APPRECIATES THE HOME DEPARTMENT.
By Aunt Rose
I WOULD be more than pleased to see our Home department again filled with good things; for I think our REVIEW one of the best papers in the world. There was always much valuable information to be found in the Home page. It always seemed to me like a large harmonious family talking together. I notice that many of our writers are wives and mothers. I, too, have three girls, and I like to hear from older and more experienced mothers. I often think, dear home-keepers, that we should not allow ourselves to become discouraged about our work. It takes much patience and perseverance to learn, after maturity, what should have been learned in childhood. Some of us, unfortunately, are slow; but my advice is, Do not go at your work as hard as you can—slopping, slashing, and overturning things generally. I have seen housekeepers do this when in a hurry, but they never get ahead any faster for it. Just take things easily and steadily, as they come, without flying from one thing to another. Be careful about the extra steps. Keep your mind on the task in hand, and look for the short cuts. There are many such that give as good satisfaction as the longer, harder ways. It will take practice and self-control to do this, but no effort in this direction is wasted. We are beset, with trials and temptations here on earth; for there is no sweet without the bitter, no rose without its thorn. Therefore, let us pray for strength to bear our burdens, to make home pleasant, to make at least one soul happy, and at all times do our duty. I wonder if any of our sisters have tried a few drops of ammonia in a quart of water for their house plants. The plants will bloom profusely, and the leaves will be darker under this treatment. I am a farmer’s wife, and dearly love to work among my flowers.