The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-04-12
A TERRIBLE TURMOIL
ny WITCH HAZEL.

mind to adhere no longer to the poky
old plan ofmy grandmother-which was
to begin in the attic, and wind up in the
cellar-but determined to strike out 10
another direction and so, while the
subject was rife in my mind, ] set about
executing my new projects at once, al
though it was but the first of April, and
the weather quite chilly and raw. In
the first place, | had every stove moved
out, then every carpet taken up, all the
pictures removed from the walls, the
curtains down, everything piled out on
the back porch, and the carpetless halls
crammed to OVERLOOKING with books,
chairs, feather-dusters, vases hair-mat.
tresses, parian brackets, and pillows;
and while everything was in the widest
confusion, Frank came in with dstended
eyes. -l
What on earth is all this. Hattie?'
he exclaimed.
why, Frank" replied, pausing in
my efforts to reach a swaying cobweb,
I'VE have commenced cleaning house"
and lowered my broom, and looked
straight in his face to see if he fully
realized the importance Of these words /;
but to my chagrin, he looked utterly in
different, and brushing off some stray
cobwebs which had floated down from
the ceiling on to his coat-sleeve, asked
impatiently, isn't dinner ready?'
Dinner" | cried 81 had no idea it
was so late. have mt even COM
menced dinner yet.
Pretty state Of affairs" grumbled
Frank. II brought Ed. Graham home
with me.
Where is he?" asked family.
in the parlor,' replied Frank, crust
ily. The floor is bare; there isn't a
chair or any thing else for the man to
sit on expect I'll find him seated on
the piano. But come, Hattie" he add
ed, what are YOU going to give us to
eat y
so, Frank" | said, coaxingly, think
ing Of my rough hair and the grease
spot on my dress, cant You get Your
dinner downtown to-dayY
Frank looked cross, and said he sup
posed he could, and went down to the
parlor. leaned over the banisler, and
when Frank opened the door, caught a
glimpse of Ed. roaming around the
desolate room, shivering, with his hands
in his pockets. | watched them go
through the hall, and heard Frank
making some hateful remark about
women and house cleaning. He slam
med the door violently, and / serenely
resumed my sweeping, not in the least
disturbed by Franks unconcealed an
noyance and provoking manner. Frank
was always little unreasonable and
he was always bringing somebody home
to dinner when | least expected it.
Just then, little Ted came toddling in,
and wanted to help As I was about to
make change Of base, took him
with me down to the parlor, gave him
a rag and basin of water, and told him
he might clean the floor. He sat down
in one corner of the room, and with a
face most unearthly, at once commenced
a vigorous scrubbing. Norah was up,
stairs, washing windows in the front
chamber. Suddenly there came loud
crash, followed by terrible yell; it
sounded as if the whole house was
tumbling down. Heaven! l ex.
claimed, what can have happened"
| mounted the stairs, two steps at time,
and there beheld Norah lying full
length on the floor, amidst debris Of
broken stepladder, pieces of glass, and
soapsuds.
What is the matter p cried TO the
grooming girl. :,
"Shure, mum, fell off the the ladder
agin the windy, an cut myself most
awful" moaned Norah.
| helped the heavy girl to arise,
bound up her lacerated arm, left her to
pick up the fragments Of glass and
wood, and returned to the parlor. there
to find Ted securing the piano-less with
the scrubbing-brush. quickly re-
lieved him from all further labor, bun
died him up, and sent him out into the
yard to play. =.
Faith, mum, said Norah, standing
in the door, 81 feel so faint, an if don't
be takin somethin' strong | cant
work no more to-day.
Then make yourself some tea, |
replied. =, m
But Norah disdainfully said, "Shure
never could stomach tay; the very
smell OF it makes me sick"
well, then, take some brandy, |
replied. Now, I ought to have known
better than to allow Norah to help her
self to the brandy, but being in such a
hurry to finish the parlor l could not
conveniently stop. When had occasion
to 90 throu Oh the hall again, l paused
and listened; | could hear nothing OF
Norah moving about, SO once more l
mounted the stairs. There, in the mid
die of the room, she sat in a rocking
chair, a bucket of water stood before her,
while she swayed lazily back and forth
with the mop in her hand, which left q
long trail dirty Of water behind it
"Norah I" | cried, didn't ! tell you
to mop this floor
Faith, mum, and I'm don' it as fast
as | can she replied.
How can you mop sitting down p
. | asked indignantly.
"Shure, I'm so tired, | thought
could do it better a sittin down she an.