Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1865-07-28
My First Experience in House
Keeping,

= Dear EHen.-- Y on have often asked me TO give
you q history of my commencing housekeeping
| Well l really don't kown as any one can be much
interested in such common things; but, if you'can
be benefited by it am willing to tell you some Of
the experiences Of q beginnerin one of the m os
trying situations poor person can be placed in
And let me advise you, when you take the same
cares aud responsibilities upon yourself, by al
means don't sit down,and cry or make great fuss
if your pretty hand gets little rough and brown
lii docs no good 4f
| alv ays thought myself quite smart in all Kind:
| of domestic accomplishments for you know my
mother was not always able TO attend to her house
hold affairs. So / was put in general superinten-
dent when she was sick. 1t was all very fine then
for we had one of the best Of cooks; and all that
had to do was to ask ma what should be got fol
dinner or supper and then carry the bill of fare tc
Katy; as far as giving orders, Inever could bt
| beat.
Then ! occupied mas place at the heado the
table, and did sundry other thing which to me nt
that time were all that was required TO be model
lhousekeeper But my starsl Helen, when came
to be my own mistress, and had no ma to ask, OF
Katy to cook, i found,my accomplishments were
rather on a small scale. was almost sorry that
had urged your Uncle Charles to keep house..
But to the trialsl The furniture was moved and
settled in our rooms. | commenced getting oni
first meal alone. How bright were our anticipa.
llUHS VI luul itll 81 III
ability to get up something good and nice that
would not have Charley get any bread or cakes a
the bakers; | wanted my own cooking, aud none
but mine, so | set myself to work.
In the first place ! was going TO have one o
Katy's kind of apple pies, for those pies were my
delight when at home; and Charley thought they
were so good too. Well everything was on the
table, apples pared, flour, butter spice and plates
set in military mot apple pe) order, around me- SC
that there should be no mistake. We'll, put my
hands lin the -four just as had seen Katy do
rubbed the butterin the flonr. All very well SC
! far; then / turned in some water, stirred up thu
/ four-but oh, Gear how should / ever get my
hands out Of such fnuss9 was the next question
/ mixed and mixed, but the dough only stuck th'
more, and like the big snow balls the boys used t.
roll on the commons, grew larger and still larger
not finger could see. ..
Charley proposed scrdping my hands with thu
carving knife but thought was in as much of
scrape as cared about, and would have to pu
them in again; so squeezed as much of the dougl
off as could get and washed them clean, so as t
make q new beginning.
! When got ready to roll the crust out there wa
no rollng-pin, so | must wait until Charley conlt
go down to the store for one When he got bach
my fire was all gone out the oven cold, and every
thing looked discouraging enough.
Well, to cut the story short, my pie got baked
dinner, (for, may rather call it supper, for had
been nearly three hours geetng up dinner for two,
was announced ready; and such dinnerl Tht
coffee was like mud, the steak was tough, potatoes
just half cooked, and the pie--Ohl my pie hat
dotted so much on; after all my trouble and pain
what grand failure. There had no sugar beer
put in Through mistake, of course;) the apples a
hard as when put them in; the bottom crust al
dough. In short our dinner was considered con
traband, and handed over to the rightlul owners
the hogs. sat down and cried with yexaton anC
. main my hand had bean had h,lry ypd fnc