"You acted sensibly, Mary," said her Aunt, "in refusing to marry Ralph
at the present time, realizing your lack of knowledge of housework and
inability to manage a home. Neither would you know how to spend the
money provided by him economically and wisely, and, in this age of
individual efficiency, a business knowledge of housekeeping is almost
as important in making a happy home as is love. I think it quite as
necessary that a woman who marries should understand housekeeping in
all its varied branches as that the man who marries should understand
his trade or profession; for, without the knowledge of means to gain a
livelihood (however great his love for a woman), how is the man to
hold that woman's love and affection unless he is able by his own
exertions to provide her with necessities, comforts, and, perhaps, in
later years, luxuries? And in return, the wife should consider it her
duty and pleasure to know how to do her work systematically; learn the
value of different foods and apply the knowledge gained daily in
preparing them; study to keep her husband in the best of health,
physically and mentally. Then will his efficiency be greater and he
will be enabled to do his 'splendid best' in whatever position in life
he is placed, be he statesman or hod-carrier. What difference, if an
honest heart beat beneath a laborer's hickory shirt, or one of fine
linen? 'One hand, if it's true, is as good as another, no matter how
brawny or rough.' Mary, do not think the trivial affairs of the home
beneath your notice, and do not imagine any work degrading which tends
to the betterment of the home. Remember, 'Who sweeps a room as for Thy
law, makes that and the action fine.'

"Our lives are all made up of such small, commonplace things and this
is such a commonplace old world, Mary. 'The commonplace earth and the
commonplace sky make up the commonplace day,' and 'God must have loved
common people, or He would not have made so many of them.' And, what