Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1893 — WOMEN'S WORK. [ARTICLE]

WOMEN'S WORK.

The Clone Relation of Her Household Work to Health. She was a woman of mild and Inoffensive appearance. It did not seem possible that she could hurt a fly. For yeais she and her husband had labored to earn a home. Now it was half paid for. The faithful wife had risen early in the morning to get her “man’s” breakfast; religiously washed, dressed and spanked the children. She had kept the house neat and tidy, and had sat up until late at night to repair many an unfortunate rent, and “piece out” many an unpiecable garment. Her life had seemed a hard, toilsome one, but the hope of a home free from debt spurred her on, At last the blow came! Her lord and master came home and announced that he had joined a strike, and would work no longer for a shop that did not employ “union” labor. Then it was that the little woman arose in her might. “John Henry,” said she, “for seven years I have worked sixteen hours a day for board and lodging, with a new dress once a year. You have worked eight hours a day, and partly paid for our home, and had plenty of cigars and beer. You strike; I strike too. Either you go to work in the morning or I’ll go home to my mother.” John Henry was thunderstruck. A woman strike! Why it’s preposterous! But here was the cold facts; John Henry faced it, succumbed to fate, and went to work. But, suppose my gentle reader, suppose the women were all to strike, what would become of us? We give it up. In order that, like the good Sunday-school books, our story may have a moral, I will say something about “wonfbn’s work and women’s health.” It is a popular saying that a perfectly sound woman is a rarity. So it would seem. But, why is this so? In the first place, women dress unhealthily. They contract the waist too much. A perfectly healthy woman ought to breathe as deeply as a man. Can most women do it? We think not. They rest the weight of the clothes upon the hips; they wear thin shoes with paper soles, and often have cold feet, with a congestion of blood about the trunk. We like to see pretty feet; but we really wonder how many lives pretty feet cost in these United States! What of woman’s household work? In the first place, it is monotonous work. No man would ever endure it. So little change of scene or faces, with day after day the same endless toil, with the same apparently barren results. Most women become invalids, not so much from overwork as from nerve tire. We hear a great deal about the poor workingman nowadays; but who thinks of the workingman’s wife? Then, coo, think of the farmer’s wife, and, above all, of her environment. We once examined a poor woman for lunacy. As we entered the house, and found a miserable rag carpet upon the floor, and upon the dingy walls, besides the usual chromo of some cheerful deathbed scene, we noticed the picture of a cemeetry, with an unhappy individual under a weeping willow, shedding tears over a dismal tombstone. Near this was framed a memorial, in a black border, of some dear departed. A framed marriage certificate made the collection very appropriate and and complete. The woman's solitary diversion was saving pennies and attending the country prayer meeting. We dined with them. Our bill of fare consisted of some tough, stringy, boiled beef, some soggy boiled potatoes, a heavy dark material called bread, and some celluloid pie. With such surroundings—a bad family his-tory-living on innutritious, ill-cook-ed food, could any woman help becoming insane? We think not. How shall we prevent the ill effects of women’s work? 1. By intermittent periods of rest. Every woman should provide herself with a lounge upon which she can throw herself at intervals during the day, and permit no amount of prospective work to interi sere with her daily rest. 2. Women | need exercise. Even , after a hard day’s work, let her take a long walk in the open air. Women need more variety in their work. The introduction of lawn tennis as a populargame will produce a generation of stronger women. For healthy women, horseback riding is unsurpassed as an exercise. Dancing, in moderation, is likewise excellent. Rowing is an admirable stimulant of the circulation, and, strange as it may seem, the homely art of sweeping is not to be despised. When you take a walk, have an object. Take up the long- neglected study of botany, geology or photography. Have some charitable work, and don’t watch your little aches and pains. 3. Dress sensibly. Your husband will agree with me that you never look so sweet and lovable as when you wear your tea-gowns. You don’t need to appear slovenly. The most artistic dress is that which shows the true shape of the human form, without exaggeration or distortion, and is far more healthful.—Health Record.