Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-11-17
MASCULINE EXPERIMENTS IN THE
HOUSEKEEPING LINE.
by HENRY WARD BEEcuER.

by HENRY WARD BEEcuER,
Every well-bred woman has had occasion to Ia
ment the ignorance in which men live, without
shame or selEreproach, of the commonest elements
of domestic economy. How often does the skillful
wife lecture the discontented husband about the
impossibility of getting a breakfast in ten min
utes, or of always having things up to an imagi-
nary perfection, or of doing as we'll on washing
days, or when the cock is sick, or has broken her
temperance pledge. or when there has been an in
surrection among the help. Ohly the constant re-
minders Of the excellent woman at the head of the
bureau of domestic affairs can keep men from pre-
sumptuons remarks and Ignorant complaints. 1t
would be we'll if men could sometimes be left to
do their own work. We have an experience to re-
late.
Our summer vacation was ended, but the family
were to remain in the country until the frost open
ed chestnut burrs and nipped the boys fingers.
We concluded to board ourselves for the day OF
two. 1t was Saturday. We began to reflect upon
the stores to be laid in for Sunday, and the method
of preparing them. We have a little gas stove
invaluable for sickness, for pet suppers, and fol
returned gentlemen disposed to make their owr
tea. With it we could boil and bake. To byoi
G" OOJOhA nc 9 n il-OIJ NJ any Iul6, D6NOnQ Oui
knowledge of its capacity. We rummage the
shops and alighted upon a gas-broiler, to be de
scribed hereafter.
We proceeded next to our grocer's, ordered six
canteieupF, as many tomatoes, and bread. Or
reaching home, it occurred to US that butter wa,
sometimes used with bi 'qd, and that had been for
gotten. We went back for it, and also procured
half a dozen eggs. On rejecting how the egg.
were to be eaten, pepper and salt came to mind
and not particle of either could we find ir the
well-cleaned castor. We looked into the store
closet, behind bottles, tore a little hole in every
paper package, found sage, summer savory, catnip
empty spice boxes, salt bags used for eorks, and
nests of boxes of all sizes, some with a smell Of
allspice, some with odors Of cinnamon, and others
fragrantot nutmegs, ginger and cloves, but nc
salt--pepper likewise. After wasting time in or.
der to save 1t, back we 60 again to the grocer foT
salt and pepper. A few crackers, also, and a few
behring's.
Next, we reflected upon the poor elements of q
solitary gentleman's dinner. Soup was out of the
question. Roast, boiled and fricasee, were reiec.
ted. Fowls and fish we're marked out. And only
por.or-house steak and mutton-chop remain. The
quantity staggered US q little. But to err on the
o'HS "PPooho ihuiHeg we OrQereq two Deetsteaks
and five pounds of mutton chops. tLet the SEQUEL
be told As there was nobody in the house to
receive them, We raced home to tend the door.
We waited a full hour, and when at length the
things came in, our patience had gone out.
Next we found that coffee must be bought, then
tea (Eoglish breakfast tea, of course, real Shou-
~shopg-ths only tea of thorough refinement, green
teas being for unlearned drinkers.) These we
brought home 10 our own hands. At length our
laoors OF preparation seemed over, and we began
70 contemplate results,-when it flashed upon ms
.na' there was neither milk nor butter in the
noSse4 These caused another journey. We hun.
,sa up a Kitchen knife aud fork, for every ayaila-
DO Instrument had been carried away. and The
'"ser was locked up in somebody's safe. Tins
no'nipg Was left for burglars. and nothing for me.
rms round Of investigation / gained an acouaip-
lance with my own house, which FORTY yea,s of
common lie would not bestow. 1 found ont all
s'oo's The sidc-bqard. it's spoon drawer. is psDtin
drawer It's closet, and that secret Ora wer on ssoh
SIDE 50 cunniogly arranged that no thief vonId
ever suspect its presence, until be found !, ~,