The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-10-22
BLACKING THE RANGE.

l. We
(Which Of Us is going to do it, I'm sure
I don't KNOW" Mrs. Cartwright exclaim,
ed with shudder, holding her dainty
skirts still closer around her, as if antici
pating contamination from the very at.
mosphere of so plebian locality as the
kitchen.
II haven't the first idea of how to sci
about such horrid job?' sobbed Belle
II do think it was perfectly shameful TO,
father to die and leave US all in this mis-.
cradle conditlonW
"And my hands and clothes would be
perfectly ruined if should attempt it9'
protested Lillian. II think it was more
than shameful for the servants to desert
us like this as soon as misfortune came
upon us. And we have got to take extra
care of our dresses and things now, for
goodness only knows when we will get
any more"
"Well since there must be victim,
will undertake the part" said Amy, step
ping forward and rolling up the sleeves OF
her pretty morning dress, with deter.
mined air. 81 have read that Queen Vic
toria had all her daughters instructed in
every necessary domestic art; and it seems
ridiculous that independent American
women should be so helpless when fortune
frowns and servant girls desert them. !
for one feel heartily ashamed of my igno
rance and am tempted to look upon our
present reverses as we'll Merited dlspen-
sation. I have no more knowledge of the
art than any of the rest of you, but !
guess am endowed with sufficient Yam.
kee ingenuity to fathom its mystery"
"You always did have such ultra no.
tons about things" observed Mrs. Cart.
wright with sigh "But if you think
you can do it, am sure it will be an i'm
mense relief to us all. If we have to 20
on in this way we will all be in; our
graves before long"
Yes the Cartwright family wer. in a
pitable plight indeed. Three weeks be-
fore Mr.: Cartwright, then apparently in
the full blush of health and business pros
perity, had dropped dead in the street of
apoplexy, leaving the overwhelming rcve-
lation to come to his family that his
business affairs were so hopelessly in
volved that bankruptcy was inevitable,
and that the only support lett to his wife
and family was what little profit could be
derived from the sale Of the house, which
was already mortgaged for nearly two
thirds its value.
Ill news flies fast; and as the panic
reached the servants, they with one &C.
cord packed up their things and deserted
the sinking ship for other and more Sc
cure places, leaving the aristocratic lady
and her acknowledgement daughters to
grapple with the mysteries of Homework
as best they could.
most wretched two weeks followed.
Mr.. Cartwright's creditors had seized
upon everything, and the family were
obliged to remain where they were until
the house could be sold, with only the
small amount Of money that they hap
pened to have in their purses upon which
to subsist meanwhile.
At last Mrs. Cartwright received let
ter from friend of her late husband,
1aying that he would call on ertain
day to inspect the house, with view to
purchasing it if 1t pleased him; and as
he was known to be man of very tastidi-
GUS tastes, it was considered of para
mount Importance that the mansion
should be in the most precise order and
prepared to sustain the most rigid and
critical scrutiny from cellar to garret.
The family had managed to pet along
with the upstairs work with tolerable
success, a large share OF which was due
to Amy, the youngest daughter, bright
blooming girl of eighteen, who possessed
good share Of practical talent and ma
tive wit, and had, moreover, the happy
faculty of keeping up her spirits and
adapting herself to these unlocked for
contingencies.
But now they were confronted with a
task from which they shrank back appall-
ed. From the repeated boiling over of
the contents of various pots and pans dur.
ing the management of the department
do cuisine, the once bright and shining
range presented the appearance of in
cipient measles and was in condition
to bring disrepute upon the entire place
to any one Of fastidious tastes. 81.
If they should lose this chance of SELL
ing the house it would go to foreclosure,
and might not bring the amount of the
mortgage.
The range must be BACKED, and some
one of them must perform the task, for
they had no money to spare for hired
help, and credit was luxury of the past
Their appearance was both ludicrous
and pitlable, as they stood around the
object in perplexed conclave. - 49,
Mrs. Cartwright and her two cider
daughters stood with their dainty wrap
Pers and tucked petticoats drawn tightly
around their stylish boots, gazing upon
this hitherto terrn incognsta with looks OF
dismay and dread.
Belle and Lillian, with their light hair
done up with crimping pins in front, and
Jewels twinkling in their ears and on
their fingers, gave no evidence in their
present appearance of their suddenly al :
tered fortunes; but Amy, who, from the
moment she had learned the true state OF
affairs, had laid aside all supcrfuous
adornments, and with her pretty curls
led simply away from her face, and ar
trayod in the plalnest dress she could find
Which was, nevertheless, far to handsome
tor such work, stood calmly and bravcly
surveying the scene. zz
swell" Mrs. Cartwright repeated with