Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-11-17

held us in long investigation. We climbed to the
top shelves Of the store closet, saw fragments Of
dishes, various old acqua;ntances that disappeared
long time ago. We searched the hall closet, and
the kitchen closet, the closets between tho two
rooms, full OF d~rawers, we got down on our knees
to look into lower closets, tucked it under suites Of
drawers, and we mounted upon barrels to peer
into high hooks and shelves, and in one case, the
barrel playing us a mean trick, we came down
both sooner and faster than wo had intended.
But how shall we describe our experiences,
when all these preparations resulted in an actual
mcal2 A long flexible tube was brought from the
central gas fixture, and connected with the pet
stove. To boil the water for tea or coffee was easy.
We had often done that. But we had forgotten
just now how much tea should be put in for q
drawing. And the quantity was certainly enough.
We diluted and diluted, and were prodigal Of milk
and sugar, without being able TO cover the prodi-
gious bitterness of the draught. We note the
two principal faults of tea making were too much
tea and TOO long stepping. 1t took US yet longer
to drink it, and longer yet to get over it, and into
sleep.
But this was all commonplace, compared with
our meat history. Tho broiler was very much
like two iron pot lids soldered together, with q
hollow handle attached. The gas came through
the handle into the space between, and the lower
section being perforated with a multitude of gas
holes, when the gas was let on the lower surface
was covered with blue Jets. The meat being
placed on a tin dish, the blazing cover was placed
on proper supports just over it, and shot its head
~downwards. 1t is a CO pital continuance. The
juice the odor, and the fragrant fumes, attempting
to escape were driven back into the meat, and in
my own case, such was the force of repression,
that they were driven out Of the plate and over
on to the dining room carpet; (for all my exploits
took place there.) Just as the meat began to siz-
zle and sputter, and while l was delightedly gaz-
ing at the process, the tube slipped off The handle,
The hame went out very suddenly over the meat,
but not til the escaping gas from the liberated
tube had caught fire and shot q flame across my
hands, that caused me TO drop broiler, knife, and
everything else, with astonishing celebrity. had
no idea before how spry l could be. The evil was
soon repaired, hnt only to play off again the same
trick, till L held the tube on to tho broiler With
one hand, and manipulated the meat with the 9TH
err. l sailed it, | %peppered it, l turned it twice,
the first time on the floor, the next time on to the
dish, but with the anne side up. The fork was a
four pronger. l could not get hold, or Just so far
as was ncedful to effect a deception and a disaster.
length l put out the gas, uncovered the meat,
took both hands, and triumphantly reversed the
obdurate meat.
1t was with some pleasure, but not much pride,
that l sat down, at length, to the repast. The
bread was bakers. OF course it was dry, tough
and tasteless. The tea ! have spoken of. The
meat was the grand dependence. 1t was s%ervicea-
BILE. l could hardly cut it, and could not chew it.
The tomatoes were good. The melons were not.
But tho whole dinner agreed with my theory of
moderation in appetite, and the satisfaction which
| lacked in eating l sought to gain by profitable
meditations.
Facilis descensus est averni sed revocare gra-
dunn, &c.-'It is easy to get dinner, but to wash
up the things, this is the burden and toilp Virgil
never spoke a truer word.
The water was hot. l found it out the moment
| put my hand in tho dish. 1t was the same hand
that the gas had famed on. reflected on the
difference between dry heat and moist holiness.
l could find no dish cloth. The grease would
not come off the plates. There was no soap. I
rubbed with my hand, which only gave the grease
a circular form on the plates. It length l got a
newspaper, and by vigorous rubbing, got the ware
into a presentable condition. The tea cups were
better served. l found a napkin On the bottom of
a spoOn-drawer. 1t was a mercy.
There wac no swill bucket, and nowhere to
throw the slops, and nobody that came for these
superhuities in summer. The melon rinds, the
tomato fragments, the inexorable meat scraps, and
the unmentiona5le suudries of a mans cooking
were beaped into the dish pan. There they stood.
Another newspaper served to rub down the table
1t was our last solitary meal. A week afterwards
the fragments were found standing on the table
where we had left them; the lamb chops we had
left and forgotten in the cupboard. and they had
a way of making their presence and exigencies
known. Indeed, our whole procedure in this case
met with the disapprobalion of the powers that
be, nor can We say that they exactly snited US.
But, we have now, a profound sense of a mans
dependence on woman for domestic comfort. In
stead of thinking that housekeeping is easv-a
mere nothing, we admire and revere the renius
that conducts so intricate a campaign as must be
every single days housekeeping.