Explore "The Mother's Charge" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
She raised her head. With hot and glittering eye, / "I know," she said, "that I am going to die. / Come here, my daughter, while my mind is clear. / Let me make plain to you your duty here; / My duty once-I never failed to try- / But for some reason I am going to die. " / She raised her head, and, while her eyes rolled wild, / Poured these instructions on the gasping child:
"Begin at once-don't iron sitting down- / Wash your potatoes when the fat is brown- / Monday, unless it rains-it always pays / To get fall sewing done on the right days- / A carpet-sweeper and a little broom- / Save dishes-wash the summer dining-room / With soda-keep the children out of doors- / The starch is out-beeswax on all the floors- / If girls are treated like your friends they stay- / They stay, and treat you like their friends-the way / To make home happy is to keep a jar- / And save the prettiest pieces for the star / In the middle-blue's too dark-all silk is best- / And don't forget the corners-when they're dressed / Put them on ice-and always wash the chest / Three times a day, the windows every week- / We need more flour-the bedroom ceilings leak- / It's better than onion-keep the boys at home- / Gardening is good-a load, three loads of loam- / They bloom in spring-and smile, smile always, dear- / Be brave, keep on-I hope I've made it clear."