Maryland free press., 1866-05-31
One of my Washing Days.

Washing days, with far too many house.
keepers, are days of trouble and disorder.
I've tried washing machines twice, and
twice abandoned them, for instead of di-
minishing, they increased the trouble and
disorder Your true biddy always rufles
her feathers at every attempted improve
ment in her domain. She is dead set a.
gainst labor-saving machinery or new in
ventions in the culinary line. AS for
washing she has no faith in anything but
hard knuckles and cherry board, and in
regard to time, it must be from sun to sun
steam and soap-suds, from morning to
dusky twilight.
Getting desperate, as housekeepers some
times will, when tried beyond endurance,
I 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 a
washing day incident, which I design to
relate. keep two domestics, one nur-
sery and housemaid, and the other cook.
I hire washerwomau on Mondays, to
whom the sum of seventy-ive cents has
been usually paid for the days work.
One Monday evening, few weeks ago,
just after the gas had been lighted, 1 was
sitting at my work-stand, with Hetty on
a stool by my feet, reading new book,
which her father had brought her at din
ner-time, when the cook came in, and
said
"Mary's done the washing, ma'am."
took out my porte-monnaie, and had
selected three quarters of a dollar, when
the cook added
"Mary thinks she ought to have a dol
lar"
"Well, she won't get it," was my quick
and rather excited answer. "Three quar-
ters are enough, and all she'll receive from
m, never saw such people! you can't
satisfy them"
"It's big wash," replied the cook,
','and hard work, standing over the tub
from morning till night"
.'There's no use in talking" said I,
sharply. II shall not pay her dollar"
"Maybe ye'd be after deviden' it wild
her then, Suggested the cook, who had
gone over to the side of Mary. ''Say yell
give her shillin' more than three quar-
ters?" .....
"Maybe wont, then," said I positively,
Cook went down stairs, leaving me in
not very comfortable state of mind. l
felt annoyed 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.. Will
kins came in soon after, and the subject
passed from my thoughts. lie brought
me home q small photographic impression
of that sweet picture, entitled "Past and
Future" with which I was delighted.
How much did it cost" was a very
natural question.
"Only twenty-five CENTS" was the re-
ply. cd. ".... ...... ... e..
Indeed! Isn't that cheap?"
"Yes, very cheap, Impressions of this
kind are usually sold at from fifty cents
to dollar" .... ..... .....
"Can you get any more of them?" in
quired. ..a
Eyes" ' '''
eat the same price?" ..,. .-.......'
"Oh, yes" .... ..r. .......
"Pd like two more," said I. "Will
you get them for me tomorrow"
Certainly; but what do you want with
two more2" "a. ..........-.', +., (.
, II would like to give one to Mrs. Walk
er, and send the other to sister Alice"
"You shall have them, was my hus-
bands, cheerful response.
"Did you get me the note paper and
envelops?" I now inquired, remembering
little commission I had given him in the
morning, '' ''.Hst ~' b.. 5H
He drew forth package and placed it
in my hand. - - ..n., - a 49, '
"Gilt edgef" I asked, .
"Yes." p
"Pink lined envelops?" " .