The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-14
THE HOUSEKERPER,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BY MARION HARLAHD,
Author Of Common Sense in the Household, Etc.
PART IlI-EM'LY

ant, as we shall soc by-and.by,
Stores were bought at wholesale, and
kept in q locked room, Three times per
dim the mistress or housekeeper or an
elder daughter Of the household, key
basket on arm, made formal visit to this
depot in company with the cook, So
much -four, 80 much meal, so much sugar,
coffee, lard, soap-WhateveE would be
consumed in the days work-wns
measured into trays, buckets ana baskets,
The figure Of the presiding genius
OF the kitchen, pail or EReadlng.
trough balanced on her tuTb2n, two
or three baskets in her hands,
followed by o troop OF picaninRies,
emulouR OF the honor Of "totin de things"
back 10 her domain, Ia inBeparahla from
pictures Of old plantation life, With all
these precautions, a system OF convey
anc6" was carried on in many families to
thWart which keen-Witted housekeepeEs
learned Just what yield should bs demand.
ed from the raw material, exsCting the
full tale Of loaveg, rolls or biscuits, and de-
teCting at q glance the fraudulent returns
Of butter, sugar aild eggs IN cakes aud
pies. My grandmother used to tell, with
q fine sense Of the humOr Of the situation,
how, having cause 10 suspect that the
-four barrel was visited ullswfully, abe
smoothed the surface every morning and
wrote her initials and the date with her
finger on the soft tablet. Ono day, she
four d rudely elaborate hieroglyphiCs trsc.
ed thereon, instead of the inscription she
had left yesterday, the cook standing by,
the picture OF ConplaCent innocence,
tried 10 extend the practice OF the
principle by which got my washing done
in three days, and in the hope Of squirting
Emily TO puDCtnRlity in serving our meals,
refused to "give out breakfast" over night.
With Spartan rigOr / denied myself the
luxury Of the matutinEl dUzs, 80 dearly
snd long.beloYed, and arose before the
Gun 10 discharge the duty and ret the
wheels Of the domestic machinery in
motion.
"TWill DO mighty bothersome 10 you,"
Emil Warned me, spontaneously com.
passionate. but t dom make no dill.
IunCe 10 me-"
1t did not, unleis % it furnished an.
other excuse for delaying an always be-.
lated rCpsBt. Her Gre YVES q nineteenth
century edition Of the vestap lamp; the
bank Of Goals on the hearth was never
dull; mullins, griddle.Cakes, and biscuits
were mixed the night before, She was
atsuredly out Of bed in good season-ii
aheever went 10 bed. Yet u simple
meal OF ham and eggs, potatoes bakstl in
tho ashes; cakes cooked OH the hoe, tea
aud coffee, would not DO ready before
o'clock, although "given out" at six,
Fretting did no good; fldgetting to and
fro from house To kitchen in such frenzy
oil Impotence itseemed that my feet must
wear groove In the plank walk only 70.
terded her motions, II that were possible.
When in spasm Of angry industry,
tied on q big apron and worked myself
into a breRthlefs heat over mixing table
and FIRE, she stood Btock.still to admire
and laugh.
"You sutney Is mighty epry! But,
law, Mics Marion, If Colored folks was to
work dat ar way, dey p'intedly would
wa'Gr GeyBelves out in less'n no time"
Qualified her judgment by wearing
myself down into series Of sick head.
aChee, caused mainly by wakeIul nights
passed In cogitation Of wsys and means
by which my disiointed menuge might be
brought up to the aeomly order Of my
ideal home. Elrly rising, hours OF unRc
Customed toll in the hot kitchen, iudI.
gestion oCcurrent upon worry and NORTH
cation, helped on tho evil work.
Emily was sorry for me, but not surs
prised-still less remoIBciul.
u ain never been nee no good come OF
bein' so quick OH de trigger" she moral.
i2sd. "Bymehy, you'll larn better nor to
be alters on do jump. IF you don't'-
oracularly menuCing-"Mars' John II hah
all dc spence an bother o. gittsn new
vito, num-" (mind j
Apparently, there was not much for me
to do in so small a house and family.
Really, had not Care.free moment In
the tWenty-four hours. One OF the pleas.
ing peCuliaTities Of hired servants-i. o.
those not In their masterB' immediate and
personal BerviCe,-was to do nothing that
could be left undone. Tho lnCkless en-
ployCr had TO see for herself that each
order was obeyed. 1t was not enough
that 1 gave out materials for breakfast,
dinner or supper, and issued minnie di.
reCtions IS to their preparation. l must
go, myseli, to tho kitchen several times
while Emily was thus engaged, and asCer-
tain, by critical inspection, that each dish
wBs in state Of iorwaldness; that
nothing was forgotten and nothing neg.
leoIed.
Ono day, being under the dominion Of
lone Of my headaches" summoned her
to my room to receive dinner orders. The
garden was well stocked with vegetables,
four or i've Varieties Of which appeared
regularly on the table every day. This
was 80 much matter OF course that
mado but casual mention ofpotaloes, beans
and CORD, dwelling more particularly on
the first tomatoes Of tho s0aaon, and beg
ging her piteously to be very careful In
roasting pair OF ducks sent me- by
friend. John brought q gnesL to dinner
that day, this donor Of "Old Blue" and
calf. ! was still tied down to my inflow,
and my head aChed harder with the swarm
Of breads that bCset mo. Ihad always as
cured my husband that he could mover
annoy me by asking a Comrade TO any
meal. had not "given up" to my tor.
mentor when no went ont that morning,
and now made as light Of II 90 could at
sight Of his concerned face. The meal
concluded, he tlptoed into my bedroom,
leaving bis friend smoking In the library.
| lifted dim, anxious eyes to his, while l
tried to smile.
"well2" said, "did you have anything
to eRt7"
20, yeOI as delicious brace Of ducts
40 were ever served TO pair Of unworthy
bachelors"
"Were the tomatoes cooked nicely?"
Every we'll. The raw ones were good
too. ] did not know they we're fully
ripe"
"You don't mean TO FAY that she gave
you both stewod and raw"
Tho gllmmer l had tried not to see In
his eye, broadonod aud danced.
"Ye1, and fine dish Of baked tomatoes
alBo."
sat upright, holding tho two sides Of
my head in place between my throbbing
palms.