Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-01-31
GIRL HUNTING.
A HaIf.Iength from Life.
by MRS. C. NJ. KIRKLAND.

!
Thou handlest and hot fires beneath thy path
The treacherous ashes nurse"
Cant you let our folks have some eggs = said
Daniel Webster Larkns, opening the door and
putting in little straw.coored head and pair
o. very mild blue eyes just far enough to recon-
nore; 'can'tyou let our folks have some eggs
Our old hen don't lay nothing but chickens now,
and mother can't eat pork, and she amt had no !
bres skfas', and the baby amt drest nor nothing" !
what is the matter, Webster, Where's
the girl =
oh. we ha'nt no girl but father, and he's had |
to go way TO a raisin'-and mother wants 10 |
know it you can tell her where to get grl'
Poor Mrs I.arkins! Her husband makes but
| very ind dfferent girl being remarkable pub.
lie spirited person. The good lady is in very
delicate health, and having an incredible nun.
Dor Of little blue eyes constantly Masking fresh
demands upon her time and strength she usual.
! ly keeps girl when she can get one. When
she cannot, which is unfortunately the largest
| part of the time, her husband dresses the chill.
dren--mixes stir.cakes for the eldest blue eyee
to bake on griddle, which is never at rest
milks the cows feeds the pigs-and then goes
| to his business which we have supposed to con-
sst principally in his helping at ralsings, wood
bees, huskings, and such like important affairs !;
and girl huntlng-the most important and ar
duous and profitless oial
Yet it must be owned that Mr.. Larkins is
| tolerable carpenter and that he buys as many
comforts for his family as most Of his neighbors
The main difficulty seems TO be that help is
not often purchasablc. The very small portion
Of our damsels who will consent to enter anybo
dy's doors for pay, makes the chase after them
quite interesting from its uncertainty and the
damsels themselves, subject TO well known fol-
bic OF their sex, become very coy from being
over coutled. Such racing and chasing, and
begging aud praying, to get girl for month
They are often got for lite with half the trouble.
But TO return.
Having an esteem for Mrs Larkins, and sim
cere experimental pity for the forlorn condition
of mo girl but father, set out at once to try if
female tact and perseverance might not prove
etiectuHl i'll ferrettng out a help though mere
industry had not succeeded. For this purpose
made list in my mind of those neighbors, in
the first place, whose daughters sometimes con-
descended to be girls; and secondly, of the few
who were enabled by good luck, good manage.
ment and good pay, to keep them. If failed
in my attempts upon one class, | hoped for some
new lights from the other. When the object
is of such Importance it is well 10 string one S
F bow double.
In the first category stood Mrs. Lowndes,
whose furlorn log house had never known door
or window blanket supplying the place OF
the one, and the other heng represented BY a
creyice between the logs. Lifting the sooty
curtain with some ,midity, | found the dame
with sort of reel before her, trying to wind
some dirty, tangled yarn and eve. and anon
kicking at basket which hung suspended from
the beam overhead by means of strip OF hick.
ory bark. This basket contained nest ofrags
and an indescrlbabe baby and In the ashes on
the rough hearth played several dingy objects,
which suppose had once been babies
Is you- daughter at home, Mrs. Lowndes !,
We'll, yes M'randy's to hum, but she's out
now Dld you want her
i came to see II she could 60 to Mrs. Larkns'
who is very unwell, and sadly in want of help
Miss LarKinS why do you tell want to
know Is she sick again aud is her gal gone'
Way! | want to know thought she had
Lo'-sy Paddon ls,Lo'l'Sy Paddon gone 7