Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-09-21
ONE WEEK.
EVERY DAY BRINGS ITS owN WORN.

Early in the morning the very first Of the
week. before we were well awake, in came
Monday to spend the day, aud brought all her
washing. Ben heard her coming, and hur.
ried to make the fire and get the water over
by sunrise and it was well he did for such
large wash | never saw. Nell and Bell
aud | all had to help in the rubbing, the
wringing, and the hanging out. We did not
let mother touch a thing except the Gue
starch, because she had headache But
the rest Of US worked as hard as we could,
and it was not so bad as it might seem, for
the sun shone, the llacs smclled sweet, the
robins twitterod, and Monday was so good
natured, and looked so pleasant, laughing and
singing at her work, that Bell and Nell and
| began to laugh aud sing too, over the wash
board and over the rnsing.tub
Ben was lying on his back under tree,
making whistles.
Jump up, jump up, you lazy boy !" cried
Monday, cheerlully run over to the store
as quick as you can, and bring me bottle
of blueing p
Monday was forgetful that morning, and
did not think till after Ben had gone that
she ought to have told him to get starch too;
so when he came we had to send him right
back again That made Ben frown, and he
told Bell he should be glad when he got off
to school, where it didn't make any difference
when Monday came.
Ii was lucky we had some cold meat in the
house, so there was not much TO do for din.
ner ; but we managed to slip on a small ket-
tic of potatoes behind the boiler, and the tea
pot too, though the stove was pretty well
crowded, Monday said she had learned not
to be particular about her victuals, and as
long as she got her washing done, she wouldn't
mind what she had to eat.
So we worked, and rubbed, and rinsed, and
wrung, and every now and then Monday cal
led some of us out in the yard with her to
help hang the white things on tho line, or
spread them on the sweet, green grass. How
pretty NELL looked, with her white, bare
arms, and her cheeks like wild roses, as she
carried out basket full of Mondays table
cloths, napkins and aprons, to the line. But
when she came back her cheeks were great
deal redder than wild roses; they were more
like the wild scarlet geranium.
." | do wish" she said, that our yard
wasn't so close to the street, Every one that
goes by can look right over the fence"
"What of that ~ asked He'll "it is no
harm to be seen hanging out clothes"
81 know it," said Nell, ruefully; but
my dress was fastened all up around my waist,
just as Monday showed me how to pin it, and
my sleeves were up, and had on this old sun
bonnet"
glanced cut Of the window, expecting to
see the governor aud all bis daug ghters, at
least, to account for Nell's bushes but there
was no one but Bob Carter just disappear
ing round tho corner.
20, never mind" said Monday cheeriy
there isn't a house Of them all but what
visit. They all know what to expect when
Mondays about !"
The washing wasalmost done, and thought
when we got through we might have little
rest But no cOome girls, said Monday,
as the last piece was hung out, Come, let's
go right to work and wash up the oil-cloths,
and mop out the verandah -
So we did, and by the time that was done,
and the tubs put away, and everything set to
rights, it was almost time for Monday to go.
We had quiet little tea, and tho last of her
visit was really very pleasant, for we all sat
out in the verandah together, and watched the
sun 60 down behind the hills, and listened to
the birds twilight songs. But | was so tired
that by-and-by | slipped away from the rest
and went to bed. But | should not have de-
serted them so if had known that Monday
had concluded to stay a little longer, and fold
down and sprinkle all the clean clothes.
We all slept soundly that night, and would
have been glad to lie abed little later than
usual the next morning but you may have
noticed that as the week begins, so it goes on
all the way through and sure enough, at an
early hour, Tuesday came walking into the
house, bringing all her ironing She looked
heated apd flushed, and said she was afraid
she should not get through her work before
night so we put the irons on the stove in
hurry, and good-natured Nell got out the
board aud blanket, and finished off good
many little things, while Bell and fried the
ham aud made the coffee for breakfast
Tuesday said rather Grossly that we must
not fry another thing on the stove that day.
for it spattered the grease so, and plagued
her with the irons. Oh, what n warm day it
was We put on our thnnest calicoes and
opened all the windows 10 send draft through
the kitchen. 1t looked so cool and shady
out of doors, under the apple trees, aud we
wished we could stay out there and road or
play corquet but Tuesday shook her head
aud said We must wait for another day for
that.
What time we had Of it, Noll did the
starohed things aud made them look boauti.
fully; no French laundress could ever suit
father better with his shirts than Nell does
But | hurried 30, did not let my irons get
hot enough some of the time, and the things
looked rough, so | had 10 60 over them again.
Bell got hers too hot once, and scorchcd
napkin, and Tuesday got into quite a furry
over it for few minutes.
Z" What shall we get for dinnnr 2" asked
Nell, when it is almost noon, "'rhe cold
meat is all gone there is not bone left for
Tuesday"
80, never mind me- said Tuesday "Im.
too heated and tired to have much appetite.
How would it do to scramble some eggs
with shaved beef and bake little eustard 4"
" Just the thing" said Bell and III
do ii all and set the table, if you will iron
this tucked waist with ruhles, Nell"
80 patient Nell took the waist and crimp-
ed the ruifles to marvel Of nicely. Tues
days ironing was large one, but as no other
visitors came in, and we all helped, we man
aged to get it Gone by tea time, and the clothes
horse was piled full.
We were tired enough by that time, and
Bell and l declared we would keep on our
caicoes Just as they were, and not dress up
at all, for we meant to 60 to bed by seven
O'Clock. But Nell put on a cool, pretty