The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-20


shoulder, and pointing into the troubled water
below him. Darling forward, she burst into q
fit of laughter, at seeing the whole colony of po
tatoes complscently swimming at the bottom
while Hans was vainly endeavoring TO FISH them
out again, at arms length-a laughter only damp
ed by the provoking assurance Of being obliged
to tire her own arms in the service of replenish
ing the wasted Aaid All honor to the hard
working peasantry of Fsderland IL sometimes
dull of comprehension, they are always generous
Of heart and never was there more faithful
ready, and capable hand lent to our burden Of
business, than that of one kind Dutchman who
followed
Enough of the troubles in the line Of the lord.
lier sex ; our feminine tribulations could boast
an equal glory Conceive, ye uninitiated in
kitchen mysteries, if you can, Of the delights Of
kitchen independence the glory Of holding un-
disputed sway over saucepan and shovel, dinner
pot and dish-kettle, " monarch of all you sur
veyn Such glorious interregRdm had worn
of its charm Of novelty to us, when we sought and
found raw Welsh damsel, to take the "rod Of
iron" in hand. To be sure, she could scarcely
stammer q sentence in English; "but then,
urged the gentleman, with as much penetration
as people usually display in matters beyond their
own experience, "you can easily make her un-
derstand by signs what you wish her to do"
Ruth stationed herself in the kitchen, and
| folded her hands in quiet, supreme conscious
ness of her queenly dignity. How to penetrate
her shield of ignorance was q matter not easily
solved. The confusion of tongues in the tower
| of Babel has made deal of confusion in fami-
lies. A Welsh GIRL in family of my acqusint-
ance, much more intelligent than the one have
been describing, on being asked to bring slice
of cold pork TO the table rushed down to the cellar
anu dfaegea up the con sOd TO the astonished
breakfast circle!
Confusion was Ruths prime minister; indeed,
plates lost their places, knives and forks mated
as the manufacturer never meant them starcbed
clothes stood upon their own responsibility, and
saucepans lost all sense of propriety. Her par
boiled potatoes and superannuated steaks soon.
sent even our fine prairie sppetites begging; and
the q staff of lfen intrusted only once to her
clumsy hands to shape, pierced US through with
many sorrows" "Ananw accompanied by stare
of utter vacuity, was her wonted response to any
expostulation or explanation
"This will never do p exclaimed the matron,
at last, eve are better alonen Ruth's wages
were poured into her lap; she took them with
her customary nonchalance, and it was some
hours before the fact of her dismissal seemed
really to penetrate into the thinking chamber Of
her Uranium.
Another interval of independence followed, d.
versified only by the weekly appearance Of
red-armed heroine Of the wash-board, on the day
devoted to jobs orgies" as some wag has it.
The third week of her coming, she brought
oh al al aIy In, hor
crowned with natural cap of its own stiff yell
low curls
Now our house, too, could boast its bsby-snd
such q baby The lily that blooms in the stirless
forest-depths, the mimosa that hides its heart
from the very breath of the zephyr, is not more
pure, more fral or more fair than WAS that little
flower of humanity! Delighted with the new
conner she crept timidly to its feet, and stretched
up her wee white hands, in token of welcome
Soon, however, piercing shrek startled the
whole household; and, rushing to the spot, we
S%1ar qas wi Will ILL., tEs ay nq ssa
ing like garden msrigold, bent over her. trying
to clutch another lock of her pale brown hair.
The mother of the infantile tyrant, summoned to
the door, turned her shoulder with an air Of utter
indifference that said, Babies must fight out
their own battles p and made vigorous dive
into her foaming suds
This was iusufTe rable.- Our household divinity
was not to be thus outraged and the spoiled baby
being an indispensable appendage of its spelling
mamma, both were banished from our precincts
and our good graces.
alt is so delightful to be undisturbed and in
dependentp was the soliloquy of the few follow
ing weeks But mind, intelligent, cultivated
mind, when bound by circumstances in despotic
bondage to the body's physical wants, soon strug-
giles in its CALLING chains, and rebels against the
depression of the immortal to the service OF the
mortal Moreover, we like not to yield to neces-
sty, what we would willingly give to choice, for
o season.
Sickness came On with the summer heat, and
we were forced to look again for "help' Our
first trip in search of il was to cot on the edge
of the prairie, that seemed tumbing to pieces
over the heads of its inhabitants; but the article
there was not for disposal.
"My dowters ha'n't no need to leave their
home, thanks for il ~ observed the mother, look
ing complscently around upon the dilapidated
walls and ruinous furniture. "Contentment IL
riches,n philosophers tell us surely then mil
lionaire might have envied the good woman
The next application was more successful.
Lydia lowed she'd 20 with u.s." was the result
of most ostentatious consultation of whisperers
| in the corner.
| We had set our hearts on obtaining Yam
| kee girl, and bore her homeward as triumph
antly as q fsher-boy might an especially line
| trout
But our rose Of felicity was by no means thorn
| less. Lydia certainly was ga genius in kitchen
| tactics, compared with the tyros that had tried
our patience but, like too many other eeniuses,
she was capricious, and far from dociie. Her own
comfort and convenience she had no idea Of sac
ri6cng to any theoretical notion Of responsibility
for the happiness Of the family she had entered.
The physician who should refuse to arise from
q snug bed at night, and risk his health for the
sake Of suffering stranger, would be despised in
society The clergyman who should shut himself
within his warm study, and turn deaf ear 70
the call of the sick or the dying, would be hooted
from his charge by public sentiment All the
professions which ennobe and enlarge the SOU
of man teach him his duty to humanity at large
and his consequent obligation to self-sscrihce
But where 10 the domestic who realizes this world
wide duty2 Here and "here,0 voices reply
, for there are q few such. Ifthere were more, we
should be one degree nearer the Millennium
J Lydia's biscuits and beef-steaks were unexoep'
tionable, when her star Of good humor was IN the
ascendant. But il inclination moved her to triI
into neighbours kitchen or astrol into the WOODS
berrying,o duty never restrained its impulse
however unreasonable.
, Pun goin' to parin' bee, ma'am ~ she sstoundec
as by uttering one eve, just at sunset as she CAM
from her nook, shrouded in cape, bonnet, an'
shawl, with a starched white apron tied over he
red calico gown.
"Why, Lydia really don't see how ca
spare your help to-night1 exclaimed her mis-
tress, despondingly. "There is the supper TO
the workmen yet-snd then the butter, and
, "Well, you'll have to get along as well as yo'
can without me. I've got an invfe, and Pm obieege
to gop
al should like to be informed which is the lad.
Of the house2n once exclaimed gentleman
rather abruptly, on entering room where q 90
mestio and her mistress were employed-the FOR
mer in standing at her ease by the window, watch
, ing the movements Of the latter, who was indus
| iti0ualx hxushisu iha hea ~ .run Many tim