The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-06-09

and help nurse III and if 1T dies Margary
will want me to wake with it. But Pll
come back as soon as iver can" and she
left the room to put on her things.
Emily seated herselfon the foot of the bed
which she had been at so much trouble to
prepare, and looked as If stunned by some
unexpected blow. -....-..
She could not collect her ideas, and it was
not till she heard the hall door close, that
she recollected how much she might have
learned from Biddy, had she put her wits
about her sufficiently to have asked.
There was mine of energy in Emily's
character which had never been worked for
want of necessity, so without stopping to be-
wall the unfortunate circumstances any long
er, she proceeded to the kichen. There up
on the larger waiter, lay pair fine chick
ems, with amputated legs, and in the half
prepared state in which they were when she
had received the news. ..r.
The poor little housekeeper gOzed at them
for moment, no more knowing what to do
with them than an Indian did with the syl-
labub, till happy tho't flashed across her
bewildered brain, and, she got her cook
book. But, alas! there were 'chicken pat
ties," and "chicken gumbo," and "chick-
en- friccases," but never word of preparing
and roasting chickens. She took the fowls
up and studied their anatomy as attentively
as ever Cuvier did that of some precious,
unknown animal, but it was of no use; dress
them she could not, and with sigh, and
hearty inclination to cry, she sat down to
reflect upon what was to be done.
She picked up the waiter and carried it to
the cellar, during her explorations in the
safe, she discovered fine roasting piece of
beef, which had been sent home with the
marketing. She could have almost danced
for joy. A nugget of gold cleaning upon
the eye of California adventurer was nev-
er half so welcome. Here at least there
could be no difficulty; no preparation nor
filling was necessary here. She was un-
certain, however, how long it tshould roast,
So she again applied to her cook book
But with no better success than before
There was "beef a-la-mode," and "beei
bouilli," "French beef" and "beef olins,"
but never word about plain, old fashion,
ed roast Still as there was chance of
getting something for dinner, Emily would
not be totally discouraged, so she hunted up
pan, and put the beef in the oven, deter
mined it should be done enough; but knew
nothing of the necessity of seasoning.
The potatoes were her next trouble
Were they to be put in hot water or cold?
And secretly thinking that washing them
was about as dirty work as she ever did, she
dropped them into large boiler of hot wa
ter.
The mental debate then was, "Spnach
versus cold ham," The former carried the
day, but as she looked at the basket full OF
crisp, dark green leaves, she wondered if
Louis, when he marketed, intended they
should live on spinach, for the next week.
So he threw couple Of, handsful into pot
of water, and wondered how long it took
eggs to boil hard enough to eat with it. E
"The dinner will look somewhat frugal,
to be sure, but mother Wharton will excuse
it under the circumstances, | know" thought
Emily, as she gazed at the clock, and found
it was just twelve. They dined at two,
and the dessert was yet to be made. But
what was it to be! She did not know what
Biddy had intended doing with all the milk
which she saw in the cellar, but she was so
out of fpatence with her cook book, that she
never thought of consulting it again. Here
however, she defied circumstances. She had
some fine preserves which her mother had
put up for her, and cheese, and almonds, and
raisrs, and the dessert for this day should
consist of these.
With mind very much re lieved, she pro.
ceeded to arrange the dnner-table, and af-
ter dozen unnecessary excursions to the
pantry, it was completed with the exception
of spoons for the vegetables, and the cas-
tor. 1 .ts al Ell ,r -r
Emily thought it was now time to see how
her dinner was coming on. She opened the
door ofthe range, and to her dismay she
found that the splendid piece of beef had q
whitish, sickly look, and that the oven was
as coldas charity. With tears in her eyes
she triedthe potatoes. They lay snugly
huddled together far down in a gallen o.
water, as hard as when they were put in
The twohandful Of spinach had diminished
frightfully, and as a climax to the disaster
she nowfor the first time, noticed that the
bright fire in the range had become q dusky
white ashes,whlch gave forth no heat
Her previous anxiety had made her ner,
vous, and now she took hearty cry. !, Blu
she soon went to work again right brayely
She applied the poker vigorously to the
crate, but nothing except dust and cinders
which nearly choked her, followed She
i lifted the lid from the range and looked in
There was still little fire left, and deter.
mining to have good one when she made
| il, she threw on whole sGuttle full Of coal
She went on raking away, covering herself
with fine white ashes the tears coming oc'
lcasionally in spite Of herself, when the Gool
bell fang.aiia Graa ie fesleAl ."aleh ~.
r. With a half terrified .oh, dear, there they