A Rest Period Needed 45 



tell them a story or two, or to read for further prep- 

 arations of her work with them, then it may be 

 said that her life energies are being conserved in a 

 fairly satisfactory manner. The children will most 

 certainly reap the benefits. But if the close of the 

 ordinary day's work finds the farm mother suffering 

 from physical and nervous exhaustion, cross and 

 impatient with the other members of the family, de- 

 pressed in spirit and gloomy as to the future, these 

 are signs which should give alarm to the head of the 

 household and arouse him to the point of looking 

 into such distressful conditions, and setting them 

 right. 



2. A rest period. How would it do to plan for 

 the mother a daily period of rest and relaxation ? 

 Would not such a program furnish something of a 

 guarantee of length of life in her own case and of 

 peace and contentment in the home, and of improved 

 well-being in respect to the children ? How shall 

 we state this question ? Must the very lives of the 

 rural mother and her children be run through the 

 mill of over-work as a grist for the improvement and 

 up-building of the farm animals and the farm crops ? 

 Or should all of these material things be valued only 

 in proportion as they contribute to the happiness and 

 contentment and the long life of the members of the 

 family ? Too many farmers seem to say, as expressed 

 by their conduct: "I must lift that mortgage this 

 year ! I must market so many bushels of corn and 



