Chats with our Girls who expect to be Housekeepers.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1973, 28 February 1885, Page 6 (Supplement)

Chats with our Girls who expect to be Housekeepers.

To r.T. able to keep one's own wardrobe in proper order, is taking a long step towards cultivating the ability to k^ep the family clothing in good ropair. Not Jong s>nce I chanced to visit with an apparently fashionably dressed lady. She was a fine-looking specimen of womanhood, a good conversationalist, exceedingly intellig°nt and ■well-read, and I enjoyed hor Bociety. During the afternoon there was a storm, and when the lady left the house she raised her dre3S skirt to keep it from getting wet at the bottom, and thereby exposed her balmoral, so ragged, that it would have disgraced the veriest beggar woman that walks the streets. I was not only surprised but shocked at such an exhibition of shabbinesi. Does any one suppose she was a good housekeeper ? I very aoon learned that her work was never properly done. If by chance UiFre was one room in the house swept and garnished, the reat were sure to be in confusion. Wearing apparel *nd bedding were j bundled together, often soiled and more or less tattered. Want of good management was seen on every hand. She often made bitter complaints becauso she had bo few conveniences with which to do her work. In fact, ehe used a plate and iron spoon, instead of a bowl and ladle, to work up her butter, and if the plate wasnothandy she put the butter on the kitchen table to manipulate. The rent of her work was after the same style. Of course, she was a poor man's wife, for if her husband had been worth thousands of dollars when she married him, it would not have taken long for all his money to have vanished with her management. Such leaks would sink a ship. And yet she considered herself quite capable, when shfl married, of making a paradise of their pretty cottage. But in her girlhood she bad disdained to listen to the suggestions of her superiors, and only performed such duties as necessity compelled. Girls, do you know of any such mismanagement among your housekeeping acquaintances ? If so, do take warning, and avoid such breakers as personal untidiness and slatternly habits about the house. No matter how devoted John may be as a lover, if, when he is your husband, he finds you have not self-respect enough to keep your own clothes in neat repair and the house in reasonable order, his love for you will ooze out at his finger tips. And do not complain if the man does not supply all the modern conveniences at once, unless he is abundantly able to do so. It certainly is every girl's duty to provide herself with many household utensils before her wedding day. Very much of future suffering and weariness may be saved by using one's very best abilities now, keeping one's eye's open in every direction for the best chances to get vhe means wherewith to supply the future kitchen. Even though one is " out to pertice," one can save a little from the weekly wages, even though she h&ve lean flashy jewellery or something less than silk for a wedding gown. — May Maple, in Rural New Yorker.