The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-09-21


ried sister and general I avorite Kate and
myself, twins, but totally Unlike; both in
looks and disposition Hattie, studious girl
of sixteen Ross; boisterous school boy of
fourteen Nellie delicate, petted child Of
eleven and three little boys In a row, aged
respectively nine, seven and four, whom we
call Tip, Earle and Benny. Aud mother did
the work for us all / don't know how she
managed it, but she did. Milly was the
only one who had taken to housework, aud
mother was one of those domestic burden
bearers who never consider their burden so
heavy but that they can add another trifle.
Father had never been fortunate pecu-
niarly and, being anxious to give all their
children good education, the labor of saving
for this end was added to their other toll.
And then, like many another good and unset
fish, but unwse, mother, she allowed us our
own way, and spoiled AS through indulgence
and, as we had often heard her say she would
rather do thing herself than take the trou-
BILE to teach us how, we felt as if we were ac-
tually comforting favor upon her by letting
things alone.
To be sure we could sweep, dust; wash
dishes and make beds, and were familiar with
some of the minor details of cookery but to
be able to keep the domestic maoG nery we'll
oiled and Ia constant motion was TO us ike
trying to converse in an unknown songlc.
And so now, without any adequate knowledge
of work and its responsibilities, we found
ourselves with mountain of difficulties to
surmount, and pretty mess we made of it
for few days, too.
1t was not at all difficult to get through
hands, there was plenty prepared for that
meal but when, next morning, we found the
bread was out, the cookies all gone, and not
a stray pie for dinner, our troubles began
and they broadened and deepened with every
moment as we became painfully aware that
making bread and pastry was branch of our
education which had been terribly neglected /,
and when, about ten o'clock, father in bliss
full ignorance of the novces in charge at
home, sent up sirloin roast and the infor-
nation that stranger would dine with us, and
fifteen minutes later the washer woman
brought in the clothes for us to iron, | was
ready to melt into tears, and Kate was SO cross
it was dangerous to speak to her.
Oh, that weary, weary day But ouly the
beginning of many similar ones that followed
it. How we longed for mothers skllful
hands to straighten out the tangled threads
our awkward fingers had managed to produce
There was something to be done from early
| 1,fa ;,rkf hat Il n
we fancy ourselves free for half an hour than
some duty undone would stare us in the face,
OF tho children would come in with clamoring
tongues and empty stomachs, and in few
days became addicted to chronic fretfulness,
while Kate was transformed into a veritabe
scold. John scowled over the miserable
meals Ross leased ms in every vulnerable
point, but poor, patient father pitied our
often infrmities, and ate what was set before
him for conscience sake,
1t went on in this way for about fortnight,
when, after a very trying day, we took our
books and sat down for quiet evening. But,
alas for our hopes Only ten minutes of
peace, and then an omnous s. ahem !" from
father caused us to look up.
"Do you know, girls" he inquired,
"whether mother mended my pants before
she went away? should like them to put
ON in the morning. She generally did her
mendiag every week, believe"
"There f" burst ont Kate, shutting her
book with bang, while after one despond-
ing glance at the fascinating pages of David
Copperfield, went to examine the mending
basket. At8 s3s
Ii was full TO the brim shirts socks, little
gingham coats with the pockets torn down,
and buttons pulled bali off, with shreds Of
cloth hanging to them fathers pants, and
Nellie's school dress, with great rent across
the front. With doleful sigh lifted the
basket, and without word we sat down to
the unwelcome task.
Nine, ten o'clock came and went, aud the
basket was not half empted of its contents.
Father, John, Ross and Nellie gaped and
stretched, and one by one followed the chill
dren off to bed. Eleven, and still we sat,
silent and grim as ghosts solemnly stitching
away at the endless rents.
"Cad,' said Kate, at last, jerking the
words out as If she hated them, :" how do you
like it?o
Like whatP" asked in establishment.
"This life of slavery. This humdrum,
everlasting stick1to-it, unsatisfactory exist
epce. With not speck of spice in the way
Of variety about 1t. just over and over,
round and round, until We seek our rest low
10 the ground.'o
"Oh, Kate ~ exclaimed, almost shocked,
mot SO bad as that not nearly so bad as
that
eyes, worse than that with many, very
many, Cad Rouncewell. My plain opinion,
very plainly expressed, is, that women are
FOOLS"
ssWhy. Kate -
"Dont why Kate me just look at the
mending basket. 1t has been filed and
emptied year after year, filled by our careless
ness and emptied by our mother slavish toll,
and we great, healthy, oyergrown girls, sat
calmly by and saw her do it. And she weak,
unselhsh woman that she is, hadn't snap
enoupa about b er to rap us over the head for