COUNTY REPORTS. 343 



It unto Me." Now woman's sympathy reaches out to all suflFering humanity, and 

 there are many forms of organized action for the betterment of society, and all these 

 associations call for her support and active co-operation, and her heart is in full 

 accord. Duty seems to call for her aid in many directions. Is there danger that 

 those of her own household have less tender thought and care ? Her sympathy is 

 so drawn out to the poverty and suffering of the great mass of humanity— will 

 she have less of loving sympathy for little trials aud grievances of her own children, or 

 will she still realize that her own children call first for her cheerful word of approval 

 and home demands the best she can give ? The woman of today cannot be ex- 

 pected to do as her grandmother did. There are other possibilities for her. She 

 has duties that lie beyond the home, as well as in it. She must not neglect the 

 practical, every -day duties of home ; she must so systemize her work that she shall 

 find time to help lift the burdens of suffering humanity, and thus fulfill the law of 

 Christ. 



" One has no voice in the selection of one's parent," and, if, as has often been 

 said, " what one is. depends chiefly on one's parents," what a responsibility rests 

 not only upon the mother, but the father as well, that the environments be such as 

 shall develop the most symmetrical character. * 



We would give our children true freedom. What is true freedom ? Lincoln 

 eaid, '* every man has tbe right to be equal to every other man if he can." But 

 the victory in the race of life is to the strong. We must do our best that our 

 children are well nourished, well housed, well clothed, well educated, every faculty 

 trained and obedient;to the will ; then they can expect, in whatever occupation they 

 choose, some reasonable degree of success. 



How essential that the mother be well informed, that she be fitted to guide 

 those committed to her care in the crucial period of youth. Let the mother seek, 

 companionship with the best of books, seek to inform herself on all matters per- 

 taining to the health and well-being of her household. The home mother must 

 wage a continual warfare against dirt, with intelligent foresight, that all filth and 

 everything that will pollute the atmosphere or become breeders of deadly diseases 

 be disposed of in such a manner, that instead of being a curse, they become a 

 blessing by being transformed into elements of nutrition and beauty. It is the 

 home mother's place to know how to keep the sanitary condition of the home most 

 perfect, that typhoid, diphtheria and diseases of like nature invade not the home. 



We sweep clean and dust our rooms, and see that the sweet, pure air comes 

 into our sleeping-apartments, and yet, if dirt and garbage are left to decay at our 

 back door, and no adequate drainage is provided, we leave unguarded the most 

 important part for the protection of our household. 



She should see that the water supply is pure, or at least if she cannot remedy 

 these evils that exist about her, she can keep the subject before the householder, 

 and be sure he has intelligent information about the sanitary improvement needed. 

 For surely the mother is to blame if, when she sees the " ambushed foe lurk- 

 ing at the door of her home, she warns not the better-half to aim and prepare for 

 the defense of his household treasures." 



Let every woman study to make the expenditures come within the income ; 

 let her aim to teach habits of frugality to the household ; let no material good 

 thing be wasted; let the labor be systematized, for waste is waste, whether time 

 or money. Thus more time is gained for recreations, and for the development of 

 our faculties. It is one of the requirements of ethics that we develop ourselves, 

 and thus help the rest of humanity ; truly the expenditure of time and money for 

 this purpose is justifiable. 



