RURAL AMERICA 



much more attractive if she wear a becoming little one-piece 

 dress and her hair is combed. Then, what an improvement 

 it is if the table is neat and adorned with a small bouquet of 

 flowers ! Let the home be filled with brightness and the 

 husband's mind be got off the sordid, practical things of life. 

 Let him never be met with complaint and a recital of the 

 troubles of the day. Let a husband who is tired and dirty 

 and hot and possibly cross, come in from the field and find a 

 neat and tidy home, presided over by a trim little wife and 

 adorned by children with clean faces and with everything in 

 readiness for a good hot supper served on an attractive table, 

 and one has a candidate for the role of Romeo. Pretty soon 

 that good man sits up and takes notice, and then he begins to 

 be more careful, and finally he wants his cold plunge and 

 some clean clothes before he is willing to sit down at the 

 table. But even though he does continue to neglect his own 

 personal appearance he loves his wife more for trying to 

 please him. 



" If a man is able, he should employ a girl to help with the 

 work, so his wife can have m'ore time for him and the chil- 

 dren. If he is not able, then the wife should not make a 

 drudge of herself for the house, but should let some things 

 go. What if the house is not swept every day? What if 

 there is a trace of dust on the furniture now and then? Above 

 all things, she should keep herself attractive. Then, it is 

 necessary to take a little time to cultivate one's mind, that 

 one may be a real companion to her husband. A wife should 

 study her husband's greatest pleasures and try to enter into 

 them with zest. A man would rather come home and find a 

 smiling, happy wife, with a sparkle in her eye at his return, 

 than to find the home spotless and his wife a bundle of nerves. 



" And this thing of farmers spending evenings lounging 

 around some country store, or playing cards in the back of 

 the barber shop, can be stopped if the wife tries. If the 

 husband says, ' I'm going down town this evening/ the wife 

 might add, ' Well, just a minute and the children and I will 

 go with you.' Or ask him if he wouldn't like to telephone 



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