Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-07-22
From the knlektfb0ker,
Going into the Country.

with IDEAS entirely lucid respecting milk,
and looseness in calculation as to the num-
her in family it would take a good laying
hen to supply with fresh eggs every morn
ing: when Mrs. Sparrowgrass and | moved
into the country, we found some precon-
ceiyed notions had to be abandoned, and
some departures made from the plans we
had laid down in the little back parlor in
avenue G..
One ofthe first achievements in the coun-
try is early rising! with the lark-with the
sun-while the dew is on the grass, "under
the opening lids of the morn, and so forth.
Early rising! What can be done with 5 or
6 o'clock in town! What may not be done
at those hours in the country2 With the
hoe, the rake, the dibble, the spade. the
watering poi. To plant prune, drill, trans
plant, graft, train, and sprinkle! Mrs. S.
and | agreed to rise early in the country.
Orchard and Robin were two pretty men,
They laid ib She bed till the clock struck ten:
Up jumped Richard and looked at the sky,
o, bretherS the SUMS very high"
Early rising in the country is not an ms
tinct; it is a sentiment, and must be cult
waited.
A friend recommended me 10 send to the
south side of Long Island for some very pro-
life po,atoes-the real hippoptamus breed.
Down went my man, aud what, with ex-
penses of horse-hire, tavern bills, t~oIl-gates
and breaking a wagon, the hippoptamus
cost as much ! piece as pine apples. They
were fine potatoes though, with comedy
features, and large, languishing eyes, that
promised increase of family without delay,
As worked my own garden, (for which
hired a landscape gardener at two dollars
per day to give me instructions | concluded
that the object Of my first experience in
early rising should be the planting of the
hippoptamuses. | accordingly rose next
morning at five, and it rained! rose next
day at five, and it rained. The next day
1t rained for two weeks! We had splendid
potatoes every day for dinner. "My," said
to Mrs. Sparrowgrass. "where did you get
these fine potatoesp "Why," said she in
nocently, q out of the basket from Long Is
landw The last Of the hippoptamusFM ere
before nae, peeled, and boiled, and mashed,
and baked. with a nice thin brown crust on
the top.
was more successful afterward. | did
get some fine seed-potatoes in the ground.
But something was the matter; at the end
of the season | did not get at many out as
put in.
4tra Mrs. S~parrowgrass, who is a notable house
wife, said 10 me one day, "Now, my dear,
we shall soon have plenty of eggs, for have
been buying a LOT of young chickens"
There they were, each one with as many
feathers as a grasshopper, and a chirp not
louder. Of course we looked forward with
pleasant hopes to the period when the first
cackle should announce the milk-white egg,
warmly deposited in the hay which we had
provided bountifully. They grew finely,
and one day | ventured to remark that Our
hens had remarkably large combs, to which
Mrs. S. replied, eyes, indeed, she had OBJ
served that: but if wanted to have a real
treat, | ought to get up early in the morning
and hear them crow" Grow said faith
fully, sour hens growing! Then, by the
cock that crowed in the morn, to wake the
priest all shaven and shorn,' we might as
well give up all hopes Of having any eggs"
said /, "for as sure as you live, Mrs, s., our
hens are all roosters!w And SO they were
ROSTERS! that grew up and fought with the
~neighbors' chickens, until there was not a
whole pair OF eyes on either side of the
fence. Ts
s A dog is a good thing to have in the coun-
try. | have one which | raised from a pup.
He is a good, stout fellow, and hearty bark
cit and feeder. The man of whom | bought
him said he was thoroughbred, but he seems
to have a mongrel look about him. He is a
good watchdog though. for the moment he
sees any suspicious looking person about the
premises he comes right into the kitchen
and gets under the stove. First we kept
him in the house, and he scratched all night
to get out. Then we turned him out, and
he scratched all night to get in. Then we
tied him up at the back of the garden, and
he howied SO that our neighbor shot at him
twice before daybreak. Finally We gave
him away, and he came; and now he is
just recovering from a fit in which he has
torn up a patch that has been sown for our
spring radishes. .
A good strong gate is a necessary article
for your garden. A good, strong, heavy gate
with a dislocated hinge, so that it will nei-
sther open nor shut. Such a one had | last
year. The grounds before my fence are in
common, and all my ~neighbors' cows pas
eture there. / remarked to Mrs. 5. as we
stood at the window in June last, how placid
and picturesque the cattle looked, as they
astrolled, cropping the green heritage. Next
morning | found the innocent creatures in
my garden. They had not left a green thing
in II. The corn in the milk, the beans on
the poles, the young cabbages, the tender
lettuce, even the thriving shoots on my
Young fruitfrees had vanished. And there
they were, looking quietly on the ruin they
had made. Our watch dog, too, was fore
gathering with them. 1t was too much, so
/ got q large stick and drove them all ont,
except a young heifer, whom | chased all
over the flower beds. breaking down my
.~trellises, my woodbines and sweet-briers,
and roses and petunias, until | cornered her
In the hot-bed. | had to call for assistance
TO extricate her from the ashes, and her
owner sued me for damages and recovered.
believe | shall move in Town.
STANDING UP FOR HIS RANK We find the
following. under the head Of " The Filibus-
tiers, IN the New York Times, Of the 18th
instant: 5#
New ORLEANS, july 1, 1854.
TO the Editor Of the N. Y. Daily Times:
SIR | see an article copied into several
papers from your editorial columns, stating
that Colonels Wheat, Bell and Pickett, Major
IA. Kelly, and ohers, are engaged in get
ting up an expedition against Caba. Colo
nels Bell and Wheat are in California; Col.
Pickett is the American Consul at Vera
Cruz. It is not likely that either Of these men
are concerned in any such projects; and if
~ fhnB xStunp Ill r. 49, - -~,& r-h -, 80 cJnY,1