48 The Country Mother and the Children 



life companion be allowed her share of outings. 

 This matter must be just as much on his mind as 

 that of marketing the produce. The usual habit of 

 the farmer's wife is to give up willingly her rights and 

 opportunities of this sort. But she cannot well con- 

 tinue to be spiritually strong and mentally well dis- 

 posed toward the world unless she be permitted to 

 get out among her friends and acquaintances at fre- 

 quent intervals. 



So, arrange carefully a series of outings for the 

 country mother. The beginning of such a program 

 is to provide that there be available for her use and 

 at her command a horse and carriage. This equip- 

 ment need not be of the finest quality, and it may 

 be used for other purposes, but when her needs ap- 

 pear, it should be given up to her purposes. At least 

 one afternoon a week she should go away from the 

 place and be free as much as possible temporarily 

 from the cares of the household while she finds con- 

 genial company among some of the neighboring 

 women, or at the library or elsewhere. 



5. The home help. The unending problem of 

 the home life throughout much of the civilized world 

 is that of obtaining adequate assistance in the per- 

 formance of the household work. Much of the time 

 such assistance from outside sources is practically 

 unavailable. And yet something must be done to 

 meet the situation. If there be young girls growing 

 up in the home, the solution of the problem may, 



