The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-08-13

was to become a sort of queen---over
small territory, it is true, but filled with
adoring subjects. Mr.. S. is not very
communicative, and as he did not pull
down my castles in the air with any de-
scriptiOn of realities, / was rather disap-
pointed to find no roses or honeysuckles !;
but very misunderstanding house, with
an immense cOrn-field on one side and
kitchen-garden on the other. ! could
scarcely repress my tears; but Mr.. s.,
who had been accustomed to the prospect
all his life, welcomed me to my future
home as though it were all that could be
desired.
"The congregation soon focked, not
to pay their respects but to take an in
ventOry of my person and manners.
was quite young and naturally lively,
and old people shook their heads disap-
provngly at the minister's choice, while
grave spinsters, disappointed ones per-
haps, tossed theirs at the idea of such a
chit The very rigid ones black-balled
me from their community as unworthy
to enter, while the gay ones regard need
as sort of amphibious animal, neither
one thing nor the other.
Before long, the gifts of which you
speak thrOnged in. was pleased at the
attention, not dreaming in my innocence
that twice as much would be required of
me in return. My ignorance OH great
many subjects excited the contempt, and
often indignation, of my country neigh
bors; they of course made not the least
allowance for my city education.
6" was standing in the kitchen one day,
with delusive notion of making cake,
for my attempts in the cookery line al
ways placed me in state of delightful
uncertainty as to the end. 1t was quite
puzzle what things would turn out, when
a middle-aged woman made her appear
ance, and, without being invited, seated
herself near me. A basket accompanied
her, and after remarking that it was aw-
full hotp she asked me if wouldn't like
some turnpike-cakes?
"Previous unpalatable messes had been
sent in to the table, and afraid that l
might be drawn in to taste some nauseous
compound, l replied rather hesitatingly /:
"No, thank you do not think that
/ am very fond of them
"Mrs Badger, for that was my visitors
name, placed a hand on each hip, and
looking me full in the face, burst forth
into laugh that would have done credit
to backwoodsman. / trembled, and
felt myself coloring to the tips of my
ears. To this day have vivid recollec-
ton of the impression made upon me by
that woman's contempt.
"Well, wherever was you broughten
up, said my visitor, at length, to 'spose
that turnpike-cakes was meant to eat !?
Why, bless your heart, child, they're to
make bread withp
81 caught eagerly at the idea; Mr.. S.
was partial to homemade bread Mrs.
Badger, who was by no means ill-naturcd,
willingly left the turnpike-cakes and l
was soon plunged up to the elbows in my
labor of love. had very mistaken ideas
though upon the subject of bread, and
its capabilities of rising / supposed that
a very minute piece of dough would bake
into q pretty loaf, and was extremely
surprised when l beheld only an extern
sive tea-cake. Mr.. S. laughed good-na-
turedly at my baking, and pronounced
it very well, what there was of it.
"Anxious to distinguish myself in his
eyes as a good housekeeper, toilcd over
pies, cakes, and everything eatable that /
could think of; but, alas the need of
praise always fell short of my expecta-
tions. He dispatched the pies with a
mournful air, as he assured me that 'he
never expected to taste any equal to his
mother's;' and after trying in vain to
reach this standard of perfection, gave
it up in despair. This, l have since
found, is merely delusion peculiar to
men, to be classed i'm the same scale with
the fancy that sermons were longer ap'l
winters merrier i'm childhood than IT, y
are now.
"My experience of ministers has ct l.
vinced me that, with respect to worldly
matters, they are an extremely thought
less, improvident race; and the machin-
cry of work, indispensable to the pro-
ducing of comforts, always contrives to
get on the blind side of them. Mr.. S.
seemed to imagine that shining shirt
bosoms and spotless cravats grew on
trees, or were fshed up, unharmed from
the depths of the sea, for every week his
astonishment at Biddy's failures was in
describable.
"Anxious to put an end to this per-
petual state of SURPRISE, l went into the
kitchen to oversee the girls performances,
knowing about as much of the matter as
hse did. Her request, 'and would We
PLACE, ma'am, to be afther showin' me,
Just meant to do it myself
"The sensations that Mr.. S. expert
enced on finding me thus employed were
almost too deep to vent themselves in
words, but he positively forbade my do
ing it again; SO, whenever / knew that
he was off on some lengthy visit, / con.
tinued my mysterious occupation unsus-
pected; while he rejoiced at Biddy's i'm.
proyement, and in the innocence of his
heart, exclaimed:
6" Don't tell me, my dear, that these
Irish can not be taught. Just look al
Biddyp
"I did look at her, and encountered SC
J hopelessly vacant visage that laughed
to myself at his credulity.
"I was invited, rather commanded, to
join The Dorcas Society for the Relief
of INDECENT Females which met every
week, and where the members always
sewed on unbleached muslin and sixpen.
ny calico; they made me president, and
in consequence, / was expected at each
meeting to take home the unfinished
work and do it up during the week.
! was collector for the poor, and i'm my
rounds some gave me sixpence, some
nothing, and some impudence. J was
: superintendent of the Sunday School
besides teacher of Bible class ofmiddle
aged young ladies who were not quite
: grown up. was member of Society
5 for the Diffusion of Useful Reading,
which also met every week; and where
, had / not been minister's wife, should
certainly have fallen asleep over the
! Exhortations,' Helps Aids ant
9 Addresses that were showered upon III
, poor women; while wondered that no
body took the trouble to write to men.
: "You must acknowledge that my time
was pretty well employed, but, besides
all this, / was expected to entertain in
Vulnerable visitors. Travelling clergy
men always made our house their stop
{ ping place: and it must have been con
yeniently on the route to almost every