The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-07-02
breakfast, and he could not help smiling


newcd the fire twice, Mr.. Crosby" she
remarked, without looking up.
This was the squire's favOrite saluta-
ton when his wife happened to take an
extra nap of five minutes.
The gentleman made no reply, for he
understood what the remark meant with
ont the aid of IN interpreter. He pro-
cecded to business with great alacrity,
piling the books and papers upon chairs,
and nearly spilling some oil, by carrying
lamp the wrong way, and by allowing
the kettle to boil over, some five minutes
before he got ready to take it out, he
succeeded i'll getting the cloth laid,
though in rather IN awkward manner.
- think l should relish piece of
beefsteak, Mr.. Crosby" remarked the
lady in the rocking chair.
"Ah, now YOU have it" replied the
housckeepcr of the day, patronizingly,
as he busted himself with napkins, cups,
saucers, plates, knives, forks, etc. He
tried Ia recollect how Mrs. Crosby ar
ranged them, but in spite of NIL his ut
tcmpts he could make no application to
that lady for advice, as she was apparent
~ absorbed i'll her reading.
Adjoining the kitchen, the squire at
tended to the making of delicious
cup of coffee, and had long struggle
with beefsteak, which refused to broil to
his satisfaction. When returning to the
dinIug-rOom, after long absence, look
ing heated and impatient, Mrs. Crosby
remarked, consulting her watch, "that
he had been absent long enough to make
Il beefstCak.'
This observation the squire remem-
bered to have heard before, but did not
make il apparent. At length the coffee
and meat were brought i'll, and all things
were pronounced ready by the officiating
master of ceremonies.
Mrs. Crosby seated herself and began
10 carve; the squire took his place Mt the
head of the table, and proceeded to pour
out the coffee.
1.-THE bread, Mr.. Crosby" suggested
the lady.
Bless me, l forgot it," he exclaimed,
dropping the coifee-pot and jumping up
SO hastily that he came near overturning
the table.
The bread was soon procured, cut i'll
slices, van ring i'll thickness from IL wafer
to Junk Of four inches.
1.-The butter, Mr.. Crosby" suggested
his companion, when he was again fairly
seated.
81 declare! what poor memory
have got And setting down the cup
which he had taken up for second time,
he started for the missing article. Plac-
ing it in triumph beside his wIfe's plate,
he resumed his attempt at cotfee-pour-
ing, and this time was successful; but it
must lie confessed that he eyed the dark
looking beverage with some uncertainty,
as he passed it across the table.
Muddy coffee again, Mr.. Crosby "
abruptly said the lady.
The squire hadn't word of reply.
Very smoky beefsteak, my dear !!
What have you done to it?" she con-
tinued, pushing large piece of the OBJ
noxious article on one side of her plate.
"You must be extremely careless, or
such things couldn't happen so often as
they do.
"What Il woman this Is to remember,
to be sure Anybody would suppose
that she mad kept diary of my unlucky
observations for year. Why, she has
them all at her tongues end !" thought
lut ltlulNVttldl uutEtSSti,
didn't see fit to make any immediate re-
ioindcr.
The squire had but little appetite; his
wife remarked the fact, and hoped "that
the simple exercise of getting breakfast
had not taken it away, rs one person
who should be namcless, was i'll the
habit of asserting"
The gentleman WINGED and prepared
himself Il generous slice of bread and
butter, which he proceeded to dispose of
as though he had lacked food for weeks.
When the morningme was concluded
Mrs. Crosby donned her bonnet and
shawl, and, remarking that she would
send home the dinner, left the house.
Our hero was no alone, and could carry
on operations without any eyewitness;
which he observed "was much more
pleasant.
"NOw we'll consult the list, " he add
edaloud "and have things go on i'll regular
order. Here goes: Get breakfast, clear
tables, wash dishes, put closets in order,
wipe down shelves, put dishes away,
scrub sink, clean silver, black stove, at
attend to door-bell, sweep hall, brush
stairs, sweep parlor, dining room, kitch-
en-, dust furniture, trim lamps, do cham
Der work, wash meat for oven, clean veg
ctables, stew cranbcrrles, make pudding
and entertain visitors, if they happen to
call. "
BLESS me, is that all?" cried our
housekceper. 81 call that making a
great fuss about little matter. 1t
sounds larger than it really is. think
I'll clear the table, to begin with, as that
is put down next.
So at it he went, knocking things hith-
er and thither, ut great hazard of their
establishment. As the idea didn't occur
to him that he should carry a waiter full
of articles ut one time, he made great
many Journeys between the dining
room and kitchen, which necessarily
consumed considerable time. The dish
washing proved rather an awkward af-
fair, and didn't progress 80 rapidly as he
could have wished. He couldn't wipe
the cups handily, the saucer seemed
bungling, and the plates would slip
back into the water; but after breaking a
cut-glass tumbler, (Which he felt GER
tain of matching the next day }, knocking
large piece out of a platter, (Which he
resolved to paste together while dinner
was cooking), and cracking pet dish of
his wife's, while setting up pile of
plates, the matter was brought tOa close.
The knife cleaning was another thing
altogether; there wouldn't be any dan
ger of breakages; and he could "put
'em through" quick. But the black
spots were deeper set than he imagined,
and required the exhibition of more ell
bow grease than he had any idea of.
He contended longest with the carving
knife, which, III consequence of being
awkwardly handled, inflicted deep cut,
us slight token Of remembrance. This
was n mistake that csused many other
mistakes during the day, owing, I'M
doubtedly, to the clumsy bandage which
he wrapped about his hand.
it may be well to remark that the
aforesaid list was laid carefully in a con
spicuous position, and frequently refer
red to. He attended to the silver, ani
/ then glanced at the clock.
The hands pointed TO an hour which
admonished him that "time waited fol
no man, and had no sympathy for mex
perienced housekeepers.
whats next on the docket, / won
uer nc Thought, consulting MS note
book. "Ah, stove to black! Well,
must admit that the coffee which boile,
over hasn't improved its appearance
much. I'll look up the brush.
So saying, he prepared the polish ant
set about the operation at once. Tn
stove, was quite hot, and he couldn'
work to any advantage. The more liqui,
he put on the more it would sputtcr an,
fly off with cracking noise. He thick
encd the liquid, but it would not adher
to the stove, and he began to think it wa