Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-11-15


Like curtains swing apart.
And 1t seemed like q glimpse Of heaven,
That touched my heart like balm.
As / sat in the sunset glory
Repeating the dear old psalm.
-Christian Union.
What Mrs. Grundy Thought OF MY
Housekeeping.
She didn't like it. I knew it, too, and
was foolish enough to be very much
put out about it. You see had moi
been brought up 10 housekeeping, az
there were five of us girls at home
and we grew and bloesomed under the
sunshine of mother who was host In
herself, and who chose that we should
live lives as free as birds Besides
she couldn't be bothered to train oul
wild blood into the decorous airs O1
housekeeping cares. She would rather
have US out Of the kitchen when there
was anything to be done in it; and then,
dear soul, she had such unbounded
faith in the capacity to turn out all right
in the end her girls especially.
If we sometimes protested. and
thought it desirable to take a few ini-
tiary lessons of that mysterious divinity
who presided over kitchen, lake room
and laundry, when, to be sure, was
here ever time? Certainly not when
the best cake was to be made, which
would be spoiled inevitably if too many
fingers fused with it. Not on Satur-
day. when rusk, and gingerbread, and
cookies, and pies were all to be done al
once. We were, too, utterly in the
way in the hurry, and hustle. and con-
fusion Of Saturday morning. Wash
ing and ironing mornings we might
have leave to set tables, wash dishes and
help about the pick ed up dinners; but
was there ever girl from ten to eighteen
y ears that did not abominate dish wash
ing?
Sister Kate and l held long confabs
and talked wisely over this state o1
things as connected with our possible
future, which usually resulted in de-
scent to the bake room on "Wednesday
mornings, with an urgent appeal to be
allowed to copk the roast and make the
pastry for that day, ut least; but the in
variable answer would be: "Girls, II
takes more experience and skill to make
nice pie crust than anything else
can't have you dabb]ing. Your father
wouldn't touch the pies when done,
fear. Besides, if you are mussing about
Bridget will be put out and leave. Thai
would never do. You might have more
than you bargain for in such easel"
II wish she would, or father would
get too poor to keep her, or-some'
thing" muttered Kate, half crying
with veAation.
"But, mother" said I, with some
heat, III should like to know how We
are ever to learn if you don't let US try. u
"There, there, puss! it will come al
right in due time, when you have come
to it. Do enjoy your liberty while you
can, dears."
Well, people say now-even Mrs
Grundy-that am good housekeeper
90 the ability came at last. if not in
time; but had many sharp lesson
and good cry before learned that which
ought to have been learned in the nur-
sery in my mothers kitchen.
When about to be married, mother
schooled her patience enough to put me-
through few lessons in bread anC
yeast making, and was told some very
nseful things in regard to cooking meats
pastry, CONNECTIONS, &c. l was allowed
hand also In my own wedding cake
and to assist the laundress in fluting my
elaborate skirts and night dresses. Blu,
ironing made my head and back ache
and 1 hoped inwardly that housekeep-
ing wasn't like that, or that "Charley'
could afford me house maid.
Ours was a tue love-match, and M
mistake. What if friends had warned
me that we were to tepoor, and I shoule
have my own work to do; and If pro
voking Mrs. Grundy had wondered
"how Mrs. B could let one of he
girls marry a mechanic, and come dowr
In that style!" My parents had goo(
sense, if they did worry little abou
it; my father would give me an outfi
and handsome dover. We loved eacf
other, and were content. just then
think we never heard
| 1.-THE great wind blarew
But know that my mother felt then
and far more afterward, bitter regre
that she bad not trained me to meet thi
emergency with fitness and skill
I shall never forget my first days ex
perience in housekeeping. We had re
turned from our quiet little trip to tn
mountains, and, after resting at the oil,
hearthstone for few days, entered ou
own little nest of a home, full of cage
anticipations of "playing keep house :
for 90 it seemed to US. We had pre-
viously sent out the wash accumulate
since wedding day and knowing tina
Charley's purse was nearing bottom,
determined on trying my skill at tn
ironing board.
Well, when Charley mad klndled
fire, brought wood and water. ordere'
the butcher, and baker, and grocery ma!
to the house, he left me with kiss TO
his work, and my duties began I mean
to surprise him with a dozen shirt
'done up" in the perfection of art-an'
such a dinner. Charley likes peas an
mashed potatoes with lamb roast
and, oh, capital I'll make a Yorkshir
pudding /; that's simple enough; AM
how pleased he'll be? But first thos
shirts must be starched, suppose" sai'
l to myself, not without secret mis-
giving
The starch didn't work well; some
how I couldn't manage it. II gues
they'll do better to liz awhile"
So saying. seated myself to shell tn
basket of peas But the morning wa
hot, and there seemed no bottom to th
basket. They were finished, however
and the roast skewered and in the oven
Nov for those shirts. Why didn'
ever do pas at home? My, how tn
starch sticks! What can I do?" AM
over the very first one I bliatered N,
hand, lost my temper, and sat down il
despair.
| "I'll wash that starch out and tr,
cold," said I, with tears of vexation
and at it went in good earnest. But i
was Of no use Such sight as thos
bosoms were!-fit o, ly for the wash-tub
1.-THE dinner muau't fail anyhow,
said preparing my pudding end setting
1t under the drip of the roast. So, bath
ing my heated. flushed face, consOlet
myself with the arrangements of m.
table, peeping here and there into dea