Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-04
SCENES IN MY HOUSEHOLD.

QOneu lneun, lot lnstodQ OF DIMINISHING, lnoy
increased the trouble and disorder. Your true
Biddy always rufies her feathers at every at
tempted improvement in her domain. She is
dead set against labor-saving machinery, or
new inventions in the culinary line. As for
washing, she has no faith in anything but hard
knuckles and a cherry board; and in regard
to time, il must be from sun to sun-steam
and soap-suds, from morning till dusky twi-
light.
Getting desperate, as housekeepers some
times will, when tried beyond endurance,
turn over a new leaf now and then, and throw
my kitchen cabinet into confusion. Biddy,
however, is sure to get her revenge, and drive
me into the old order of things.
But this is keeping me back from washing
day incident, which design to relate. keep
two domestics, one nursery and hOusemaid,
and the other a sock. hire washerwomsn
on Mondays, to whom the sum of seventy-fve
cents has beeh usually paid for the day 8 work.
One Monc.ay evening, few weeks ago, just
after the f.ss had been lighted, / was sitting
at my W ork stand, with Hetty on a stool by
my feet reading a new book, which her father
had Fought her at dinner time, when the
cook came in, and said
" dary's done the washing ma'am."
L. took out my porte-monnaIe, and had Sc
lected three quarters of dollar, when the
COOK added
s.Mary thinks she ought to have a dollar" :"
Well, she won't get it, f" was my quick and
rather excited answer. "Three quarters are
enough, and all she'll receive from me. I
never saw such people you can't satisfy
them
IT'S big wash,'' replied the cook, "and
hard work, standing over the tub from morn
ing till night"
There's no use in talking said 1, sharply
81 shall not pay her dollar"
Maybe ye'd be after dividin' it Wia her
then, suggested the cook, who had gone over
to the side Of Mary. "Say ye'll give her
shillin' more nor three quarters"
Maybe / won't, then," said I, positively
Cook went down stairs, leaving me in not
very comfortable state of mind. felt an
noyed at this demand. Seventy five cents was
all had ever paid, or ever expected to pay,
for days washing. A dollar seemed out of
all reason. Mr.. Wilkins came in soon after,
and the subject passed from my thoughts. He
brought me home a small photographs impres-
zion Of that sweet picture entitled Past and
Future, . with which was delighted.
How much did it cost ?" was very natu-
raj question.
ss0nIy twenty-five cents, ;" was the reply
Indeed. Isn't that cheap"
Yes, very cheap. Impressions of this kind
are usually sold at from fifty cents to a dollar I"
"Can you get any more Of them?" I in
quired.
Yes"
''At the same priee?"
"pd like two ,nors," said I; "can you get
them for me to- morrow"
Certainly but what do you want with two
more!'
- woulLl like to give one to Mrs. Walker
and send the other to sister Alice
"YO-d shall have them," was my husbands 8
chez ful response.
Did you get the note paper and envelopes7"
how inquired, remembering little commits
Sion had given him in the morning.
He drew forth a package, and placed it in
my hand,
. Gilt edge? ?" asked.
Yes"
Pink-lined envelopes" ?"
90. certainly; that was your direction. But
call it extravagsnt. Now, how much extra
do you suppose had to pay for gilt edge and
I'm sure don't know was my carelessly
spoken answer.
- Nor don't care, either, why didn't you
say2" He smiled with just a shade Of gravity
in his eyes, adding, I" But will inform you,
neTertheless-the pink gilt in that little pack
age cost just fifty cents"
Nothing so very ruinous in that" threw
back the words, laughingly.
- Not at all, only it just crossed my mind
that many poor man works hard all day for
just double the amount here spent in gold leaf
and tinting-useless, all. D."
1 dropped my eyes away from the earnest
look with which my husband seemed regarding
me. He had not meant to utter a rebuke, but
his words went home. My thoughts passed in
stantly TO poor Mary our washerwOman, and
her long, hard days work. / thought Of her
two little children at home, from whom she
had been absent since morning, and the mea-
gre provision she could make for them and
herself on the small sum Of her earnings-sev-
enty-fye cents day, with the certainty of
never more than three sr four dull days work
In a week. thought, likewise, ofmy refusal
to increase the sum Of one days earnings by
the small addition Of even single shilling,
which my cook, with more kindness and sym
pathy than I had given her credit for urged
me in her impulsive way, to advance. A shame
spot burned on my cheek.
Rising suddenly, / went down stairs, to the
kitchen.
"Where's Mary ?" asked
"Gone," answered the cook, coldly.
"Did she get her support"
"No, ma'am. She couldn't stay The wash
was heavy, and We didn't get through till late
"Why didn't you get her some supper?'
"I wanted to, but she said no, she vssn't
hungry"
I'm sorry" was my remark, and stood
thoughtful for some minutes. Conscience was
troubling me.
lis she coming next week, as usual ?"
Don't know, ma an. She didn't say Guess
as how she'll try to make day somewhere
else, if she can"
turned, and went up stairs, feeling alto
zether uncomfortable. What trife was the
sum to me which had refused to advance
to her Of how much importance. In parting
with il, I should never have felt the slightest
diminution Of comfort, while the gain to her
would have been great. Very exact was in
dealing with this poor woman, bargaining for
her work at the lowest rate for which IL could
be obtained, yet liberal in expending from q
mere generous impulse-siving away things Of
taste and ornament to persons better able tO
purchase than was TO bestow.
The matter troubled me. looked so sober
rs sat at the head Of the tea-table, that my
husband inquired with shade Of concern on
his face, il were not well.
90, yes" replied, rallying myself, "quits
we'll" and then tried to make conversation
In order TO push aside, if possible, the unpless
ant thoughts that intruded themselves. But
remained iii at ease. Conscience kept sccus
ing me- Had I been just, humane, consider
ate2 could not answer, yea. Fifty cents fol
gilt ana tint was thing Of no consideration
but twenty-five cents to my poor washerwo
man. who tsiled from sun to sun, was so weighty