The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1850-09-16


charged with having finger in the matter.
From the Ohio State Journal.
Letters from the Kitchen.
NUMBER TX.
9"Curious letters from the kitchen Aunt
Fanny writes to be sure. In the whole
eight letters she has hardly made an allu-
son 70 That much to be honored place.
We expected, as matter Of course, to
gct recipes for washing dishes, securing
creased pots ont of foors, polishing trass
cnndlcsticks, and destroying flies and
ants. ,But, instead thereof. we goi moth
ing bui hou,iles about school books, birds,
flowers and sunshine, as if We workers in
the Fhchen had time 10 indulge in these
things"
There il is now Just as expected
| intended every one Ct the eigh. as re-
cipc for that very notion, that "lYomen in
the kitchen have no time for anything
else" But it seems | have not been un.
derstood. and must therefore write more
plain, sober English. The best mixture
ever found for taking streoks out Of shirt
collars, was ON equal portion Of cheerful.
ness and determination. Soils and stains
vanish before you know IT, if there are
merry and pleasant thoughts in the brain.
And dishes win shine with double lnslre
| il there is no dull, dreary, doleful feeling
Of drudgery hanging like dead weight
from the elbows. Beef steak IS always
more tender and juicy when the mulIol
falls with quick and dIiyely stroke, thar
when 1t comes down--drop--Irop-
drop, on the unyielding fbres. Pie crust
will be shorter, and bread rise quicker and
lighter, there is no shadow of doubt, if the
worker and mixer work to the tune Of
"Mcrily, o." instead of tho moping air
Of
"a wretch forlorn toll and strive,
Without joy or hope"
Now hear one excIniming, "Thnt is al
inagination--not a bit of fact about it.
Well suppose it is, fla thing is only
well imagined il becomes equal to a reality
does il not I? At any rate it is better 10
have happy, hopeful. heartfelt imuginiDgs
than cold, complaining, captious ones.--
Let me whisper secret in your ear
There is no one that knows the difference
better than your humble servant. for she
has tried them both many time. Don!
toll me that the mind must be tied to the
cooking stove, the broom and the duster,
as to the body. Nothing ever makes kitcl,-
en- work go so hard as to pout over il, or,
to speak more lndy-likc, to imbibe an arer-
sion for its duties. have read some.
where that Walter Scott composed his
"Lady of the Lake" while riding on h,rse-
back. Burns ground out his beautiful ad.
dress 10 the "Mountain Dlisy" while hold
ing the plow. According to popular theo-
ry, the one should have thought only Of
his horse and saddle, and the other of his
plow handles and furrow. Lot mo assure.
you, one can soar, fancy free. while churn-
ing butter, or ironing Ii there is moth
ing TO chain the mind but the employment,
one can have as high and holy thoughts
while pairing apples or scraping potatoes as
if she reclined, wholly at leisure, in Grim
son cushioned armed chair in some Iuxu-
rious parlor; Ondthc song of tho wild bird
will fall as swoetly upon the car, and the
petal of the lilly will glow as brightly
while picking peas and beans for dinner,
as if one saontered oyt on purpose 70 enjoy
them, provided always tho heart is in the
right tuno.'
Ii is miserable mistake to think tIml
life's cares and duties are all toll and
drudgery. They need not---thoy ought not
to he SO; md if rightly and carefully ar
ranged, will not be. The consciousness
that weare working for and doing good t.
others, and generally too, those we love
should sweeten and tighten every hour o.
honest labor. II we do not and cannot
feel that consciousness, be sure there is
something wrong. Let us stop short, and
ask our own hearts the why and wherefore
No woman should devote one hour Of hel
time and strength in doing what she feels
is useless or wrong. t
One word to my brother. The mar
who sneers at woman's labor; who says
with smile Of contempt upon his lip, Il
his wife, his sister, or his daughters
"Womnn's time is nothing her toll Is ai
play her work is no profit" mny expec
and indeed deserves a cold and uncomfort
able home. No woman who is made I
believe she is useless, or pro6,less, will eve
be cheerful and happy, ,or everperlorm he
labor with a light buoyant spirit. But
have touched upon delicate yet might,
subject, q cryingevilof our day, that wei
deserves whole letter. For tho presen
shiht must suffice. y ~