their days, and the conduct of the house
devolves upon their employees. The result is rarely satisfactory. It is
essential that the woman who is at the head of any concern, be it a
business, a profession, or a home, should not only thoroughly understand
its every detail, but in order to make it a success she must give it her
personal attention each day for at least a portion of her time.

It is a popular impression that the knowledge of good housekeeping,
and of the proper care of children, comes naturally to a woman, who,
though she had no previous training or preparation for these duties,
suddenly finds them thrust upon her. But how many women can really look
back with joy to the first years of their housekeeping? Do they not
remember them more with a feeling of dismay than pleasure? How many
foolish mistakes occurred entailing repentance and discomfort! And how
many heart-burnings were caused, and even tears shed, because in spite
of the best intentions, everything seemed to go wrong? And why? Simply
because of ignorance and inefficiency in the home, not only of the
employee, but of the employer also.

That an employee is ignorant and unskilled in her work is often
excusable, but there is absolutely no excuse for a woman who has time
and money at her command, to be ignorant of domestic science, when of
her own free will she undertakes the responsibilities of housekeeping.

Nearly all women take interest in the furnishing of their homes, and
give their personal attention to it with the result that as a rule they
excel in household decoration, and often produce marvels of beauty and
taste with the expenditure of relatively small amounts of money.

Marketing is also very generally attended to in person by the housewife,
but she is using the telephone more and more frequently as a substitute
for a personal visit to butcher and grocer, and this is greatly to her
disadvantage. The telephone is a very convenient instrument, especially
in emergency, or for ordering things that do not vary in price. But when
prices depend upon the fluctuations of the market, or when the articles
to be purchased are of a perishable nature, it must be remembered that
the telephone is also a very convenient instrument for the merchant who
is anxious to get rid of his bad stock.

The remaining branches of housekeeping apparently do not interest
the modern housewife. She entrusts them very generally to her employees,
upon whose skill and knowl