The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-05-19

and one o'clock P. NJ found her weary
and almost discouraged, and the kitchen
still in disorder.
The sink was filed with dirty dishes
rusty knives, broken tumblers and cold
dish.water. The cupboard with hall
washed dishes, shelves covered with
crumbs, spices, scraps of cold mea. and
mouldy cheese, which formed very dis.
gusting sight. The smooth white floor
was covered with grease and dried
dough; the pretty cherry table had lost
it's varnish, and wore very dirty ap-
penrance
| Poor Julia she was weary and al
most discouraged; aud, all these things
meeting her view, she sat down, rested
her face on her hands and burst into
tears.
But that would not do; there was
nothing for supper, nothing cooked in
the house, but some cold burned meat
and few dry crumbs of bread with q
heavy heart Julia took her cook book
aud looked over a number of receipts.
Yes, that will do, biscuits and but
ter, some of my nice preserves Jane
made before she left, and some cookies
or some kind of cake; let me see i and
she named the different ingredients of
which each was composed, and, finally
set to work in earnest,
Reader, if you never made cake,
you may imagine how perfectly ignor-
ant was Julia. Butter, eggs, butter
milk, soda-let me see-I guess this is
the soda-yes, it says soda on the box
aud Julia proceeded to mix the afore-
said together, but TO her astonishment
the cake, instead Of being delicate col.
or, was almost black.
4 suppose it will be lighter when
baked let me see-sbake in a qaick
oven en'---wonder what quick oven is ?
we'll, the fire is all out, as true as the
world = and with this soliloquy she
burst into tears.
Yes, sure enough, the fire was out
every spark, and turning to the wood
box for shavings, her flowing sleeves
caught cup of melted butter on the
table, upsetting its contents upon her
dress and breaking the dish. As she
stopped to the floor to pick up the
fragments, the founoe of her thin dress
caught on a corner of the stone hearth,
making sad rent,-aud raising her
head from its STOPPING posture, gave it
stunning blow under the table, AL.
most dizzy with pain aud overcome with
vexation, after half an hour of blowing
and putting, the fire began to burn
Julia placed the cake in the oven, and
as she saw according to the cook bo6k,
it must bake three quarters of an hour,
looked at the time and calculated the
time it would be done, five minutes
twenty--it would not bake--more wood
was put into the stove, and as some 9th
er things needed her attention, she did
not look to it again until the striking of
the clock reminded her it must be done
Aud it looked done, in fact--black as
charcoal Julia tried to take it from
the pan, but is was impossible.
She was a picture then very different
from the morning when she said, never
fear that I shall ever be engaged in
kitchen labor then, reclining on her
crimson sofa, she dreamed not of day
like this.
Ring, ring. ring
oh. who can it be?' Julia glanced
at her dirty dress, at her arms and hands
covered with burns, smut and dough
her hair was standing out in very fan
tastic manner, partly unconined by
combs or pins, while her face was smutty,
wet with tears, and her eyes red with
weeping--oh, what a plighti-geLtle
ready or tidy housewife, believe me such
was the appearance Of Julia, the proud,
scornful Julia Harvard.
Ring, ring, ring
That would not do; there must be
something urgent to cause such q sum-
mons--forgetting her appearance Julia
now obeyed the call, ard the next mt
-ment stood facing her sister Louise aud
Mr.. Leslie made an excuse to go and her
husband. attend to the baggage, really
to leave the sister alone; and Julia, af-
ter confessing her past trials, beggedlher
isisterto forgive her past faults, and lend
her assistance in her hour of need.
81 Louise went into the kitchen, and af.
ter laughing at her sister little for
using indigo for soda, because the arti
ole han changed boxes, told her to 60 to
her room and dress, and she would at
tend to the eupper.
Louise quickly put everything in its
proper place--the biscuit were made,
table set, aud when Julia again appear
ed, Louise was ready to set down and
talk with her.
Not long after, Mr.. Leslie and Mr.
Harvard came in, and Louise was as en-
gaging and lady-like as if she had sat-
iu the parlor all the time. There was
not very great variety for supper that
evening, but the biscuit were light and
nice, and Mr.. Harvard thought it was
the best meal he had eaten for long
t;ra-