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


Matter enough, Charley. The din
ner is spoilt, and SO are the shirts. Don't
let us keep house another day. I can
never, never do it," said I, with fresh
burst of tears.
"Don't let us break up till after din
ner. pet"
"But I tell you can't get my dinner
do not know how" replied, savagely.
"There, there. child you are tired and
worried. will help, and will have q
nice dinner in an hour. have cooked
many dinner for my mother"
You, Charley !" said I, Frightening
under his patient good nature.
Eyes, dear. Mother liked US boys to
learn how. She used to say, 1t will
come in play sometime; and I guess
she was right"
"Dear me! I wish mother would
have taught me, not only to cook din
ners, but how to do everything. No
girl has any right to be married till she
has been trained for housekeeping"
said I. with sigh, and very senten-
tiously.
You are not going 10 be sorry that
you are married, Susie?"
II don't know; perhaps" I replied.
a little maliciously. Certainly, if it is
all going to be like this morning."
"It won't be. dear. I will help you
and you will learn famously I am sure. ,"
Charley said no more at that time, but
at night. over our simple tea, gave me a
few valuable hints. such as attempting
only the simplest dishes at first, and
not too much work at once.
tried hard to battle with difficulties !;
but as the days wore on, and heavy
buckwheats, muddy coffee, soggy vege-
tables and dried up meats were the gen.
eral rule, Charley looked grave, and I
grew careless. desperate and disheart-
ened. An ill vissged ogre, in the shape
of a comfortless>kept house, stood at the
door of our home. threatening the con-
jugal happiness with utter wreck. It
was just then that Mrs. Grundy added
fuel to the flames by criticising me very
sharply -mercilessly
"How could Mrs. B. bring up a
daughter to be such a wretched house,
keeper! What a pity that Charley
should have been so un fortunate
This last fired me. It was all very
well to affirm that sit is none of Mrs.
Grundy's business how keep house" /;
or that "sbe is a meddlesome old Great
ure, who had better keep her prying
eyes at home 2" 1 did care, and felt
her criticisms in every fibre of my SEN
sitive being, and mentally resolved to
get ahead of her.
"Where there's q will, there's a way"
I calculated "I'll coax Charley to shut
up the house, and go to mothers to
board, while go and make a six weeks
visit to Aunt Jane, as she stroked my
hair, and buried my burning face against
her mOtherly breast, "pOOr child, you
have trod tough experience, but we'll
soon institute new order of things"
You'd better say, poor Charley" I
replied, with some bitterness; II don't
believe he will care to see me back very
soon. auntie."
"Tut, tut, child! don't be naughty.
Just make up your mind to be first
class house keeper, and retrieve your
reputation. The real stuff is in you,
Susie-only wants bringing to the sur
face. It was a sad mistake, not to have
learned before, but it is never too late
to mend. Charley will be perfectly
happy, when you become able to keep
his home properly. We are such Great
ures of sense, dear, that we cannot ig
more the physical, even though heavenly
with this new strain, and have been un-
equal to the contest. Rest to-day, and
tomorrow we will commence in real
earnest"
And so we did. Such a training as
Aunt Jane put me through! From gar
ret to cellar, from parlor to cook room
laundry, closet and pantry. I worked
with good will and q purpose. Char
ley was to be pleased, and Mrs Grundy
confounded learned how to handle
broom, duster, and mop, To polish
furniture, silver and glass; To sort lin
en- and iron starched clothes! (The
starch didn't stick, ether. To pre-
pare wholesome and nOurishing food
for the sick, such as broths and gruels
and concoct delicate viauds and con-
serves. To cook birthday and Thanks,
giving dinners To make the most
of odds and ends of provisions, and
get a meal out of an empty larder.
TO put on patch, and dam sock and
at last, to give thOse minute finishing
touches of light and shade, color and
bloom, and artistic arrangement, which
will make the plafnest home beautiful
Aunt Jane gave me my diploma, and
I went home. I was tired-worn out.
But what of that? I had conquered
and how pleased Charley would be
That was my one thought. My head
ached and whirled when my husband
met me at the depot
II believe that am sick" I said, in
response to his eager greeting, and sank
unconscious into his arms; remember
ing no more for weeks, but rallying al
last. to find anxious friends at my
couch, Bridget in the kitchen, anC
to be told that l had been very i'll O
brain fever, and had raved constantly
of work, housekeeping, Mrs. Grundy
and poor Charley"
Sue" said my husband. II think they
never knew how great.)
| Well, when health and strength cam,
back, Bridget was dismissed, and ther
came my triumph. Every body stimu.
lated, cheered aud admired nv success
Mother said II told you my Sue woult
come out all right!"-but knew she hal
| wept over my failures But nobody
praise was one half so sweet as Charley.
happy, satisfied face. There were M
more skeletons, or ogres on the threshold
or in the back room of our hOuse-fO
awhile, 1 should have said-for by anC
by, / grew so weary of it all. Their
was no time for books or music through
the day. and at night l was too tired
and that old Mrs. Grundy began t,
meddle again. =
"What pity that Susie Blair shoult
devote all her energies to mere house
hold drudgery. Her husband will leav,
her far behind in culture and polish
Poor man! pity him."
Then, indeed, was miserable. Tha
we bad perfectly ordered house, spot
less linen, silver and glass-no longe
muddy cof-e, but clear as amber, ant
steak and muff1ns done to turn, wa.
no comfort, or but poor. Just at thi
Ijuncture we received q visit from Aun
Jane
"Susie," said she, after she had bee,
on tour of inspection about the house
you have a natural gift at hOusekeep
ing. How beautifully everything i.
done. But, my dear, you look pale ant
careworn, and not like the Susie of old
What is it, child? The work for tw,
should not wear you like this Is ther,
not such thing as being too particu
lar ?"
II don't know, auntie, I'm sure"
answered, with sigh. "When 1 wa
careless, Mrs. Grundy's contempt knew