St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-08-20

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rible task. "Why will people ever go
visiting on Mondayf Why we never
get through washing till four or five
O'Clock in the afternoon "We might
put the washing off should think -
said Mate.
$50 we might" replied Mrs. Bentley,
"but there are so many of us to divide
the work, | hardly think it will be nee
essary. Let's all be up promptly at FIVE
O'Clock and see how we will come out"
The June morning was fresh and cool
but the kitchen, when they sat down to
breakfast, was hot and close with its
one door and two high windows. After
prayer Jennie started to go about the
washing, as usual, but her mother stop
ped her with, "you look tired this
morning, Jennie; suppose, Mate, you
and |. who are strong. do this washing,
and let Jennie skim the milk and stir
up fresh loaf of cake for tea, and open
and arrange the front rooms. Those
syringas will make lovely bouquets for
the mautels.n .
Mate opened her blue eyes wide with
wonder at this unheard of proposition.
She had never touched washing in
her life she had always done the light
work, if any, though no mortal could
tell why she should be the lady and
Jennie the drudge. But she was too
wise to say this, so she rolled up her
sleeves and went bravely to work.
"What blessing that big apple tree
is," said the new mother; "the kitchen
is so hot and the piazza so sunny, let's
move eur tubs out under the shade.
Freddie, my dear, wouldn't you like to
work the machine and turn the wringer
for us till school time? If you will, We
will set your Grammar up in the tree,
and / will help you through the analy-
sis of those knotty sentences" This
was another new idea, washing and an
alysis going on together.
"Not bad, though, if tits the new
MOTHER" and the boy went whistling
off to school. One line of his breast
works was surrendered.
Nobody ever could tell how it was
done, but by eleven o'clock the clothes
were out, floors washed, and morning
housework done.
After the early dinner there was am
pie time for rest and changing of dress,
so that even Jennie really anticipated
the coming of their visitors.
on. During haying, when there were
more hands upon the farm, Mrs. Bent
ley secured the services of girl in the
house. Why not?
By systemizing the work, and divid-
ing it among the four pair of hands, it
came to be no longer a drudgery to any
one of them.
In the long summer afternoons and
evenings they gathered with their sew
ing upon the front piazza, or in the
breezy sitting room, where the sun,
sifted through the shimmering NAPLES,
came in at the open windows and lay
in little patches upon the carpet. One
was always spared to read aloud, and
thus they accomplished double work.
The girls soon found out that, while
their new mother could do housework,
she had interest in other things as we'll.
So wisely did she guide a course of
reading that Mates bookish tastes were
fully grati6ed, and even plodding Jen-
ME was awakened to a genuine interest
in English History and Literature.
Did l say four pair of hands divided
the work ought to have said five,
for Daisy's hands were beginning to
hel p more than to hinder.
Jennie was baking one Saturday with
the big kitchen table full of everything.
Daisy, perched upon her knees in a
chair, had left the marks of her fat fin
gers in the the puffy leaves of bread,
had sprinkled spice on the pie-crust,
and soda in the custard, till poor Jen-
ME could stand it no longer. "Daisy
Bentley" she exclaimed, "you must
and shall go away from this table. See
what you have done-now go and
play"
"Haven't got anything to play with
1 want to truly bake" sobbed the child.
"And SO you SHALL" said mamma,
"but not there. Why can't we have a
Kitchen Garden and Cooking School
right here on the farm Come here,
Daisy, and see what will fix up. Run
up to the attic first and bring down that
old stand by the window"
Daisy fairly flew, and meanwhile her
mamma picked out few odd pieces of
crOckery, some patty pans for pie
plates, pint basin for flour, clean
bit of board and a section of a broom
handle for rolling pin. Then lump
of dough, some sugar and all the fix
ings, and Daisy was in brief paradise.
But she was to make "truly pies," and
of course required good deal of teach
ing. "O," you say, 81 never could
stop to fuss with a child that way.n
Yes, you could, for it paid in Daisy Is
case. In a few months she began to
know well the first principles of cook
cry.
Meanwhile many consultation had
been going on between the husband
| n tn nj he
good of the family in general.
l suppose it must have been in con-
sequence of some of these talks that a
carpenter came one morning in August
with big basket of tools and began to
knock out one side of the old kitchen
The result of these movements was
vigorously discussed in the village
} ''sewing society" month later.
Old Mrs. Hardscrabble began the
commentary. "Did anybody ever see
sich turnin'-up-side- down of things
as has been going on over to Square
Bentley's. l never see the like of it
and second wife, too, to take such
liberties" "Why, what do you mean p
queried lady who had been absent from
church Sunday or two, and SO was moi
/ posted in the news. SIS it possible yor
, haven't heard that they have had &
door cut through the north side of the
| kitchen, almost the whole of the cas-
r wall torn out, great high, wide win
dow put in, something like bay win
: dow, where one of the little window,
used to be, and the other one cut down
Almost to the floor, and big lights o.
glass, and all that ?"
"That largo window is going to be
lovely for her plants in winter. Sh,
and that wild Fred have been raising