New-York tribune., 1908-06-04
4 BIG DAYS WORK.
Tmlety of Things Done by a PLAIN
Country WOmdn.

A ..big dav'' is one of the specimens from the
annals of her housekeeping which is produced by
the author of ideas OF Plain Country Woman
Doubleday Page s. Co, New York;. Its proper
tions are somewhat terrifying, but the book says
It was only of many
1T was July day" the story runs "and rose
with the lark remembering the big ironing L had
sprinkled down the night before and also that
there was bread to bake Our ironings were large
in those days, for the little girls must have clean
frocks every day, and 1 like white tabecloth
above everything, and besides, had guest
staying at the house I had maid, and the girls
were too little help much. The ironing must
be finished by nOon invited to assist at
reception that afternoon and it could not go over
until tomorrow, because that was Wednesday, the
day my bIackberries were engaged for. But
cannot give up party when she is young.
If her legs about to drop off from tired
ness
Il krew well that if I TO get to that beloved
social function I must let no grass grow under
my feet. So when the family and guest
down to breakfast the bread was mixed and set
rise. the chickens fed and the clothes horse
showed pretty fair array of neatly smoothed gar
ments. When the irons are hot and the starch
doesn't stick and one gets into the swing OF 1t.
can &4rn off piece after piece with considerable
celerity.
Il made a flying trip to the garden after the
breakfast dishes washed and while the irons
were heating up again for vegetables for dinner.
and found, when l returned that the blackberry
man. having mistaken the date, had brought my
eight gallons of blackberries. 1 was an optimistic
little soul. kept the berries thinking to finish
the ironing and bread baking and dinner cooking
in intervals of canning and pouring jelly into
glasses.
Our guest privileged house friend, who
stayed with several weeks out of each year and
who liked nothing better than to loaf around the
kitchen when l was at work. That day he insist
ed on expounding the Darwintan theory and spout
ing long passages OF the Had He had only got
fairly started when a fearful hubbub arose out
side. ana eight or ten youngsters all talking at
once. appeared. bearing my youngest on an i'm
promptu litter known hand saddle. Her face
covered with blood, and the only assurance T
had that she was not fatally injured lay in the
shrieks she emitting. 1t was after ALL only
a cut over the eye. administered by croquet mall
let in the hands of visiting infant We feared 1t
might leave a scar. but it didn't Our guest left
off the classics and helped me dress the wound
and had just finished cuddling the victim of this
casualty and convinced her that she had a rem
OF life left when the black berries boiled over
on the irons and L smelt the bread scorchfng in
the
"someway had dinner but I began 10 see
that there is a limit to the housekeeper's powers
be she never so clever. so 1 explained 10 nv men
folks covered up the table leaving dishes and
all just they q washed UP the pots and
pans ] went getting dinner), that they must ger
supper at restaurant downtown as / never could
get home from that party with strength enough 10
cook it. / sent the children to their grandmother
and hustled into my Sunday gown
Then forgot all about the work of the morning
until returned and found my husband and our
guest placidly seated on the front porch They
had forgotten my instructions about supper and
were waiting for me TO come and cook for them
So the supper was cooked and the accumulated
dishes washed after which a party OF gay friends
arrived from town. while neighbor came across
the fields with her baby and two toddlers The
hostess set the town people TO playing a game
while she sat on the porch and entertained the
mother and nursed the two elder babies. When the
mother to go the second baby being tired
and sleepy. refused TO be put down. the hostess
had to carry her home her mother. who had ar
rived with her own children. being deputized as
temporary hostess When she returned she slipped
upstairs to hear the children say their prayers
and her return her mother met her with an
anxious face She had been the kitchen and
the clothes horse the bread. the cans Of ber-
rtes and the twenty or so glases OF Jelly.
My dear" she said. Il think you have had a
big day"