The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-24
For the National Era.
MRS. HILL AND MRS. TR0OST.
BY PATTY LEE.

Il was Just two O'Clock of one Of the warmest Of
the July afternoons Mrs Hill had her dinner
all OVERHEAD put on her clean cap and apron, and
sat on the north porch, making an unbleached
cotton shirt for Peter, (Mr. Hill) who always
wore unbleached shirts at harvest time. Mrs.
Hill was thrifty economist She had been pur-
suing this housewifely avocation for some little
time, interrupting herself only at times to shu :
away the focks of half-grown chickens that came
noisily about the door for the crumbs from the
table.cloth, when the sudden shutting down of a
great blue cotton umbrella caused her to drop her
work, and exclaim-
well, now, Mrs Troost; who would have
thought that you ever would come to see mew
why, | have thought great many times that
would come" said the visitor, stamping her lit
lie feet-for she was a little woman-briskly on
the blue flag stones, and then busting them nice
ly with her white cambria handkerchief, before
yenturing on the snowy porch floor Of Mrs Hill
When, shaking hands, she added, 1t has been a
good while, for remember when was here last
had my Jane with me--quite baby then, il
you midland she is three years old now.n
{" Is it possble" said Mrs. Hill, untying the
bonnet strings Of her neighbor, who sighed, as
she continued
Yes, she was three along in February !" and
she sighed again more heavily than before, though
there was no earthly reason that know of why
she should sigh, unless perhaps the flight of time
thus brought to mind suggested the transitory
nature Of human things.
Mrs Hill laid the bonnet of Mrs. Troost on
her spare bed and covered it with little, pale
blue Grape shawl, kept especially for like occa-
sions and taking from the drawer of the bureau
large fan of turkey feathers she presented it to
her guest, saying
"A very warm day, isn't it2"
90, dreadful dreadful-it seems as hot as
bake overland suffer with the heat all summer
more or less But it's world Of suffering p and
Mrs TroOst half closed her eyes, as if to shut
out the dreadful reality.
"lay-makng requires sunshiny weather, you
know so we must put up with it," said Mrs. Hill
Besides, can mostly find some cool place about
the house. keep my sewing here on the porch,
and as bake my bread or cook my dinner man
age to catch it up sometimes, and so keep from
getting overheated; and then, too, get good
many stitches taken in the course Of the day"
This is a nice, cool place-completely cur
tanned with vines said Mrs Troost and she
sighed again. "They must have cost you great
deal of pains"
u, no, no trouble at all; morning glories
grow themselves-they only require to be plant
ed. will save seed for you this fall, and next
summer you can have your porch as shady as
mine"
And if | had, it would not signify said Mrs
Troost. 81 never get time to sit down from one
weeks end to another besides, never had any
luck with vines-some folks haven't, you know.n
Mrs Hill was woman Of a short, plethora
haoit-one that might be supposed to move about
with little agility, and to find excessive warmth
rather inconvenient. But she was Of happy
cheerful temperament; and when it rained she
tucked up her skirts put on thick shoes, and wad
u,ea about the same as ever, saying to herself
us Will make the grass grow, or it will bring
Oa the radishes, or something else equally con.
solatOryp
Mrs Iroost, on the contrary, was a little thin
'Ouan' who looked as though she might move
scout nimoly at any season But as she herself
'''," sa'a she was poor unfortunate creature
P''ieo and commiserated herself great deal
sue was in justice bound to do, for nobody else
'''ed, she said, how much she had to bear
ihey were near neigh bors-these ladies-but
s'r social interchanges Of a-drinking were not
very frequent occurrence, for sometimes Mrs
00s' had nothing to wear like other folks
~'',nes II was too hot, and sometimes it was
"'a-and then again nobody wanted to see
'"u she was sure she didn't want to 70 where
wasn't wanted. Moreover, she had such q
~ Darn OF house, as no other women ever
@ke care Of But in all the neighborhood
.o called the big house, so Mrs. Troost was In
b.- measure compensated for the pains it cos,
Ma. was, however, as she said, a barn Of 8
H.. with half the rooms unfurnished, partly
,t. mad no use for them, and partly that
,i,y, 'ere unable to get furniture SO 1t stood
.bon, - 'ne sun, with no shutters, and no trees
=, and Mrs. Troost said she didn't suppose
b0ns would have. She Was always opposed to
h,n. u out she never had her way about any
tL.n 'n'uga some people said Mr. Troost had
.nro. as dimensions Of his house with his wifes
nss-but that may have been Islander.
s.0,,. ,'' Mrs Tr0ost sa, signing over things in
shalt mrs Hill sewed on the last button, and,
nrm.n. me loose threads from the completed
~ held 1t up moment To take a sstisf.cto-
", Is 1t we're, aud folded Il svsv
wei, did You ever y, ia A.