The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1871-04-26
familr Reaoins ano News ltems.
TERRIBLE TURMOIL
BY WITCH HAZEL.
From the Home Journal

| From the Home Journal
Every year | endeavor to make some il
provemcnt in my method of house cleanin
This spring, made up my mind to adhe
! no longer to the poky old plan of my gran
mother-which was to begin in the atti
end wind up i'm the cellar-but dctermiu,
TO strike out in another direction and S
while the subject was rife in my mind. | S
about executing my new projects at ono,
although it was but tho first of April. and ii
weather quite chilly and raw. 1. the fir.
place, had every stove moved out, the
every carpet taken up, all the pictures re
moved from the walls, the curtains dowr
everything piled out on tho back porcl
and the carpetless halls crammed to owe,
flowing with books, chairs, statues. feathe,
dusters, vases, hair NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
cts and pillows; and while everything wa
in the widest confusion, Frank came i
with distended eyes.
What Oh earth is ALI this, Hattie :" h
exclaimed.
why. Frank" replied, pausing in m
efforts to reach swaying cobweb. ..w
have commenced cleaning house," and
lowered my broom, and lookel straight i
his face to see if he fully realized the i'm
portance Of these words; but to my cha
grin, he looked utterly Indifferent, an,
brushing off some stray cObwebs which ha,
foa,cd down from the ceiling on TO his coet
sleeve, asked impatiently, 'Is mt dinne
ready p Dinner | cried; IL had u,
idea it was so late. have Mt even com
menced dinner yet
Pretty state of affairs" grumblei
Frank, IL brought Ed. Graham home with
me.''
Where is he :" l asked. family.
I'm the parlor," replied Frank. crustily.
1.-The floor is bare; there is n'ta chair VI
anything else for the man to sit on. l ex-
pect I'll find him seated on the piano. But
come, Hattie,' he added, "what are you
going to give us to eat :"
20, Frank" l said, coaxingk, thinking
of my rough hair and the greese-spot on
my dress, 'can't you get your dianer down
town to day p
Frank looked cross, and said he supposed
he could. and went down to ths parlor.
leaned over the banister, and when Frank
opened the door. caught glimpse of Ed.
roaming around the desolate room, shiver-
ing, with his hands in his pockets. l
watched them 60 through the hall, and
heard Frank making some hateful remarks
about women and house CLEANING. He
slammed the door violently, AMI l serenely
resumed my sweeping, not in l,c least DIS
turbed by Franks unconcealed annoyance
and provoking manner. Frank was always
a little unreasonable, and he was always
bringing somebody home to dinner when l
least expected it.
Just then, little Ted came toddling in,
and wanted to help. As vas about to
make change of base. l took lin with me
down TO tho parlor, gave him rag and
basin OF water. and told him he might clean
the room. and with a face Of NEST uncarthly
solemnity, at once commenced vigorous
scrubbng. Norah was up stairs, washing
windows in the front chamber. Suddenly
there came loud crash. followed by ter-
rife yell; it sounded as il the whole house
was tumbling down. "Heavsns ex-
claimed, "what can have h,ppened." I
mounted the stairs, two steps & time, and
there beheld Norah lying full ength on the
floor, amidst debris of broker step bladder.
pieces Of glass, and soapsuds.
.'What is the matter :" cried to the
groaning girl.
s.Shure, mum. l fell off thu ladder agin
the windy. an cut myself most awful"
moaned Norah.
l helped the heavy girl to arise. bound
up her .lacerated arm, left her to pick up
the fragments Of glass and wood, and re-
turned to the parlor. there to find Ted
securing the piano-legs with the scrubbing
brush. quickly relieved him from all fur
ther labor, bundled him up, aud sent him
gu. in the yard to play.
Faith, num- said Norah. standing in
the door, II feel SO faint. an if dent be
takin somethin' strong can't work no more
to- day"
..Then make yourself some tea" re-
piled.
But Norah disduinfuily said. .'Shure
never could stomach tay !; the very smill Of
it makes me SICK"
well. then, take some brandy" re-
Piled. Now, ought to have known better
than to allow Norah to help herself 10 the
brandy. but being in such a hurry to finish
the parlo- l could not conveniently stop
When l had occasion to 60 through the
hall again. paused and listened could
hear nothing of Norah moving about, SC
once more mounted the stairs. There, il
the middle of the room, she sat in rock
ing chair, a bucket Of water stood bcfor,
her. while she swayed lazily back and fortl
| with the mop in her hand. which left long
trail of dirty water behind it.
..Norah!" l cried, ..did mt tell you t,
| mop this floor 7"
caE sEaitbh bsho TAm TqeAa. and I'm doin, il as fast
..How can you mop sitting down!"
asked Indignantly.
.Sbure. I'm SO tired, thought coul
do Il Better a-sittin' down." she answered
..Get right up out Of that chair" said
ENoruh slowly -nrose and staggered sgains
'' -Iiic. mum, hic. yez see Is very wake.
"You'rc drunk, you had better say"
replied.
..Drunk.d ye call it ~ exclaimed Moral
angrily. trying to look digni6ed; '.drunl
after takin' one tay-spoonful Of brandy i
quart Of water ~
Leave the room and go to bed,' said in
dignantly; ..to-m morrow shall dismiss you.
After much arguing Norah finally decid
1 ed to retire, and was left sole monarch I
all the dirt aud disorder. l surveyed th
room for a while in dispair. but the wor
had to be done. and seized the mop an
soou finished. When l was about to de-
scend the stairs, all tired and dirty, hear
Frank calling, Hattie! Hattie! where i
tte werll are you! I"
4 Here" l replied.
4 Frank.camc up the uncarpeted stairs an
stumbled over the mop. .Confound it :
he cried. ..why is this house as dark 4
Egypt ~ s.Well'' he wrnt on. .'are We I
60 supperless as we'll as dinnerless T.
| There Is no FIRE made = / said, "and NJ
rah is drunk, and am tired to death
and--and--" here L burst into tears, an
sat down on the wet floer.
why. Hattie Hattie what are yo
Il CRYING about I'll make the fire; neve
a ~