Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-10-27
Thoughts and doings of a Housekeeper.
BY Z. q. GAGE.

70 in the kitchen, men, said Biddy, as she
merged from hersanctum, wiping her hands,
light from the dish-pan, upon the bottom OF 5
Ter check apron. )
aWhat does she want, Biddy,' said | lay :
ng down my pen, rather 10th. :
"Och. thin, its not me that knows but /;
I'm thinking there's sorrow at her heart:
for the big tears are standing in her eyes
ready to be dropt jist.'
l A sorrow at her heart, thought all, how
hhpny Of us have sorrow at the heart that
Mods removing and how many big tears
ark dropped, all unheeded, that sympathy
mfht save, to give lustre to the sparkling
ext and keep them from wearing burrows
Iddnt the cheek offreshness and beauty. So
thhking, l arose from the table and walked
toI The kitchen.
EGood morning, Mrs Tt said /
'hbw are the children this morningF
Poor enough, mama little Ellen and
MARY and Charley have all got the measels
bad and her lip quivered and the big tear
dropped. The sorrow was there sure
enough.
What can I do for you 2 said I, in as
soft a tone as [ could assume.
Have yon potatoees for sale ? said she,
have not
Attle Ellen has not eat a mouthful these
two daSsYand all her cry is potatoes and |
thought m~ay-6e4Aat you'd spare me two or
three just for her. ~
Certainly, Mrs. T., I have he,pota-
toes to sell but while [ have one in the
house l will divide with the sick; and do you
not want some milk for your children, or have
you a COW ?
No, mama, | have no COW ! and she COW
cred her face with her hands and wept Bit
terly. Neither can | take home milk to my
children, because said | would not she
continued, when the first burst of feeling had
snbsided. I will open my heart to you,
though did think | would never tell it.
| Last spring was a year, my husband fell and
broke his leg. It was just about blowing
! time, and we had just got a few acres Of
ground on our rented place ready to put in
5 the corn SO me and the eldest boy, who is
: just twelve, come August, and Minerva, who
g IS ffoHafteen-we planted the field, and got
in the crop, and made and tended the gar
den and the n~eighbors helped some, for
d find that neighbors are mostly always kind
e when they find folks are trying to do theil
e best and we got along right well; nursec
d, him for six whole months before he eve
s got out of his bed took care Of him nigh
Ii and day, and kept the five children RICH
ze comfortable. Indeed | did nj mind the hare
ID work. Many a day, when I worked out Q
n doors all day at what needed to be don
SIS most then [ would get my baby to sleep a
~ night, and 90 to my loom for wove diaper
ut and carpets, and blankets, and eoverlids, an
al most anything that country folks want an
Ell SO | earned money enough to buy acoV
so | thought I was rich then, for she was 6
Ve@good a COW ever stood over a pail and Nv
made seven pounds Of butter a week, bes
nd des having all the milk the children wanted
est and that made US a living pretty nigh, for
- CT bUfy has plenty of bread and butter an
milk, they need never complain, you know
ed She paused here and wept afresh.
ed We'll, as soon as he got we'll, he gave I
IN the farm and concluded to come to tow
IL and the first thing he done was to sell n
MS loom. Oh, how did cry when he took
his away, for it seemed to me like taking tt
bread from the mouths of my children f
eel when had my loom | could earn a penn
for myself; and seeing | bought it and pa
for for it myself, | thought it hard. Well, '
,ou came to town in March. The weather W
We cold. The spring took every thing else, al
ght no money to buy with. I tried to get wor
[ would have worked at anything my han
" could have found to do but no body wa
viii ted me. Thought MANY a time ofmy lool
too as ! saw my little children's naked feet al
Will heard them cry for bread. If | had had
for then, there is many a lady would have DIV
ho- me a carpet to weave. But | still had 4
less COW that was a great comfort. But he
the last week, he sold my COW. Yes, he did.
to sold my COW that cow, that | sat up
nee nights and worked to pay for, while he
its on his bed, helpless, and depending on
). for every comfort Of his life. Yes. he 81
his my COW, and the money will 90 into t
ind rumseller's chest, and his sick children M
ugh cry for a potatoe and [ who would Ike
pom them all snug and right when he was 81
cry must go a begging whenhe is WELL
ing Her voice which had risen almost t
, to scream as she poured out the misery Of
low soul, died away In stitled groan, and de
and ~convulsive sobbing Gained the agony of
Y OF spirit. Isoothed as best | could, and in
ain endeavor to meet her case, [ spoke ha
cry words of her husband. She could not b
and that ; no, no; her woman's heart was tou
bril- ed.
her Hes not a bad man, Mrs., when
step lets drink alone. No, not bad. He aIw
finds bread and fit was not for those pls
hon where liquor IS sold, believe I'dneyer b
and any trouble. told one of them, the OF
be- day suppose | ought not to have
Iced, it, but I felt so mad when he came for
-eem COW, | couldn' thelp speaking right out
,ntly considered him no better than a robber,
hers he took the passions and appetites of n
coed and laid poverty, shame, sorrow and de
. his dation npon the hearts Of women and
their dren.'
fond Thus feeling, thus ponlering, I resul
ood's mypen. asking in my own heart, how i
to- oh, how long shall these things be e
1nd n d. L. IL 1~o-nu1l d.. - Q