Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-11-19
MRS. MELTILLE'S HOUSEKEEPING.
By CLARA AUGUSTA.

thai tue aOOulIuaUt0 pEoctlC6 6AtaItS upon
somebody the necessity of cooking ! This
standing over q hot stove in the middle
Of August, with the thermometer 95 de-
grees in the shade, is ruinous to white
muslin dresses and flowing ringlets.
Now love in cottage would be
quite reasonable thing if it wasn't for
the COOKING. but with the existing state
of circumstances, it is perfectly absurd to
talk of! That is, if anybody has spark
Of romance in his compositiOnl Young
people, who talk so beautifully and senti-
mentally about living on smiles and kisses,
would be glad before the close of a weeks
subsistence on such fare to set eyes(and
teeth, too, on a beefsteak and accom-
psniments.
We know we shall be rated vulgar 10
mention such a possibility, but so long as
i Is the truth, what care we? Just
nothing-so set US down as low, common,
msdiorcs, or whatever pleases you best.
Ne egive you carte Blanche.
Our friend, Martha Melville, commenc-
ed housekeeping with the rosiest Of all
rosy imaginations. If we were writing
Of her as she exists now, we should have
written her name Mattis, but as we are
speaking of her half dozen years ago,
We must present her to the readers ac-
quaintance as plain Martha, hoping she'll
excuse US for so doing. Martha married
(t's the firm conviction) for pure LOVE
nothing more, nothing less.
George Melville was a young lawyer
in the little village of ThirIow, and his
clients with their fees, being among the
things which were yet to come, he was
obliged to commence business on a some
what limited scale. Like an honest law
yer, however, as he was q he explained
the matter to Martha beforehand, and
she. with all the ardent devotion of a
young lady of seventeen, expressed her
willingness to follow him into the lowest
Jungle in Africa, or to the summit of the
talIest iceberg upon which the eye of the
lamented Kane ever rested! But as
George required no such sacrifice, she
was obliged to satisfy her longings fol
martydom by retiring, on her marriage
toa little fve-roomed cottage, half hiddeI
from the public road by two large chest
nut trees. Roses-those necessary aux
iIiaries to love in a cottage-there wer,
none, but Martha cherished the idea O
planting some at no very distant day.
They kept no servants-frstly, be
cause Martha SAID it would be so delight
ful TO work for George-and there woul
Be no prying, unsympathizing eyes
witness their tender little tets tstss.-
Secondly, because George could not a
ford the expense of an Irisher.'
Well, one Monday morning, about
week after their removal to the ne
house, Martha found her larder(whic
had been amply supplied with cooke
edibIes through her fond mothers care
nearly empty. George wanted his breal
fast in hurry as there was prospe
ofa lawsuit between John Smith al
his nearest neighbor John Brown, al
Georges chance ofbecoming Mr.. Brown
counsel was promising, if the thing cou
be made to go on.
There was bread to bake, coffee to co
coct, table to set, floor to sweep, and d
toilet to make, for Martha could I
think of appearing at the breakfast tai
without her muslin psjgHOir, and tu
head-dress. After she was duly attir
in these becoming habiliments, she CO
menced preparations. The first dash
the stove, left a spot black as ink Up
her lily arm, and smeared the spOtl
sleeve of her elaborate morning dress.
When this mischief had been as nea
remedied as possible, Martha turned
attention to the bread making. Ma
read that was easy enough, certainl
he said to herself, but how was 1t to
zone? The Family Housewife '
hunted up, and George deputed to r
he prescription.
'One pound Of -four, sweet n
enough to knead, two table-spoonfuls
zream of tarter, and li;tle salt. v
good that was but little to do, so Mar
forthwith mixed the required ingredie
with the exception of the salt
George my love, how much IS Ii
salt /?
well, I hardly know, my dear a
Cr so, I should think, viii be suficien
4 gill, or 50, was added BY the OBJ
eut Martha, and the bread committed
the oven.
GeorOe won't vou inst nut IN q