A mystery for you housewives......! (slightly risque)

dandy-candy

I love old books and was in bed last night looking through one published in 1937 that has a household hint, thought and recipe for everyday of the year. One of the "thoughts" which are written as poems, was the following:

DOOR STEPS

She was whitening a doorstep as I passed along the way, scrubbing hard, then rinsing - she does it everyday. All the footmarks vanished as her brush went to and fro, making the threshold spotless - almost white as snow. "Nothing very startling - most women do it too?" But it's a great beginning for the work she has to do. For on her knees she does it - it's the attitude of prayer - and perhaps we'd all work better if we started work just there. For when I pass at evening, through the window open wide, I can hear the woman singing a soft lullaby inside, and her husband looks so happy - you can tell from things like these that she does more than scrubbing - when she gets upon her knees!

I nearly fell out of bed. Is it just me who thought the last bit sounded really smutty? The mystery is what do you think they were actually talking about? Surely it can't have been what it sounds like - not in a 1937 household book??

Tiglath

I think they were talking about the wholesome activity of prayer, but initially I thought the same as you - just couldn't figure out how she could be singing at the same time!

hilstep2000

Sounds fab! No idea if it was innuendo or not, but it sounds fun!

katieowl_2

I think that the meaning is probably that the act of scrubbing on her knees is a prayer like devotion that keeps the whole household happy I'm afraid You know the cleanliness is next to godliness thing.

Who is the author though?

Kate

dandy-candy

There isn't an author listed, but the book is called "Aunt Kate's day-by-day book". There was a few "Aunt Kate" books, I also have one on dressmaking.

katieowl_2

Well if it's this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B000SSNR4U/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all you might want to flog it

Kate

ragz_2

heh heh heh... I would be enclined to believe it was intended to be smutty, poets have a little extra license there. Did you add the exclamation mark?

dandy-candy

No the exclaimation mark is part of it - I wanted to post a scan but my Kodak 3in1 is on the blink.

I don't think that is the same book, my one is day-by-day book - pity!

SailorSam

Maybe she was just pulling the poor mans boots off after he'd had a hard day at work.

boredjellybean

I tend to think it might be intended to be smutty - lets face it people were fairly naughty back then too it was just less talked about & in your face like today - either way made me giggle !!

Nottoobadyet

Cant be as its well known the blow job was invented in 1963 by one Ima Saucione.