The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-02-15
THE ROMANCE OF
DISHWASHING
J. ELLEN BAKER

slow did you teach Rose Lee to be
so happy while doing the dishes? She
is in the kitchen now humming while
she polishes' the plates. If it were my
Peggy, she would be disagreeable and
annoying, so that she wouldn't have
to do them again soon." This was said
by Mrs. Nation, a neighbor, the
mother of an eight-year-old girl who
called anything like work, drudgery.
"Rose Lee was like most little girls
at first l answered. ,"She hated dish
es' as she expressed it and did every
thing she could to keep from doing
them. One day after rebellious out
burst because | asked her to wash a
few dishes, l realized l must face the
problem that l had seen developing.
There was also growing tendency
to dislike all kinds Of housework
81 decided l would be chum to her
and not be the dictator that l had
been. We would play together, dis
ler things together and work to-
Ter.
u hat afternoon l called her in and
~ sed sandwiches and tea. l used my
pest china, silver, luncheon cloth and
napkins.
"Rose Lees eyes grew big when she
saw the beautiful things that she
usually wasn't allowed to touch.
"'How lovelyw she exclaimed. Cant
we do this often?'
"'Yes,' l answered, Pm glad you
like it. 1t was lot Of fun shining
the dishes, polishing the silver and
making the sandwiches for you. These
dishes, silver and linens belonged to
your great-grandmother.'
"'Do you suppose Great-grand-
mother ever gave parties for her little
girls?' Rose Lee asked as her eyes
devoured the beautiful dishes and sill
ver
"'Yes,' l replied, Il heard a noted
writer tell about going to Grandma s
house when a little girl. She said the
boys and girls liked to go there be-
cause Grandma did things for them
as if she enjoyed it. She said she
always wanted to be like Grandma,
wanted to do the dishes as she did,
because Grandma wiped and polished
them as if she were caressing them.
"'One day the writer asked her why
she was SO happy and sang so much
while she washed the dishes.
"'This noted writer saw the look
of surprise at her question. "I'm do
!. ing it for the ones 1 love BEST" Grand
mother said. "You see, those l love
feat out Of these dishes day after day
and so, day by day, the dishes get
more precious. | like to think about
the different persons who have eaten
from them and remember our happy
times together
"'They could tell real stories if they
could talk, couldn't they?' Rose Lee
said.
"'Yes, and such jolly ones. One
day stranger stopped and asked for
Grandfather | was about your age
then. l told the strange young man
where to find him. Pretty soon Grand
father and he came to the house
laughing and talking.
"'At the table the young man told
stories that made us all laugh. We
often wondered afterwards what had
become of him. Then one day Grand
mother opened the door, and there he
stood. He was older, but as jolly as
ever. He told Grandmother that he
had come many miles out of his way
in order to see the family again. He
hadn't forgotten their pleasant day
together and wanted to sit at their
table once more.
"'After he left he sent Grandmother
this lovely silver tea set
"The next day Rose Lee asked to
help me prepare our tea. | noticed
that her little fingers handled every
thing as if it were precious. And now
she enjoys doing the things she once
, disliked so much"