The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-02-28

l said, angrily, as l bounced from th
| bed to the glass, and then laved ava
> the traces of my tears. /" Who is th
t wretch, and why don't she answer Pr
: did not dream that I could be mean
" What is the matter ?" asked, oper
ing, the door, and running out to fin
seven or eight of the Perkins youn,
/ fry sitting on the stairs. /" who calls?
!" It's all of US" said the oldest, a
q spokesman for the whole. g Grand
mother said we were to call you moth
} er." -'ys.s >s
g Bnt she did not tell you to set w
such horrible concert, did she? I
she did, I forbid it. Call me methel
and I'll try to be one but never shou
the word again, or call me at all .wher
you are near enough for me to hear yoI
speak in your natural voice. Come t.
me when you want me. Where is youl
grandmother ?' i. -se- sF
She went out and said she wo'd moi
be in till dinner; and there's no dinner
getting ready, and nothing to eat, and
we are all hungry" a--l
"Go, then, and eat anything you can
find"
"But everything is locked up, and
you have the keys. Grandmother said
SO before she went out. 4"
Oh she did, did she ?' said laugh
ing; and running down stairs over a
score of legs and arms. Now saw the
conspiracy. The pantry was speedily
| uolocked, and the key has not been in
the door since. Leaving the children
to discuss their lunch, I walked to, the
| 1ffahar, ETtHo,a cot af q,
cook, with her feet on the ashes, and
her face turned toward me with an ex.
| preston which said, now for bat
tie l''
Where's your fire. said I. and
what's for dinner ?"
"Sure yourself, that's the new mus
thress,. must tell me what. The old
musthress tould me I was to do nothing
till you directed"
did she. And why did you not
come to me hours ago ?''
"Sure, 1 was tould to wait till you
bid me-"
Well, then, I do bid you. Pick
up your moVeables and leave the house.
Call in the evening and Mr.. Perkins
4 mother will pay you your wages" The
| girl stared, as if doubling her senses.
a Come, move Come move you are IN
my way I" And she did move, mutter-
ing something about suptarts, which /
did not heed. As my first order and
last to that individual was obeyed, l
cared not with how little grace she did
it. I heard her stop to speak to the
children in the pantry. The sound Of
my footsteps approaching was enough,
and she was off Come, children" 1
said, "what's to be had ?--Your father
will be home to dinner presently and
we must have it up in hurry.
Each did his or her part, highly
amused at what they consider good
frolic One did one thing, and another
something else. The boys brought fuel
and water; the girls discovered the ed
ibles and commestibles. A fine dish Of
ham and eggs, cold joint, a pie--a de-
cidediy picnic affair-we served up to
the moment Perkins came in, and we
twelve were seated IN the best humor Of
pleased excitement. I had found my
way straight to tho hearts of the chill
dren, and had no fears for the rest.
Mother-in-law walked in as we were
enjoying ourselves. A strange express
sion of disappointment came over her
face at seeing everything SO comfortable.
Il ought to make you an apology for
being late,n she said but make al
lowances for young housekeeper, and
did not think you could be so punctual. D
"No thanks to you," thought /, but /
said nothing. No sooner was mother
in-law down to the table than she was
| . ! Z. &C Il
i the head of the kitchen stairs. f ere
"What is the matter ?" asked.
"That stupid girl of ours! She has
put on dirty tribe cloth, and the old
knives and the steel forks; and there's
no spoons for the gravy-and this is stale
bread-and-and Pm sure my son can't
abide such table l'' .t = ,yt-szfl
"Then it must be me that she finds
fault with, II dismissed Charlotts three
quarters of an hour ago, at which time
she had not taken step towards dinner
Since then, the children and have got
up this, such as tits, impromptu.''
4 vAnd a very good dinner, too," said
Perkins, g don't desire better,
Mother-in-law gave him an angry
glance, and then, turning to me, said,
1 Will lOIEC0 COul pOb0NG.
You don't meaa that you have turn
ed girl out of doors without warning,
who has lived here five years -
1 " I did not use physical force, certain
ly, but l did employ very powerfulmor-
al suasion. We are too strong in young
girls to tolerate kitchen impertinence.
Such was the coup d'etat, or rather
| conn a cousil1e with which inau0era.
ted myself 1t was effectual Mother,
in-law was completely checkmated, and
my authority was established. Perkins
is sensible man. Widows generally
are experienced and wise AS mat
ter of prudent investment, let me recon-
mend the young lady who has love to lay
out, to expend it upon a widowcr, il
one is to be had Such is my expert
ence My husband left the whole man
agement of the house to me, and must
say that have succeeded wonderfully
The children are not at all the nuisance
that their affectionate grandparent re-
presented them. Indeed, they have be-
come, in couple of years. qnite models,
so Perkins says, and he knows them best,
of course. / had rather have twenty
children all mothering" me at once
than one brother Tom.
| But the mother-in-laW-oh, dear l.
i She is the thorn in my side. ! can't dis
charge her as did the girl, or manage
/ ier as I can the children. Perkins
talks Of buying her an annuity, thai she
may set up housekeeping on her own ac-
lcount, I almost wish he woodland