The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-22

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they think is best for you"
"Aunty Harris, set me TO work.
must be busy, or 1 shall 60 madw
'Well, honey, 1 won't deny that
there is plenty of work to be done; and
in order to make it pleasant-like, so that
you may be broken into the kitchen
harness by degrees, I'll give you the
management of the seed stores. The
old man gathered all the seeds in their
season and put them in these sacks and
on those blankets and in boxes here and
there. I'm getting old and stif-like,
and don't get through the work like
did once. Dear me! When my little
children-long since dead and gone
were all clinging to my knees, could
keep up my work a great deal better
than now. There's watermelon seeds
ON the boards yonder-four varieties.
They're to be labeled and put up in pa
per sacks. These things must all be
made secure before the corn is marketed,
for the mice will be troublesome after
that. There's the muskmelon, cucumber
and tomato seeds, dried in their own
juices to make 'em perfect they must
be cleaned and 'sorted-and mind, don't
mix 'em. Here's radish pods, long red,
fall white, and the like; they mustn't be
mixed, mind you, for seeds amalgamate
like men and animals. Here's pea pods
and bean pods, ever so many varieties.
There's cabbage pods and kale and mus
tard, waiting to be crimowed out. Here's
onion sets, onion seeds and seed onions
for next year. And here"
''Stop, Aunty Harris, do pll never
be able to remember half you tell me
unless you give shorter lessons. am
deeply interested, though, and believe
that 1 shall like farming first rate when
I've once thoroughly mastered the busi-
ness"
81 thought it was housekeeping you
wanted to learn, honey"
at suits me better to call this work
farming, or farm gardening"
"Well, go on; let's see how much of
this kind of work you will be able to
get through with this week"
To Ellen's surprise, her new occupa-
tion deeply interested and delighted her
For week she arose early and worked
diligently all day long, and when Sat
urday evening settled in tranquility
over that quaint old farmer mansion,
Ellen's delight over her achievements
was genuine. All along the shelves
were ranged neat rows of nicely labeled
seeds. The rubbish and litter were con-
signed to the manure heap at the back
of the great barn, where the delighted
chickens scratched it into fragments in
search of struggling tid-bits. The dirt
floor of the seed room was carefully
swept, and Ellen was better contented
and really happier than she had ever
been.
Steady, honest, industrious labor,
whether of brain or body, is ever the
best remedy for humanity's imaginary
or real woes.
The man Harris, who, with his wife,
had been a life resident of the Darcy
estate, was suddenly stricken with pal
/ ~. 1t was n severe trial TO the indus
trious and honest old man to be thus af-
flieted in the midst of his u5efulness, but
it was a yet greater trial for his faithful
spouse, and great loss to the always
well-orClered farm.
Old Mr.. Darcy was absent at the
State Legislature. For many years he
had been an active and enthusiastic pol
itician, and paid little heed to the man.
agement of his really fine estate; and
now, when politics could not cOnven-
iently spare him, he would not leave
his public post, but wrote home, advis-
ing his wife to employ a new farm hand
to take the long well-filled post Of honor
as menial and manager.
GRANDMOTHER, let me go to the vii
lage to hire n farmer" said Ellen. 81
can ride old Betty; Grundy can go along
for company, and shall enjoy it so
much"
What? a young girl like you to go
out on such business ?n was the surprised
reply
"Why shouldn't I thus go out, I won
der? Besides, I'd like to know who is
here to go if can't? Aunty Harris
can't leave her husband, and YOU are
not able to leave home. l am well and
strong and actually feverisb from, .l,o
want of some kind of excitement to start
my stagnating blood.n
"But, my child, how will you manage
this business ?"
'Tll go to the intelligence Office and
make the proper inquiries"
''The very thing to do, 1 really be-
lieve," said the grandmother, speaking
slowly; "but, Ellen, dear, how came
you to think of such thing?"
"I got information by learning
ma'am. Do you understands"
Grandmother darcy smiled.
'T believe that is considered a good
way to get information, dear; but ]
shall trust you to demean yourself as {
lady-as heir to the darcy estate"
(Which. would be a very pleasant
heirship to contemplate if it were moi
for the singing, grinning ghoul CT an in
cumbranee which hangs over it. Under
the circumstances, confess that Pm
ashamed of the Darcy estatew and Ell
len tossed her long bright locks defiantlN