Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-07-23

me was when household duties were all

|
new to me; nay, all dis.asteful. Uuac
customed 10 them and unskilled in them
| shrunk from them, dreading and avoid
ing them. wept over them, too. in We
ry bitterness of soul. My domeslics left
me, as every New England housekeepe
knows how unceremoninusly they some,
times will, and was sole mistress of my
kitchen. pantry, sink. cooking stove, and
all. What shall do? was the pi,iful cry.
con.rived to ge, along easy. any way,
sobeit could get early released from
active household duty; in word Mary,
| was shrk! My husband. punc,uaI,
exact, and wofully particular. so then
thought. did not at all relish the appear
ance of things under my care; it was too
eviden, for me NJ. to know it. i hate.
and Il dread promised every kitchen
duty, until at length dishes. plates, pots
and pans. in most un,oward state, be-
gan to accumulate upon my hands. Ny
husband was silent and cool; frelful and
fault finding; a sad pass! This will
never. ntver CO.! calculated, one cold.
gray morning, when everything looked
grayer and more cherries than ever. NV
closets, drawers, and storeroom! Had
the rats and mice made such strife, then
were there somebody TO blame.
AS it was. ah me! From beneath a
little shelf under the sink, | drew out two
s'ewpans, first one aud then the other.
with apple burnt. and baked and crusled
III h.,I 4 ~
out courage to enforce the scraping and
scrubbing necessary to their restoration
on the upper shelf. Every day for a
week had they peeped out, and every day
had | tried to push them further under.
but no. not they; and now they stood ont
AS large as life, with dozen plates in
similar condition. How | loa,he the
sight OF those stew pans, with cold, grea
sv water standing in their bottoms.-
What shall do! Al this point, sense
OF my cowardIy inei6ciency flashed across
my mind.
There | was, shrinking and shivering
between two stew pans! No longer
shall this be- | resolved instantly
Taking off my rings-and rings are won
defiulIy in the way Of washing up dishes
and tying an checked apron. | he
r"lrally seized a slew-pan by The brim.-
>crape, scraPe. scrape. washing rlnsing
and they were clean, invitingly clean.-
Two nice. round, sgreeably favored stew.
pans stared me in the face! | turned
them over; NOT speck or flaw could be
Iatpptpd l hni Inna 4
aud not so bad work either. | smiled
complacen,y upon the two. and they
reflected my smiles. From thai momen,
| took courage. | resolved to do. and then
inward strength rose up. From that
moment. Mary | never suffered myself to
shrink from. or dread. or put of any ,hing.
Whatever was to be done. | did 1t, and ~
the right time. and from that time. too
difficulties began 10 vanish. found I
could do. nay, and | ,ocuM DO. Depeud
upon 1t. Mary you must seize right hoM
OF your domestic duties, and discharge
them pomptiy and efficiently. if YOU
would be faithful 10 yourself and your
HOUSEHOLD. Shrinking. dreading, putting
Oft. co"ls the water. without washing up.
Long time after. if ever tagged. away
ran 10 the shelves. TO refresh nv cour
age by look al the two stew pans -
They encouraged and slreng hsned me.
Those dear old stew-pans with faces So
clean and round. From them | date all
my housekeeping skill and efficiency.
My husband does no. know he loves
them when he surveys my domain with
so satisfied an air. Yes, Mary, the Sc.
cre' OF it is, after long misdoing, we
INNS, have starting point, something
on which to begin in good earnest seri-
ously and honestly. One thing weH
achieced and we take courage for the
next, And now. Mary, wha. lesson do
YOU learn from this?'
'Tha, | mus, instantly see if the sal. is
in The pot. and boiling. ,oo.' cried Mary.
brightly. Fastening away with more alac.
r''y than had YET seen her, toward The
kitchen.
An yes. young housekeeper, prompt
achievement is the very soul of hon,e.
keeping! If you have been a busy idler
during your maidenhood in your mothers
Parlor, you have little prospect of useful
ness. prosperity or enjoyment. as wife,
mother. and ma,ron, unless you are
willing TO see with your own eyes. to
work with your own hands and become
the ubiquitous mistress of your house
hold.