Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-10-24
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Mrs. Deac0n's China.

Mr.. Deacon sometimes proposes having
he fine china put away, and using more
common kin@s, bnt Mrs. Deacon scorns
this plan She has nothing in her house
TOO good 10 use. If she cannot have good
china for her family, she will not have it
for company. Never! If she buys soup
plates once month, her table shall
,lways look we'll enough set for any one
10 see. Then Mr.. Deacon sghs, and
replies that her table always does look
nice judging from the bills, she probably
does buy soup plates or some sort of
plates, once a month She looks at bim
wi ely and sadly. 1t is hard to ray so
much oney; no one knows that better
han she does, but Mr.. Deacon does not
nave the worry and anxiety. She wishes
he had h'r grandma hers secret.
And she has. At least she had it in
part. Her grandmother regarded the
B ,rnard china with the same reverence
,he feels, and it was never washed by any
nut Birnard hands. 1t never went into
The Kitchen for Chloe or Priscilla to break
or to nick. 1t was not used every cay;
1t WAS company china.
This grandmother had many things
sacred to company. On a certain shelf in
pillow cases, towels and table linen,
cented with lavender, innocent Of darns
ind patches, kept for company. There
was an extra stock of spoons and white
handled knives. Having company was,
perhaps, solemn occasion, but the grand
mother was ready for it. She had her
preserves and pickles, her hams and
,moked meats ready, and when the COM
,bx.
stores and drew on them. 1t was great
satisfaction to her to know that let what
would happen to the family china she
could never be disgraced in the eyes of
strangers. She WAS never in fidgct nor
nervous because she was caught on wash
lay with all the best linen IN the tub No
matter how small was lhe stock, there was
llways an emergency margin on which to
all. If Mrs Deacon could have the
,amc calm consciousness of reserves she
yould be happier, bat how can she when
Bridget breaks and ruins as she does?
The grandmother had other resources.
,ne had company clothes She had not
mly had Il gooG silk dress and ctlendered
mlco, which was put away between the
mattresses in the spare room, but there
we're sets of underwear, sweet with the
perfume of rose leaves. used only on
Sundays or some social festival. The
grandmother had that consciousness Of
,uitable attire that probably ahimates the
nlason when he puts on his little apron
md decks himself in the insignia that
rclares his rank. 1t is possible that
nese ladies and gentlemen had to live up
o he responsibility of gala apparel and
he best china and so had stately ways in
,pite of themselves. 1t is only now and
hen, when dress is new, or we 20 to a
grand dinner parry or have just gone 10
lousc keeping that we realize this sense of
environment into which the grandmother
went whenever social festivities called
er, Every woman knows how easy it is
o wear II winter bonnet after Easter if
,ny the spring one has been bought.
Tins supporting consciousness braced the
raL dmother in all emergencies, and If
he grandfather sometimes caught her
lnawares when he unexpectedly brought
company home, she had the reassuring
comLrt of Knowing she could have done
we'll if she had been gwen the time.-
Cor, IN Am. CaLtiUtior.