National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-10-09
How | Cleaned the Cellar.
A STORY FOR YOUNG LADIES.


exclaimed, as put aside the little
plain white curtain Of my window,
and brushed the lilac branches with
their half opened blossoms away
''It is the first day this spring that
has had a breath of summer in it
| must finish my new calico to wear
to the bee tonight. am 50 glad
it is just that color-lilac is so be.
coming to me. at least people say
so.n
Strange that when said "people,"
l only thought of one person, of
medium stature and tolerably black
whiskers ; but then that is the gen.
eral word, and the mind of woman
particularizes they say. had no
sister, SO of course all these remarks
had been only for my own benefit.
Down the stairs l went. still in
the lilac dress humor, only to pass
into the shadow of great cloud
Aunt Hannah was busting around
in her highest excitement, and her
"cleaning dress,"- former moth
ing unusual, the latter-well, | knew
all that toretokened. Sometimes |
believed it to be an honor to be
counted the unworthy niece of the
most notable housekceper in town;
but that was when at picnic, no
seed cakes were so fair and tender,
no crullerS Of such delicate crisp
ness. AT home it was a different
matter, lost all appetite at ouce,
noticing which, Aunt Hannah said
EAT "a hearty breakfast, niece
Jane, we must clean the cellar to-
day; and Of all places | know that
needs it the most"
SO while | swallowed my coffee in
gulps, | meditated upon the situa.
ton in no enviable mood, | had
submitted to house cleaning as a
necessary evil, sort of spring dis
ease but this atterpiece, especially
in my preoccupied state, was no
slother.
An hour after, any one taking
the trouble to look, would have seen
"Niece Jane" slowly descending the
cellar stairs in a short and some
what soiled delaine, sleeves rolled
to the elbow. and hair done up in
anything but a becoming knot.-
For what is the use in getting
ones net all filed with cobwebs iu
that old cellar y had been my men.
tai query. When | had fully ar
r..Sed myself in this becoming man
ner, | had taken Il look IN my small
mirror, just to see if it would break.
"A pity Frank Carter could not see
you,' | apostrophized. And now
you know all about it. OF course
Frank Carter was the person OF me.
dium height and black whiskers be.
fore mentioned,an who was in some
way connected with the lilac dress
a spruce young merchant in the
village, not exactly of The band.box
order, and yet approaching thereto.
But | have been on the cellar
stairs a long while YOU will think.
Aunt ilannah's voice arouses me.
"JoSidh will come in in a little
while and take ont the heavy things.
Open the outside door and hustle
around, don't dream away the time.
will come as soon as | get this
: soap or
: Mechanically | obeyed, aud opened
: the outside door, letting in the sweet
q spring breath and sunlight, and re
! ] tAf
beauty. In the corners there hung
the great webs, filed with dust,
swaylng lightly IN the air, and my
upliited broom dropped, while
looked through the ilmy network
/ shining like silver in the sunlight
9 that struck it aslant through tn,
; window; and thought how few il
t our daily lives are willing To weav,
$ rare beauty i'll the corners, and avail
e the time OF Gods opening Tor th,
= world to see.
Then ! saw the bin of potatoes
!, sending their pale Shouts-gran,
cathedral columns for the mice OF
e the shelves lay the remains OF th
t winters store of apples, like societ,
II in general, who find on the shelve
n OF opinion their places very mucI
t rs they deserve. A few have KEEP
g NJ Il cir spirits, and stand now I'reS
|. aud nvitlngly fair; some are drie
J, up in all the juices and sweet allr,
II tons. aud no hand cares for then
while others, bloatcd aud dark, M
$ marks for the spollcr. The cabbag
o stalks are crowned with sreenL es
=, life upon death.
&c But | am afraid | have no ligl
I. to the name Of Aunt Ilannah's nice,
e for there have ! been dreaming an
Ii nothing done. SO tying II handke
1t chicf over my head in that stII
II which makes nuns so greatly ~
Di mlred ] was soon raising the dtH
II in good earnest. The long film
o. cobwobs swung down from thei
'e resting places, and settled upon III
faee and head, until felt like
monstrous spider myself | ha
lust settled down To cleaning I'll
is. corner back of the door, when
1t, heard voices aud steps descendin
!. the stairs.
y. Conscious of my peculiar nppca
~ ance, | sank as iuI ~ possible w
hind the potatoe bin and listened
oh, mercy could IL be possible =
Ii was Uncle Josiah and the hero
,e. my dreams, the young nierchan
or Frank Carter 'Ot what avail no