The following article comes from Ireland’s Own in 1912. Published, one hopes, as a satirical piece, the anonymous author highlights the dangers of privileging physical culture over one’s domestic duties. A decision that comes it seems, to the detriment of one’s relationship.
A reminder that even though it was leg day, you still need to cut the grass!
‘Why is it?’, Ireland’s Own, 18 September, (1912), 9.
Almost every man needs a certain amount of exercise each day. The following are a number of things a man is perfectly willing to do to keep himself in good physical train:
- Pay £5 for a course in physical culture
- Swing dumbbells and Indian clubs violently
- Crawl on his hands and knees and roll like a dog
- Climb a tree and behave ‘just like a boy’
- Turn handsprings and somersaults
On the other hand, there are things are scarcely difficult which would give him just as much exercise’ but his wife can’t get him to do these: some of them are:
- Dig the garden
- Feed the fire
- Pump water in to the tank
- Beat the carpets
- Mow the Lawn
- Scrub the Floors
- Walk the floor with the Baby
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