42 The Country Mother and the Children 



going to take matters easy. But the delicate cord of 

 life suddenly broke in the case of the wife, and left 

 the young husband as overseer of the farm and 

 home and sole caretaker of three little children. 



How can parents hope to produce a better crop 

 of boys and girls in the farm communities so long 

 as the typical farm wife is crushed into the earth 

 with the over- weight of the burdens placed upon her ? 

 A few minutes' enumeration in this same rural neigh- 

 borhood brought out the startling fact that in fully 

 half of the homes a scene similar to the one just 

 described had been enacted during the last score of 

 years. That is to say, during the twenty years, fully 

 one-half of the farm mothers living in that particular 

 neighborhood had died before their time from one 

 cause or another. In most instances the death 

 occurred during what we usually speak of as the prime 

 years of life, and at a time when the rose bloom should 

 naturally be fresh upon the cheek. Fortunately, this 

 serious condition, still present in some communities, is 

 being gradually improved by the improved methods. 



POOR CONDITIONS OF WOMEN 



The report of the Country Life Commission makes 

 the following suggestions: 



"The relief to farm women must come through a 

 general elevation of country living. The women 

 must have more help. In particular these matters 

 may be mentioned : Development of a cooperative 



