56 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



smoothly, pleasantly and easily. Here arises 

 the great difficulty ; no sooner are means de- 

 veloped lor relieving the necessities or promot- 

 ing the comfort of man, than new wants and 

 demands are created. To illustrate : it might 

 seem a natural supposition that the introduc- 

 tion of the cook-stove would have materially 

 lessened the labor of coolcing. Is this the fact ? 

 Are not more hours spent now in preparing 

 food than in the days of the brick oven and 

 fire-place ? In those times baking day was a 

 reality ; it meant, in cool weather, at least a 

 week's supply. When the huge pot was hung 

 for a boiled dish, the good house-keeper had 

 the satisfaction of knowing she was not obliged 

 to repeat the operation the next day. With 

 the stove has come a multiplicity of dishes ; a 

 desire for a great variety at every meal, and 

 the habit of serving everything freshly cooked 

 and smoking hot. Hence the work of cooking 

 is constantly on hand, and the kitchen fires sel- 

 dom go out, even in hot weather. The care, 

 vexation and time spent in this perpetual prep- 

 aration of little messes, none can tell who have 

 not been fully engaged in it. Three times a 

 day must mother or daughter bow down before 

 that ruthless tyrant of a cook-stove, to do the 

 hardest and most unhealthy part of house-keep- 

 ing, because custom has dictated that every 

 meal must be freshly cooked. No matter how 

 warm and bright the weather, how inviting the 

 fields or garden, how urgent may be other du- 

 ties, how great the longing for the recreations 

 and pleasures of society, of reading or study, 

 cooking must be first, and receive the woman's 

 best energies. 



Again, when the sewing machine was invent- 

 ed, it was thought the sewing of a family would 

 be a pastime, and needle women began to fear 

 their occupation was gone. But no sooner was 

 it brought into general use, than fashion or fol- 

 ly dictated there shall be more work put into 

 every garment. There must be quilting, trim- 

 ming and embroidery, so that as much time as 



ever is required to supply a lady's wardrobe. 



Again, when our good wives and daughters 

 have toiled faithfully six days in the week, 

 ought not the seventh to be to them a day of 

 rest as well as to man ? But in how many fam- 

 ilies is there a wide departure from the Jewish 

 strictness of observing the Sabbath. The grow- 

 ing custom of making the dinner of that day 

 the best ot the week, well nigh deprives woman 

 of this brief respite from cooking. Add to this 

 exti-a work in the kitchen, the time and atten- 

 tion bestowed upon the elaborate toilet, now 

 considered necessary to appear respectable at 

 church, and the entertaining of callers and vis- 

 itors, which are expected in many famihes, and 

 the day brings only excitement and fatigue, 

 leaving the house-keeper to rise Monday morn- 

 ing, refreshed neither in body nor spirit. Will 

 greater household facilities bring relief here ? 



From these and similar illustrations which 

 might be given, it is apparent that inventive 

 genius cannot furnish the relief which women 

 need. House-keeiDlng is pretty much what we 

 make it, and for its easy and successful accom- 

 plishment, more depends upon the controlling 

 mind, than the material agencies at command. 

 These latter are highly useful in their place, 

 but are only helps or secondary means. Here, 

 as in every department of labor, knowledge is 

 all powerlul ; the knowledge and ability to per- 

 form the varied work of the house quietly and 

 expeditiously, and she who aspires to be at its 

 head has not half learned her task unless she 

 has thoroughly studied and can practice strict 

 economy of time and strength. 



It is equally plain that woman's labors in- 

 crease or diminish with the slightest variation 

 in the style of living ; and that wherever both 

 heads of the family aim at simplicity of life, en- 

 deavor to adopt ideas and habits that accord 

 with their circumstances, and are becoming en- 

 lightened men and women, our mothers and 

 wives need not be overburdened with the legit- 

 imate duties of the household. n. s. t. 



