Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1871-07-13

two cows gave milk as yet, and | man
aged, with Georges help, to take care
of that
He did the first churning, and then
stood and teased me, as | tried to make
the butter take the form of roll,
pat, or, in fact, anything but a mass of
ycllowish foam that stuck to the bowl,
ladle and everything else it was allow
ed to touch.
Il have seen aunt put hot water in,
| think, George said, beginning to feel
a little puzzled, as well as |.
Eager to learn, l tried, turning it
directly on the butter. This only
made matters worse. The mass abso-
lutely turned white at the indignity.
| next experimental with shallow
earthen vessel and spoon. These
worked a little better, and | had fash
ioned it into something like a present
able shape, when in trying to turn off
the last ounce of buttermilk, it slip
ped from the dish into the slop-bucket,
and my first churning was finished.
My next brilliant effort was at soap
making. Aunt had said, there is an
abundance of ashes to make up all the
grease. l have made ley and cleansed
it all, so you will be spared that trou-
bic, and there is the kettle belonging
to the arch to make it in
So much gained, I thought. And
one day when George and the hired
man were away, and would not be
home for dinner, | began my work.
First | made fire in the arch, under
the kettle, then put in my grease, and
when it was melted, filled up the ket-
tie with ashes. But somehow it would
not come to soap, cook it as | would.
(How was | to know that water should
have been put on the ashes? | GER
tainly did know that water and grease
would not mix.) Finally the grease
took fire. | cannot tell to this day
what saved the building, for | had a
prodigious bonfire, and was myself
considerably burned. And thus end
ed my soap making
1 was suffering good deal, but the
hungry men must have some supper
Toward night / gathered up what |
had cooked, and then went to the barn
to find some eggs to boil as easiest for
my burnt hands. / had no trouble in
finding a nest, but the hen was on, and
obstinately refused to leave. l got
the eggs, however, and left the foolish
old thing in an empty nest. My hands
panied me so severely that George had
to superintend the cooking Of the eggs.
Are they fresh, Margaret@
Quite so l gathered them myself
this afternoon.
They were soon ready, and the first
one broken displayed a full grown
chicken.
why, Margaret, where did you find
them?'
In the tanning mill. And the mis-
cradle old hen pecked and scolded,
and was determined not to give them
up
and no wonder. They are some
eggs of fancy fowls, that aunt bought
at a fabulous price, and charged me to
be so particular about them. She
would have been glad to have raised
one pair-or even one bird. / Thought
you knew about them
Never, and | wish the old hen had
her eggs, and we were back in the city
again = and after this very sensible
and womanly remark, / went off to my
room to cry with pain and homesick-
ness.
A few days after, when my hands
were quite healed, George proposed
that l should 90 to a back lot on the
farm, where there was an abundance
of wild Strawberries. / hesitated q
little, for l had mortal terror of
snakes.
Cant you 60 with me, Gcorge9'
Yes, and show you where they are.
But L must not stay
Il am afraid there are snakes out
there
Nonsense / have not seen a snake
since l came. And even if there
should be, they will be as anxious to
run as you will, assure YOU
But half convinced, l went. There
was goodly supply of the delicious
fruit, and after George left me I pick
ed quite contcntedly, until, as I chang
ed my position. veritable snake wrig-
gled directly toward me. With a
screamsthat ought to have frightened
his snakeship, if it did not, sprang
back, falling over as I did so, and dis.