Year: 1874




thing in and about my house arranged in the
most convenient manner, and Ito enter into de-
tails,) if my milk-room was so situated thatt
would be twice the labor to carry the milk
from barrel placed outside that it would
be to take it directly from the mik-rack, L
would move heaven and earth, If necessary,
to get new one that should be constructed
with special reference to convenience in that
particular.


But if it were my lot to bo the wife Of
poor man, and if by industry and economy
we had saved enough to make partial pay
ment for farm which we hoped by our con-
tinual practice of those same virtues would
some time be cleared Of the mortgage and
become in reality home, should expect
to dispense with many conveniences which
under different circumstances might allow
myself to think of and wish for, until
should come to consider them actual necessi-
ties. l should think it my duty to "get
along" in some way, unless l could see a
prospect Of change which would pay for
itself in actual saving of time.


Or, perhaps man may own farm free
of debt, but the farm is not large, though
his family may be, yet by prudence and
good deal of calculation" the farm may
yield comfortable support, or perhaps
few dollars may be laid aside each year and
sacredly kept for the time when the little
ones whose wants are now so easily supplied
will add more to the yearly expenses. The
bills of dry goods will show startling in-
crease of expenditure from year to year,
and thoughtess indeed must be the parents
who would neglect to make provision also
for the education Of their children, when
they are far enough advanced to leave the
district school and pursue their studies at
some higher institution.


So, in order that the income may not be
entirely expended now, the wife and mother
tolls early and late, and tries in every possi-
| BILE manner to increase the income and lessen
the expenses. If she observes that there
arc days in which the men have little to do
comparatively, let her improve the opportu-
nifty to ask their help in her labors in the
kitchen, and sometime when they are un-
usually busy she may repay by lending
them helping hand at the milking or even
with the rake in the bayfield,. l do not say
this should be a common occurrence, but
when it becomes necessity if she submits
to it gracefully it will not detract from her
dignity.


Perhaps she has learned that the time and
labor in the poultry yard is as proftably
spent as in any other way,-perhaps more
proftably than in any other department Of
farm labor with the same expense, and she
endeavors to have fine flock of turkeys in
good condition for somebody's Thanksgiving
dinner. The turkeys must have their liber-
ty or they will not thrive, but they must be
sheltered during storms, and at night from
the heavy dews, and when the clouds gather,
and the drops begin to fall who shall run for
them? Perhaps the men, ifit is early in the
season when they have nothing to do but drop
the hoe and run, glad to seek shelter for them
selves under the same friendly shed where they
quickly gather the little brood whose safety
is matter of interest to them as we'll as to
the farmers wife.


But perchance the men are in the hay
field where. the fragrant clover is heaped
ready for the cart and it is only the ques-
tion of few moments whether it shall be
safely stored in the barn before the rain
pours from the lowering clouds, or whether
it shall be left to the mercy Of the storm,
and on the morrow be again spread, and
then raked and perhaps got in readiness for
the barn again, though of diminished value,
by the time another shower overtakes it.
If "P. l.. H." has a husband who would
leave his work on such an occasion to run
after turkeys | was about to say she is to
be enviod, but on second thought hesitate,
for he must be very "easy," to say the least.


Aud now a word about the rising daugh-
ters. l have some of them myself,-very
young it is true,-but time quickly passes,
and am looking forward to the time when
they shall relieve me of portion of my la
Dor and also of my cares. Then, without
con6ning them too closely, can recruit my
strength and energy, and at the same time
they will be fitting themselves for the duties
that may eventually be theirs They will then
be prepared for housekeeping as every girl
should be, and if the varied labors of a
farmers wife arc distastefu to them, then
"when farm prospects are held up for
their consideration" let them be "missing."
Such an one would only be hindrance to a
farmer husband, or if she went through the
routine of her daily labors merely from a
sense Of duty, with no love for her occupa-
tion, her life would afford her little pleasure.
She had much better live an "od maid" and
support herself by any honorable employ
ment that is pleasing to her, than to have a
home and husband, if, in accepting them,
she binds herself for life to the performance
of duties which she will always look upon
as upjustly allotted to her.


If the subject is not worn out Tor the
readers) l hope to hear more from those
interested h. Al.


Lincoln, Mag, %.