But imagine if you can all the discussions, the visits to and fro, the consultations without end to which these fluctuations led. In mercy I have not recounted them—but they took place.
Lula did her own washing, rolled on the floor every morning, practised calisthenics. Wonderful to relate, she began to lose flesh steadily; her skin wrinkled and her color faded. She became alarmed and consulted the doctor who failed to find anything wrong. Now Lula is desperately trying to lay on flesh while Nan is just as determinedly reducing.
“I never realized before,” said Lewellyn, “what an awful thing it must be to be a woman.”
“It is indeed piteous,” said Sam. “The poor things have to wear skirts; they are not allowed to put their feet on the table or spit tobacco juice on the stove. But then they are freely allowed to do the washing and such light work as taking care of ten or twelve children.”
“You must remember the disabilities she suffers,” said Fred. “She is not allowed to go to war, nor is she expected to haul out manure in the hot weather. When the time comes for putting in wheat I know of nothing more enjoyable than hauling out manure and spreading it on the field. The smell is appetizing, and like most perfume, it clings. The flies are active and make the horses playful. I seldom enjoy life so much as then; and it worries me that the dear ladies are not privileged to participate.”
“Sam is right,” said Anita, “The women are privileged to bring up the children. They bear the brunt of their childish impatience, recklessness and disobedience. They stay up with them nights when they are sick and they are expected to be patient and long suffering with husbands and children when they can scarcely drag one foot after the other. I have known of cases,” she continued, “where the women hauled coal out of the cellars habitually, and cases are known where women plow, haul manure, clean out dirty stables and help in the field. I don’t really think the women need complain that their work is lacking either in quality, quantity or variety.”