Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-04-17
oune brides mingIed with their girlisl

sThere's another advantage, En-
Fanny remarked, in one Of their ante
nuptial conversations. sWe needn't be
tormented with many servants. Mas
life is sometimes nesrly worried ont Of
her with them. Don't you think II we
were to put out our Washing, one trim
little housemaid would do u.s. You
know, Fred and Dick will be away day
all and we mightcook There, now, don't
begin to laugh,r sheicontinued, as her
companions mirth burst forth at the
hesitating word. @Why shouldn't we
Almost every magazine and newspaper
contains such delectable receipts, and
then we both attended Mons Blots
course. For my part, my fingers are
absolutely itching 10 try some of those
marvellous pates and entrees, but | won't
do it here, with an Irish Biddyip poking
and prying over my shoulder.''i 'i,,,,.l
At length, however, came the oppor-
tunity of accomplishing their Utopian
schemes, and many of their plans of
usefulness were fulfilled. Any bright
spring morning the two ladies might
have been seen working in their gard
ems, chatting over the hard, botanical
names of plants, or discussing geomet-
rieal designs for the bed. Their CO
operative policy came into good play
here. Though each, of course, wanted
a woodbine, and clamatis, and a stock
of choice roses-in the matter of bed
dug plants they displayed a discretion
in buying, and a skill in dividing and
subdividing, which secured a most
charming variety at small expense.
Their mutual system was not confined
to out-of-doors. Were cakes to be baked
or russo, or blanc mango compounded,
one lady beat the eggs while the other
sifted -four and sugar, the result of
their united labor being often very cred
liable triumphs of culinary skill. But,
while Fanny really enjoyed the work,
it was evident that Ella only performed
it from sense of duty, being all the
while keenly alive to the curse entailed
by Mother Eve. Household labor, in
itself, held for her no charm, and there
were certain leisure hours of every day
when her neighbor could neither see
her nor learn her occupation. y
"I'm afraid Ella sleeps too much for
the good of her health" Fanny said
once, in quiet talk with her husband.
''Bnt, to be sure the weather is oppres-
sive, and she always had a great fancy
for shutting herself up in the afternoon.
Even when she was girl, at home"
As the summer advanced the young
housewives found ample employment
in canning and preserving the many
luscious fruits overflowing the markets.
To them there was freshness and
charm in the work; there were no
haunting memories of last years mouldy
jars to damp their enthusiasm, and they
entered upon the task with the hopeful
zeal of the novice. ani T. s5iif8 stli
One evening in September, when the
Delaware orchards were sending forth
their rarest treasures in the shape of
great golden and carmine Heaths, they
held quite a little bee. Pressing the
gentlemen into the service, they organ
ized one last, grand effort, as the finale
Of the season. With Ella it must needs
be the finale; for, on the morrow she
was to start to visit some friends in a
distant city. Itwas a most momentors
visit to her; for, on her return, that Sc
cret which she had carefully guarded
for so long would either be joyfhlly re-
yealed or buried in oblivion among 9TH
er crushed flowers of the summer.
Tonight there was an unwonted
buOyancy in her manner, and sparkle
in her eye, for hope was running very
high. She laughed and cliatted with al
most feverish abandon, and, for Won
der, never once thought of coveting the
diamond star cleaning upon Fred's
bosom. Surely, it must have been :.
mighty talisman which could so trans
form the demons of envy and jealousy.
The bright rays of the harvest moon
falling upon the low back porch of the
Harman's, revealed a merry group.
Great baskets of fragrant peaches stood
around the busy workers. and within
the kitchen, where the tidy maids Of
the two houses tended the syrup, were
arranged dozens of glass jars, with the
lids all ready to be clapped on. I'd
"We should have had fire outside, in
real Gypsy fashion," said Ella, "a ket-
tie hanging between two crotched
sticks"
Eyes; but the peaches might have
been smoky" answered practical Fam
ny, while Dick hummed-- asu /
& 1.-THE days we went gypsyins." sll
There! who can beat that?" cried
Fred, as having pared huge peach
without breaking the skin-save once
he threw the pairing over his head three
times and let it fall. "There's as com
plete an S as any one need want to see.
That stands for sugar, and means-'put
in some more.' told you, Fanny, that
you were using too little, and now the
oracle of the kitchen interferes to give
you timely warning"
81 think it stands for sauce-box,'
answered his wife, laughing, "and is am
intimation to yoa' that amateurs should
not proffer advice to professionals
"Oh, know!" cried Ella, bending
forward with cleaning eyes. "Ii
means success, and is intended for me. -
aSuccess with our canning" replied
Fanny, not noticing her closing words.
aSo it is. Well, there's nothing like the
assurance of triumph to encourage. ]
think can pare away faster, now.r
There was queer, little smile switch
ing at the corners of Elias mouth, but
she covered it by saying: It's 'mos'
as good as planchette, isn't it? Poor,
forgotten planchette," she added, with
half sigh for the amusing toy of .
vanished summer. i.ig rrY s.-.
"Ah, dear me, what questions we
used to ask it"' said Fanny. "But some
of the answers have come true, haven't
they, El?" ..ff i.iy s.-..
elf you please, ma'am, the syrap's
bling" came Nora's voice from within
and hastily leaving the memories o.
their girlhood and the seductive moon.
i q q n.