The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-03-10
Tolly's House-Clcaning.

Black Betty Shine, the servant wom-
an, her little black baby slung over her
shoulder; crooked, jolly old Sandy, the
carpet-shaker, his red, rusty wig slant
ing over his shaggy eyebrows, and Sost-
ly Tim, the fat whitewasher, all stood
waiting together on the little back sunny
porch.
Sharp Molly, peering down from
the window above, quickly planned a
delightful day for herself.
"Queen Victoria must go out to dine.
All the rest of the dolls may sit on the
bookcase. and prove their minds. 1
shall clean the baby -house, every bit of
it, shake the carpets, and whitewash!"
Molly's black eyes twinkled and
sparkled as she picked up some of her
dolls utensils, and flew down the back
stairs 1t was just as Betty with her
baby, Tim with his bucket, and Sandy
bringing up the rear, were half way up
the fight.
"Tim, want some whitewash in this
and this, please" begged Molly, in coax
ing accents, holding out copper coal
hod and a small damaged coffee-pot.
"All that yo like" said the gallant
Tim, filling the vessels, and spilling the
whitewash literally over Molly.s CASH
mere dress and trim kid boots.
''Thanks, Tim" cried pleased Molly,
patting swiftly back up the stairs.
Black Betty Shine followed leisurely
after; and by the time she had reached
Molly's door, this energetic young per-
son, with a plaid handkerchief wound
round her head, and her skirts pinned
back, was well advanced in her house
cleaning.
eli, HI, hi !" chuckled Betty, as she
stood in the doorway. Chow smart
some little ladies' is Your ma said Use
to leave Chic here some'rs. Clar, if l
knows whar, every place is so took up.
Guess I'll tuck her right in here, in dose
corner, mebbe. She won't be the least
mite put out to you, Miss Molly, Chic
won't. She's 'mazin' stiddy-goin, Chic
is"
Betty accordingly tucked little Chloe
into the corner, and went off.
Queen Victoria's palace had been
cleared OF It's furniture. Her maids of
honor lay around promiscuously. The
sweeping was done, and Molly was all
ready for the whitewashing; but the OBJ.
stinacy of the brushes sorely vexed her.
She tried her tooth brush on Queen Vic
toria's bedroom ceiling. It was fail
ure. She shipped her hair-brush into
a proper and serviceable shape. 1t
worked no better. At last, as she was
on the point of going down stairs to
borrow, among Queen Victorias house
hold goods scattered over the floor she
found whisk that proved satisfactory.
Just as the whitewashing was COM
pleted, ii occurred to her that the car
pets should have been first taken up.
Out of patience with herself, she flew at
the queens Brussels and Wiltons, tug
ging, and pulling, and tearing till every
tack was ont. Then, redfaced, she shook
them well at the window, not noticing
that the prettiest one sailed gayly away
on the wings of the May wind. 1t was
quick work washing the floors. Her
cambria handkerchief made an excellent
and most manageable mop, and she wiped
them dry in a minute with a fine French
towel.
Chow tired and hungry / am" she
sighed, as she emptied her little tub of
mop water ont of the window, all unwit-
tingly on Sandy's red wig. Sandy was
setting forth, with his wheelbarrow la
den with carpets. 81 must cook me a
lunch before so any farther"
The cooking stove was sought. With
difficulty il was found, tangled in the
blue satin quilt and pillow-laces of
Queen Victoria's state bed. In whole
some terror of the fate of the little girl
who lighted matches and was burnt up
all but her boots, Molly kindled the fire
with great care. Then she set about
making soup. She examined her pocket.
The state of the larder was favorable.
She drew forth beans, picked lime,
raisins, almonds, cracker crumbs, and
maccaroons. With her best scissors she
shredded these quickly into the bubbling
water of the little soup pot. The beans
only were too hard to cut, so she dropped
them in whole.
While the lunch was progressing, tired
Molly stole over to take peep at Chloe,
who, thanks to pareSoric, lay as Betty
left her, her thumbs in her mouth and
her eyes roaming over the ceiling.
"What a very black shade of black
this baby of Betty Shines is" said
Molly, with a disappearing shake of her
head.
With nail-brush, soap and water Mol
" thoughtfully instituted some expert
ments on the dusky arm. The placid
face soon began to quicker ominously.
"Hush no, Chloe Shine If You won't
unblacken, I'll whiten you, an see how
you look then"
The whitewash wes applied artistically.
One cheek and the chin were well nigh
finished, wher Molly bethought of her
soup.
It was Just in time. 1t was lifted off,
cooled, tasted, and found perfectly
"'liciOus.
"Have some, baby Shine - command.
ed Molly, advancing with spoon well
laden with lime skins and other good
things. Amid much coughing, and
choking, and spasmodic twisting of her
little head and body, the baby was re-
rnled. A second spoonful was being