Women Make the 
woman And The 
B EGINNING with the present issue, and continuing 
for several weeks, we are planning to publish in a 
special economy column, ideas selected from the competi¬ 
tive articles not yet used. A few articles will be given al¬ 
most entire; but most of them as published will contain 
such matter only as has not appeared in any other article. 
If your article, therefore, appear without beginning or 
ending, or if it seems “ scrappy,” remember that it is for 
the above reason. Doubtless some of the ideas will not be 
new, especially to older housekeepers ; but all will gain 
help from some of them, we are sure. 
As an instance of the difficulty of distinguishing between 
the new and the well-known, we may say that one con¬ 
testant who sent 13 good items, stated that they were all 
original with her. No doubt she had worked them all out 
for herself; yet of the 13, all but three were either well- 
known to experienced housewives, or else had appeared in 
our columns during the past year. This is a good argu¬ 
ment for the usefulness of a well-studied women’s depart¬ 
ment. 
A mere recital of old ideas often brings them freshly to 
our minds in a helpful way. In the few cases where there 
may be repetition, it is because of the importance of the 
matter in question, or for the sake of some pungent com¬ 
ment which accompanies it. 
YOUR DAUGHTER'S RESOURCES : WHAT ARE 
THEY ? 
O NE whose pen has often done good work in the effort 
to help the housewives of The R. N.-Y. family has 
of late been ill-treated by circumstances, and finds her¬ 
self suddenly thrown on her own resources, only to find 
them utterly lacking; she has no resources. 
* * * 
A farmer’s daughter, no doubt she could not see, here¬ 
tofore, that it was necessary for her to have a means of 
self-support, as it would be for a mechanic’s daughter. 
The best that well-meaning acquaintances have to comfort 
her with, is “ you had ought to got married,” and she finds 
her position so hopeless and so bitter that she writes to us 
out of the fullness of her heart, begging that we lay the 
need of mastering some business or trade upon which to 
depend for self-support in a possible time of want, yet once 
again before the girls and their parents. 
* * * 
To be a district school teacher is the one great hope of 
the farmer’s daughter who has a prospect of being obliged 
to earn her own living, and indeed of many who like to 
have a little more money for dress than can be squeezed 
from father’s often lean purse. No matter whether she 
have special fitness for the work or not, if she have suffic¬ 
ient education to pass the necessary examinations, she be¬ 
comes a teacher. These young teachers are so plenty that 
it is necessary to be up and stirring nowadays in order to 
get a school, and the payment for the work is never large. 
But it is a rather genteel method of being well-clothed until 
one’s marriage, by working five days in the week, six 
hours a day. * * * 
The few who cannot get certificates, yet who must work, 
take up dressmaking, often with no knowledge except that 
of running the sewing machine, and no experience but that 
gained by making a few dresses for mother and sisters at 
home. The hours are long, the work quite sure to affect 
the health disastrously in time; yet the majority of farm¬ 
ers’ girls see no other way for themselves to make a living, 
aside from this, or teaching. 
* * * 
The great difficulty to be met lies in the fact that no 
persuasion Is sufficient to induce girls to prepare for self- 
support unless there is apparent need for it. Most of them, 
no doubt, hope to marry, and thus provide for their sup¬ 
port, if no other way offers itself. Only a few days ago, 
the mother of an unusually bright, intelligent girl now 
nearing her twenty-fifth birthday was talking to us about 
her daughter’s future. In the course of the conversation 
we urged: “ Can not you even yet give A. sometaing to 
do? The great danger for her is that she will marry some 
one for whom she does not care, merely to relieve your 
crowded home, and to have an assured place of her o vn.” 
The mother replied: “That danger confronts her now, and 
I am j ast beginning to realize that I have left her virtually 
without choice. It is a terrible mistake for a mother to 
makel ” This girl, who was not at all sure that she wanted 
to marry now, wears an engagement ring, and she is but a 
type of thousands. * # * 
The Youth’s Companion has lately published a series of 
articles upon this topic, having it handled by several well- 
known women, among them Amelia E. Barr and Mary A. 
Livermore. From both of these we quote freely. 
* * * 
The former says : “ The 19fch century has indeed been a 
stern mother to women, but it has also been a kindly and 
honest one. It has taught them to be ashamed neither of 
being poor, nor of being compelled to work. But if a 
woman’s education has been so good that it is good-for- 
nothing, if she can only ‘ play pieces ’ and ‘ make pictures’ 
if she does not ktiow what she does, then her attainments 
are like the flowers stuck into a child’s garden without 
root. But the field of woman’s work is wide, and its bor¬ 
ders are constantly enlarging; so that a woman thrown 
on her own resources cannot possibly miss employment 
if she estimates her own capacities justly, and honestly 
admits her limitations. The trouble is, few girls, and even 
few women are willing to be so far candid with them¬ 
selves.” * * * 
“ ‘ The tools to those who can handle them 1 ’ This is 
the latest social evangel. In France all vocations are 
open to women ; and experience shows that when men and 
women are left thus free, one-third of the women choose 
men’s work, and one third of the men choose women’s. 
What a woman likes is significant of what she is, and 
of what she can do.” * * * 
“Many turn instinctively to literature. But writing 
does not come by nature. It is an art to be seriously and 
sedulously pursued. That condition of mental excite¬ 
ment called ‘ Inspiration ’ is of small importance as a 
bread-winner; it is the exercise of reason, reflection and 
study that tells. It is the habit of constantly acquiring in¬ 
formation, as just ‘so much stock in trade.’ ” 
* * * 
But there is another reason why literature is not a safe 
reed to lean upon for entire support. It usually requires 
long training before one can be sure of a regular income; 
it is uncertainty Itself to all but those on the topmost 
rounds. A rising young writer said not long ago : “ I have 
sent out 34 manuscripts since the beginning of the year, 
three-fourths of which have been accepted, and will be paid 
for, but the returns from them thus far have been just 
$2 50.” To live for six months on $2 50 would be more 
than even the wit of a woman could compass. Of course, 
she had received returns from other work previously sent 
out, but the remark is quoted to show the patience needed 
in this branch of work, and the difficulty of depending on 
it for one’s daily bread. 
* * * 
Mrs. Livermore gives instances showing what girls 
have done, and says forcibly: “ Let me assert my life¬ 
long conviction that every girl, rich or poor, should be 
trained to self-support. No matter what a girl’s accom¬ 
plishments may be, she is not thoroughly educated unless 
she is taught some profession, trade, business, or remuner¬ 
ative industry, by which she may earn her living if it be 
necessary.” 
* * * 
“ A young girl of my acquaintance in a suburban town 
was orphaned some three years ago. Only 16 years old, 
penniless, without relatives who could aid her, and un¬ 
trained in any remunerative industry, her outlook was 
dreary. But she had good health, a good grammar school 
education, energy and courage. The sale of household 
goods and of a few valuables belonging to her father 
which she could not afford to keep, brought her a little 
money. She obtained a temporary home with the Young 
Women’s Christian Association, in Boston, where, at mod¬ 
erate cost, she was furnished most excellent accomodations. 
S he entered a business school to learn type-writing; then she 
made the discovery that she would be eligible to a better 
position if she united stenography with type writing. Un¬ 
hesitatingly she bent all her energies to the acquisition of 
this art. Now for nearly a year she has been entrusted 
with almost the entire correspondence of a business house. 
Her bargain was for $12 a week the first year, but her sal¬ 
ary is to be increased, for her painstaking experience has 
greatly enhanced her value to the establishment.” 
* * * 
“A young girl in Vermont, into whose care was given a 
blind mother and a paralytic father, needed most urgently 
an addition to the family income. In the little village 
where she lived it was impossible to procure it. In despair, 
and with profuse and unneedei apologies, she sent me sev¬ 
eral pots of fruit jellies, jams and marmalades, which she 
wished me to examine, and tell her how she could convert 
them into money. I found customers who immediately 
bought all her domestic wares, they were so excellent; 
and as her manufactures increased, they found additional 
purchasers for her dainties, who paid for them the price 
she asked.” * * * 
“Another girl, similarly anchored to her home by heavy 
cares, was in desperate need of money, and yet lacking in 
gifts by which it is acquired. She applied to several fam¬ 
ilies in the town who were in good circumstances, to be 
engaged to rep air weekly the family wardrobe and the table 
and bed linen. To test her ability, she was at first em¬ 
ployed in mending stockings, and carried home with her 
on the first application 41 pairs of hose, all needing repair, 
gathered from eight households. She executed this unin¬ 
teresting work so well that she was trusted still further. 
She has pursued this occupation for at least a dozen years. 
The repairing of elegant dresses, the re-bosoming and re¬ 
cuffing of fine shirts, the mending of lace curtains, with 
other like work, requiring care and patience, all find their 
way to her hands, as well as the coarser work of repairing 
the family wardrobe. She has elevated her nondescript 
employment into a business, devotes her whole time to it, 
and has succeeded so well that she now has in a savings 
bank, laid by for 1 a rainy day,’ a small amount which is 
constantly increasing.” 
* * * 
The one thing to be noticed in all these instances is that 
the work entered into was either some simple thing to 
which the worker’s previous life had trained her, uncon¬ 
scious of the future need, or else she was obliged by pains¬ 
taking and self-denial, to train herself for the work 
which she was to do. Nowhere does the world want un¬ 
skilled labor ; the training is the one thing to be insisted 
on, and when the need comes of some stay, it is usually 
urgent, and cannot wait for the training to be secured. 
Homes Make the 
Home. 
IN DEFENSE OF PUSSY. 
AVING read the denunciation of cats in The R. 
N.-Y. of June 20, I would like to say a word in 
their behalf. To be sure, I have but little more than half 
of 50 years’ experience with them, but the result is totally 
different from that given in the above mentioned article. 
A cat’s character depends much on the treatment it re¬ 
ceives from kittenhood. I firmly believe cats will not steal 
if they are well and regularly fed. We, at least, never 
have thieving cats. As to a warm place by the stove, who 
would begrudge it to them when they are often tired out 
with hunting all night while we sleep ? 
Our dear old Rover is the pet of the household. He is 
white with Maltese spots, and weighs at least 10 pounds. 
He is over four years old, and has never once intentionally 
scratched us. Far from being destitute of affection, he is 
the very embodiment of it. He comes in every morning 
with a greeting for every one, and often seems almost 
overjoyed to see us once more, making all sorts of demon¬ 
strations, such as rolling over, rubbing against furniture, 
purring, etc., many times not being satisfied until we take 
him in our arms. 
As he lies in our laps, if we take his paws in our hands 
he will often curl his toes around our fingers, giving them 
a friendly squeeze. He minds better than half the 
children, too. He knows as well as we do that it is wicked 
to kill birds ; but it is a great temptation, and occasion¬ 
ally he does get one, but is told that he is naughty is not 
allowed to eat his ill-gotten prize. Sometimes in summer 
when he is having a nap in the rocking chair, he will be 
awakened by the singing of birds and look wistfully 
toward the tree tops; but if I say, “ No, don’t look at the 
birds,” he will close his eyes and go on with his nap. 
Some people say cats love you only when they are hun¬ 
gry ; but it is not so with him, for he gets mo^t of his 
living from game. 
He is not the only obedient, affectionate cat we have ever 
had by any means. We have had many charming ones, 
and I presume many of The R. N.-Y.’s readers could tell 
a similar story. puss cat-mew. 
Massachusetts. 
Our Economy Column. 
W HEN Isaac and I settled on the farm, although it 
was paid for, we knew that only by dint of careful 
economy could we live comfortably and have an “occas¬ 
ional shillin’ for charity and change.” Like all inexpert 
enced housewives, my head was full of gossamer theories 
in regard to domestic life and household economy. Some 
of these fine-spun notions make splendid household stuff ; 
some I have laid away for future use in the shadow land of 
ideal housekeeping. 
Realizing the worth of time, we planned our house to 
save as much of that valuable commodity as possible. It’s 
like an omnibus; there is always “plenty of room,” but 
there is no spare room. As far as possible our living and 
sleeping rooms face the sunshine. Our idea is to save labor 
but not to sacrifice our comfort or happiness. So we cook 
in the kitchen, eat in the dining-room and spend our 
leisure hours and evenings by the ingle side. This requires 
three rooms in constant use, but they are not over-large, 
and as they are finished in hard-wood with oiled floors and 
rugs there is an avoidance of dust, while the pangs of semi¬ 
annual house-cleaning are in a great measure done away 
with. Matting on the chamber floors is inexpensive, and 
at the same time dustless and easily swept. It has a cool 
look for summer, and by the addition of a few rugs is not 
out of place for the winter. Dog skins, tanned with salt 
and alum, make very pretty, inexpensive rugs for farm 
houses. I have one horse skin rug that is by no means a 
thing to banish. 
I try to have a comfortable amount of method about my 
work. I always keep a second gown, my husbind’s second 
best coat and necessary toilet articles in the ressing room, 
and by watching my opportunity there comes a minute to 
tidy up before dinner, while, everything being at hand, my 
husband has time to do likewise, and we both enjoy the 
mid-day meal far better on account of this personal prep¬ 
aration. If my work demands it, I take to my working 
apparel after dinner, but I try to get all of my dirty work 
out of the way before we dine. 
I educate my baby not to cry, by attending to his wants 
just before he reaches the crying point. This saves many a 
half hour, for it takes time to soothe a crying child. I have 
never known a baby to cry from sheer wantonness; but I 
never blame the little things for crying if they do not get 
what they want or need without doing so. 
I save time and material by keeping baby in loose, com¬ 
fortable little slips, 36 inches long, open in front, with a 
long sleeved flannel petticoat and a knit belly-band or shirt. 
This is all the clothing an infant needs i ill it is at least four 
months old. This method of dressing saves time not only 
in washing and ironing but also in dressing and tending 
baby for it may be laid down as a rule that a comfortable 
baby will not cry. 
Friction I believe to be the cause of at least three-fourths 
of the ills we suffer from. Could it be eliminated from our 
lives, I think we would go on living and loving forever. 
My first preventive of it is love; my second is rest. “Good 
heavens 1 ” says the tired woman, “ rest for a farmer’s wife 
with a family and a dairy and a farm hand and the sewing 
and knitting !” Yes, ma’am, there is rest for such women 
this side of the grave. Love and trust your husband, and 
