Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-06-01
NuzIin DeIaney's People Clean House

hed Vi IrouDle aDouI now, IL llle COIL
plants set forth in the following letter
from that gentleman have any founda-
tion in fact:
Mr.. EDITOR: We commenced clean
ing house the other day; that is, didn't
but our folks did.
BY the way, you are not acquainted
with the sharcr Of my joys and sorrows,
are you?
She is an cstimabIe woman, and house
cleaning is her strongest suit
If there is a period in the whole year
to which she looks forward with joyful
anticipation, that's it.
She seems to enjoy it even more than
moving, and that's saying Il great deal.
1t freshens her up wonderfully, and
brings her out III force.
And let her alone for making the
most Of it, too.
As a general thing, she keeps it up
for about n fortnight.
1t isn't that the house requires any
cleaning, you will understand.
It's internal nonsense.
Every man knows perfectly well that
there is no use in it, and that this stir
ring things up, and putting them all
back in the wrong places is wicked
invention.
But the women will do it-you cant
prevent them.
AS in the case of the Ancient Marin-
er, ''that agony returns upon them at
regular intervals, and until the sacrifice
has been made, and the ordeal passed
there is literally "nac luck about the
house
And melancholy marks me for its
own.
Because know that, however may
repent what has passed, | can by no
possibility avoid what is to come.
luasmuch as we don't move this year,
we are cleaning house more than usual.
During the carly part of last week
the carpets were ordered to be shaken
regularly every day since.
But don't think they are much dir
tier now than they were when on the
floor.
They were hung up ON clothes lines
which were stretched across the yard
like the warp in 4 wemer's loom.
yesterday, when attempting to split
stick of wood, caught the axe over
one Of these lines.
Whereupon ! witnessed free cxhi-
bition by "all star performers"
At the conclusion Of which / deliver
ed short address to an appreciatiye
audience consisting Of the mistress Of
the house and the servant girl
And emphatically declined to pick up
the carpets and pillow cases out of the
wet.
1t is hardly necessary to say that we
live in an atmosphere of dust, and that
everything smells of burnt straw and
tastes like soap-suds,
had almost forgotten to say that the
servant girl has acquired right of prop
erty in my fine boots and broad-brimm-
ed Panama hat.
And that she wears them about the
house and yard while laboring to en-
hance the misery OF all except her mis-
tresS.
And contributing her share toward
the general discomfort.
The parlor chairs have equity ap-
pearance, in consequence of their legs
being swathed in cloths.
And the only available thing | can
find upon which to sit down, is a piece
of board covered with bath brick dust,
previously used for securing knives.
The naked floors and stairs present a
cheerless appearance, and every football
has desolate sound.
But when | reflect that all this serves
to render happy her whom | once made
affidavit to cherish, am reconciled in
a degree.
Little piles of dirt are swept into cor
ners, and mops and pals and tubs are
set like traps for me to stumble over
and fall into, and ruin my temper.
OF course the bedsteads have been
taken down, and | have not whereon to
lay my head, except the floor.
AS a consequence, | have taken vio-
lent cold ; speak through my nose, and
every bone in my body aches,
| would venture to demonstrate
against some things; but it wouldn't do
any good.