
Any woman with a home, a good
husband, three fine children, an in
come that would be wealth in nine
tenths Of the countries of the globe,
who talks of her family as poor
people," and envies other women
their fur coats, is, to begin with, a
stupid woman. She lives in a mar
row, anxious uncomfortable groove.
She has built jail for her soul,
and only she can unlock it and let
the soul fly free.
There may be a physical base for
this unnecessary guinness, but very
likely there isn't. It is really a bad
habit, a custom into which some
women fall, of signing and mourn
ing, growing fearful over their own
depressed thoughts, sinking into
long silences, making no effort to
contribute their share to the fam
1y's happiness. They viii make
beds, even hang fresh curtains and
put flowers about, but they do it
all with a smouldering sense Of re-
sentiment and WEAKNESS, never
thinking that the old words are as
true now as when they were writ
ten: ''The letter killeth, but in the
spirit there is life"
He Likes Good News.
Even when he knows It isn't true,
even when he knows it is a fight
of imagination and optimism, man
loves to hear good news when he
gets home at night. No matter
what the events of the day have sig
nifed, he is comforted, is given
fresh confidence, when his wife
laughs at worries, reminds him of
other evil promises that never came
to anything, and assures him that
as long as he and she are well, and
the children well, nothing can come
along that they can't face and con-
quer. They'll get along somehow;
they can rent this house and move
to smaller quarters, and it will all
be fun!
Some years ago young husband
and wife Of my acquaintance were
in desperate fear for the life of
tiny baby. The baby had been
rushed to a hospital; the mother,
still weak from her confinement two
weeks earlier, was with her mother.
When the husband went to the
hospital for a conference of physi-
clans he was told to see that his
wife got what rest she might in
the night.
For we viii have sad news for
her in the morning." the head doc
tor said.
The young man carried this mes
sage home, delivering it in due time,
but emitting the word sad"
''News?" asked the women Of the
household. He means good newsi"
The wife slept deep and restfuily;
everyone slept-except the father.
He sat near telephone all night.
And In the morning good news
came; little Mark had weathered
the night; he is now splendid boy
of three. And the family, forgetting
the terrible scare, never viii forget
the generosity and courage and faith
of the man who carried them
through it.
Far more important than any
physical duty In her home, any
sweeping or cooking or busting, is
the obligation upon the woman of
the house to keep the temper of
every member Of the group keyed
to courage, friendliness, hope. The
others, husband, children. old IA
Their or mother. bring their troubles
home, bring home their WEAKNESS
and encouragement, for rest and
reinsurance and refreshment. II
she doesn't supply these, no matter
what her own personal anxieties OF
doubts, she might just as wen tail
IN everything else as well.