New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-09-14
Washing Day at Home.


day among those families who do their own
washing The way of observing it is very
similar. The first thing is to get the man
up an hour earlier than usual to get down
the boiler. We don't understand why
boiler is kept on the top shelf where nobody
but himself can reach it. But perhaps it is
not intended we should understand it. .Hav
ing got down the boiler and taken his place
at the table, and pronounced grace with d
benevolent aspect, he is called into the
kitchen again to lift the boiler up on the
stove. He finds it full of water and weigh
ing about three-Quarters of ton, but he
sinks his teeth into his lips, lays his
eyes out on his cheek, initiates those cheeks,
and accompiishes the task. After the
breakfast which is eaten hastily, and
from table that is garnished with
bar of soap, package of starch, and
blueing bag he is sent down cellar after
the tubs, washboard, bench, etc. He puts
both tubs together and the washboard in
side, with view to avoid coming down
stairs again, although he has been years
giving practical demonstration that rhose
things can't be carried at one tune. But he
grasps the inside OF the tubs with one arm
and takes the washbench under the other,
and starts for the stairs. No one who has
not tried it can begin to understand the
amount of circumspectlon required to en-
gineer q washtub and q washbench up the
same stairway at the same time. lie KNOWS
it, but there is an undying hope IN bis
breast that there is a way to accomplish it,
and he starts. Before reaching the stairs
the tubs slide around and the board slips
out. He thinks at first that he will put his
heel On it and split it in two, but changes his
mind, sets down the things and replaces the
board. Then he starts again, and when he
has got as far up the stairway as he can 90
without proceeding sideways he turns the
tubs to the front, but as his hold on them
has been gradually yielding all the while,
he finds they are so low they strike the
stair, and in an effort to raise them the
bench gives, and to save that he loses in
part his hold on the tubs, and before he can
recover it the board slips out and goes back
into the cellar, two steps at jump. He
turns round and looks over the tubs down
at the board, which he eyes with an inten-
sity there appears to be no call for, and
again attempts the ascent. He gets the
bench started ahead but the end catches in
the top step. and having exhausted his en-
durance and reach in getting it that far,
finds himself completely powerless to
lift it over the obstruction. 1t has
grown very warm in the last minute,
and his breath comes very short and
quick, and it seems as if the arm which
holds the tubs will very soon drop Off at
the shoulder and leave him cripple for
life, and at this juncture the outside tub
1oOsens and commences to slip and threaten
trouble. He presses his arm all the tighter
to the inside tub, and tries to get his knee
up against the outside one, but is too late.
There is squirm or too, and then it is over.
The outside tub lis down with the wash
board, having accomplished the trip with
noise that is almost deafening. Tue other
tub follows at once, being urged thereto by
kick that nearly throws him from his
feet, and then getting the door open he
shoves the bench into the kitchen and clear
across the room, to the apparent jeopardy
of the legs of the entire family. After that
he gets up the other thngs-lmaEing no re-
mark to any body, but looking around on
every one in a manner calculated to reflect
the greatest amount of discredit. Then he
puts on his coat, rubs his arms, and starts
down street, and gets out on the walk, when
he is called backsto bring up some wood.
If that wood was in the shape of a
burial casket it is extremely doubtful
if he could have looked more solemn in
taking it up stairs. At noon he comes home
to dinner and finds only one leaf up, the
table cloth in the wash, and that his wife
has cut the bread after cutting the soap.
What comments he contempates making
on this state of affairs are never made. He
is sent out in the yard armed with the
clothes line and an injunction not to drop
it in the dirt, and in the seclusion of the
SpdCC utNOlcu W lLc odth Ndlu lie NcubS
the spleen that has been gathering within
him, and whips that clothes line around
with sardonic joy. After that he comes in
with his teeth together, and lifts two tubs
full of water to the floor, and then goes
into the bed room and puts on dry pair of
pants. and grimly eats his dinner 1t may
occur to him that there is no difference in
this Monday from any that has preceded it,
but he can't help but wonder what kind of
misery that is which comes up every time
so fresh and formidable as to appear en-
tirelv new DnnLuru Nelrs