712 BOARD OF AORICULTURK. 



iudt'i'd tliL- slave? She Is a slave to fashion's folly, a sla\e lu her pride, a 

 shwe to the opinion of the multitude around her, and a. slave to her own 

 Idleness. As idleness is the mother of sin It Is then not alarming that the 

 young business man goes to the farms to seek modesty and chasity In the 

 country maiden. But of the town woman I will say no more. My interest 

 Is with the farmers' wives and daughters, or the woman on the farm. 

 What I have to say is mostly to the farmer's wife or she who expects to 

 become one. Did you ever think what power you hold over your hus- 

 band's financial affairs'? In what ways do you hold this power"/ By 

 economy or the reverse, by industry or the reverse, by the use of common 

 sense or the reverse, and in many, many ways. Just now I think of a 

 certain instructor in one of our State normal'^, a maiden lady. After living 

 several years in spinsterhood she took unto herself a husband. Of course, 

 before this, she had had her own sweet way in everything. In a guying 

 way her friends reminded her that she must not only love but obey, that 

 the husband is the head of the household and family. To this she 

 replied, "Yes, I know, but if man is the head, woman is the neck that 

 makes the head wag" and went on her way rejoicing. So remember 

 though man is the head of the family woman plays no small part in the 

 race of life. In what way can a woman help by economy? In a thousand 

 ways— and more likely you can remember the old saying— "A woman can 

 throw out with a teaspoon as fast as a man can shovel in with a scoop." 

 I believe, in one sense, this is true. If there are potatoes left from one 

 meal, instead of putting them into the refuse make a salad of them for 

 the next meal. Use your bread scraps and crusts in toast or pudding. 

 If the skirt j^ou purchased last fall is beginning to look slightly faded, 

 if the goods will allow, rip the seams, turn the other side out, purchase 

 some suitable trimmings and by so doing wear a fresh, clean skirt. 



How can. a woman help her husband or father by industry? On the 

 farm the woman has an excellent chance to help in the financial affairs of 

 the home. Says one — "I don't believe in women working out, I have 

 enough to do in the house." I don't mean, my good woman, that it is 

 uec(\ssary for you to work out, to drive the team and swing the scythe in 

 order that you help make the living. But I do say it would be better for 

 you to do that than some things that are done. Ihis same woman who 

 complains that she has enough to do in the house will spend an afternoon 

 with the neighbor Jones's wife finding out how Mrs. Brown got the money 

 to pay for that beautiful hat she wore last Sunday. Then before the week 

 is out she will go to Mrs. Brown's to learn Avhere neighbor Jones's oldest 

 daughter purchased her wedding dress, where her husband intends to 

 settle, what he does for a living, whether he has any bad habits, in fact 

 anything and everything she can find out. Yet, she has enough to do in the 

 house. She had far better be at home at such times stowing the pump- 

 kins away in the cellar, making the kraut for winter use, husking corn for 

 the hogs, doing anything she could to help along. I was walking irj the 



