Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-10-06
Mistellaneous.
TRIALS OF A HoUsHKEEPER.
BY HARRIET BEECHER STOWE.

s.. L have detail OF very noneiy grievances W
present; but such as they are, many heart will
feel them to be heavy; the trials of ahousekeeper.
"Poh!' says one of the lords of creation taking
his cigar out of his mouth, and twring it between
his two fingers, "what fuss these women do
make of this simple matter of managing family
/ can't see for my life there is anything extra
ordinary in this matter of housekeeping; only
three meals day to be got and cleared off, and
it really seems to take up the whole OF their mind
from morning to night. | could keep house
without SO much of furry, know
Now, prithee, good brother listen to my story,
and see how much you know about it. | came
to this enlightened West about year since, and
was duly established in comfortably country res
idence, within mile and half of the city, and
and there commenced the &joyment of domestic
felicity had been marriS about three months,
and had been previouslyA II love in the most ap-
proved romantic way, with all the proprieties of
doux, aud everlasting attachment. After hav-
inc been allowed, as said, about three months
to get over this sort of thing, and to prepare for
realities, was located for life, as aforesaid. My
family consisted of myself and husband, female
friend as visitor, and two brothers of my good
man, who we're engaged in business. Ipass over
the two or three first days spent in that process
Of hammering boxes, breaking crockery, knocking
things down and picking them up again, which is
commonly called getting to housekeeping. AS
usual carpets were sewed and stretched, laid down
and taken up to be sewed over, things were form
ed and reformed, transformed and conformed, till
settled order began to appear. But now came up
the great point of all.
During our confusion we had cooked and eaten
II. \
manner, eating now from the top of barrel, and
now from freboard laid on two chairs, and
drinking some from tea cups, and some from sau-
GERS, and some from pitcher big enough to be
drowned in; and sleeping, some on sofas, and
some on struggling beds and mattresses thrown
down here and there, wherever there was room.
All these pleasant barbarities we're now at end
The house was in order, the dishes put up in
their places, three regular meals were to be ad-
mnstered in one day and all in an orderly civii-
zed form; beds were to be made, rooms swept and
busted, dishes washed, knives secured, and all the
electra to be attended to- Now for getting 'help,
as Mrs. Tro'lope says; and where and how are we
to get it, We knew very few persons in the city;
and how we were to accomplish this matter !?
At length the 'house of employment was men,
toned; and my husband was dispatched thither
regularly every day for week, while |, in the
mean time, was nearly dispatched by the abun-
dance Of work at home. At length, one evening
as was sitting completely exhausted, thinking of
resorting to the last feminine expedient for sup
porting life, viz, good fit of crying, my husband
made his appearance, with most triumphant air,
at the door.
"There, Margaret, I have got you couple at
last-cook and chambermad.
L hoI klo
gave to my view the picture of little dry snufy-
looking, old woman, and great, staring Dutch
girl, in green bonnet, with red ribbons, with
mouth wide open, and hands and feet that would
have made a Greek scul ptor open his mouth too.
addr ssed forthwith few words of encourage
ment to each of this uncultivated looking couple,
and proceeded to ask their names; and forthwith
the old woman began to shuttle and to wipe her
face with what was left of an old, rik pocket
handkerchief preparatory to speaking, while the
Young lady opened her mouth wider, and looked
around with a frightened air, as if meditating an
escape After some preliminaries, however, |
found out that my old woman was Mrs. Tibbns,
and my Hebes name was kotterin; also, that
she knew much more Dutch than English, and
not any too much of either. The old lady was
. the cook [ ventured a few inquiries
"Had she ever cooked?"
tyes, man, sartin, she lived in two or three
places in the city,
Il suspect, my DEAR said my husband, conf
dentiy, 'that she is an experienced cook, and SC
your troubles are oyer:' and he went to reading
his newspaper.
I said no more, but determined to wait til
morning The breakfast, to be sure, did not Dc
much honor to the talents of my official; but il
was the first time, and the place was new to her
After breakfast was clered away proceeded t.
give directions for dinner; it was merely plail
Joint of meat, said to be roasted in the tin oven
The experienced cook looked with stare of en-
tire vacuity q he tin oven.' repe ,ted stand
there, and pointed to it. She walkedup to it, ant
touched It with such an appearance of susniciop