The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-04-06
DEBBY ANN.

"What is the reason you're forever
tiredP' said Debby Ann this morning.
to Laura, as that damsel came down
languidly to breakfast.
You know Debby Ann, the handspring
of our establishment? Dating with the
century, alert and brisk as ever she was
at twenty years; suns may set and stars
may wane; daughters come and 90;
boys marry or come back from affair.
bringing their sheaves with them; the
dead are carried out; the babies are
brought to the old house to be tossed
and shown off in her proud arms
through all the sparkle and the shifting
scene, the sorrow and the deep exceed
ing joy, she stays, the very anchorage
of our home.
By no ties of blood is she akin to us,
but by the How shall | translate it
into modern speech which knows not
such relations? "Our grandmother
brought her up" 1t is the simple serv-
ice of the olden time, knit by sixty
years of mutual love and helpfulness
into nearer and dearer tie. Now the
acknowledged head and arbiter of the
household, she combines the devotion
OF mother with the sagacious criti-
cism of an aunt. Fighting our battles
with butcher and baker, charging fear
lessly on platoons of help for their
shortcomings in our service, she does
not spare us in our shortcomings
either, if we fail to reach the lofty
standard of old.
That standard, briefly expressed, is
this: That men are superior beings,
coming home very tired at night, and
to be petted and worshiped from that
hour till they start out again next morn
ing to their warfare with the world;
that woman who is good for anything
is good for a great deal. There is moth
ing in the mechanism of the household,
from driving a nail, papering room
even with the deep mysteries of gas
meters, hot-water pipes, drains, and
furnace draughts, that she, Debby Ann,
does not understand as well as any man.
Consequently there is no excuse for
other women, who pretend to keep
house, sitting helpless as babies when
anything goes wrong, and sending out
for some impudent workman to come
What modified views of woman's mis-
sion have come to the women of our
household in witnessing the daily life of
Debby Ann, with its supreme faculty,
together with her profound reverence
for man, in the abstract, as a power,
will be known perhaps at that great
day when women shall cast in their
votes
Her effect on the masculines of the
family is simply this: If ever the great
housekeeping shall come in ma
tional politics when cellars and vaults
shall be thrown open to the sun,
creeping things brought to light, and
foul things swept away; when the
woman's broom shall bring down many
an ancient cobweb, and clear many
dim and grimy pane, then we know
whom Ue shall vote for for President of
these United States, spite of her seventy
years!
So listen-as which of us would not?
to the question, slightly spiced with
sarcasm in its tone: "What's the rea-
son, Laura, that you are forever tiredp"
1t is the heavy skirts, | think, Deb
by Ann" says the young lady's man.
ma, coming to the rescue, and herself
scarcely suppressing yawn.
"Your grandmother always wore
Jackets to her skirts, and made 'em for
me" was the instant response.
Upon inquiry find that they all did,
those women of old, hang their skirts
to their shoulders instead of their hips,
which cross-examination divulgeth is
the mode in modern attire.
DO you remember the good mothers
bag in the fortunes of the g Family Rob-
inson" asound old book, quite crowded
out of sight by the cheap sensation and
slang of the boy DULLES now starring it
in school libraries. The resources of
that homely bag, stored by mothers
foresight and sympathy, were astonish-
ing. Put your hand into it for whatev-
er you wanted, and 10! it was there.
My faith in Debby Ann is simply that
of the Swiss pastor in the bag. So
draw at a venture as I.take my third
cup of coffee from her outstretched
hand.
She made that coffee; every drop of
its amber is sparkling and clear. "Let
a girl make coffee! Boil it to deathP
Catch her at itr' And she resolutely
brings it to the table in its shining cafe
there of block-tin, "'cause it spoils it,
your grandmother always said, to pour
it out"
After few futile struggles of leSe-
majestic in favor of IA natty silver urn,
one of her shining wedding presents,
my spouse, acquiescing long ago, is not
only convinced, but converted to the
wisdom of the old-world way.
"Debby Ann" ask, abruptly, "you
weren't tired young girl, were you?"