2
hxt afterwards, in tbe peace of other thoughts,
bearing no Impress ot niy present tioubles, my
way seemed made plain bciorc me, and the very
ex Cay I put in practiee my theory.
1 had been accusiomed to rise only lust in
time lor a ! o'clock bicsklast. Consequently
my boy was broueht down into the loom
unwashed aud untidy, and in the same room all
Iiia washing apparatus and drossing-gcar were
laid out, at first much to mj husband' annoy
ance; but as tire in another room would have
reen necesi-arv, or I must have gone down to
Bridget's kitchen, the point was given up. On
this morn in I rose without awakening my
husband, at 7, much to the surprise of Bridget.
My baby was led, washed, aud dressed, and I
prit on my bonnet and shawl, and toon him into
the garden tor half an hour, lie soon fell
asleep, lor children are always awake with the
biras. I then brought him in, and laid him in
his cot, and had every trace of his ablutions
removed. I ceriainlv telt weary aud faint, but
the old adage of "Practice makes perfect"
occurred to me.
It was tlio resolution which this proverb In
spired that, wheD I found myself so wearied with
tar early and unusual work, kept me Irom com
plaint, when my husband came down, much
puipilscd at the chanio bo viable in tbe morn
Ings arrangements. The tea was made, the
water boiling, the bacon smoking hot, nnd the
child asleep in his cot, ready dressed for the
day, making so perlect a picture that it is re
called now with pleasure. Frederick looked
surprised, but forbore remark; he fe:t sure it
-was only a freak; to-morrow things would revert
to their usual coure. I have since found that I
read his thoughts most truly. Seeing this ex
pi fusion in his lace, 1 also was silent, aud talked
as it the new arrangoaient had been no more
than usual.
Baby slept till 11 o'clock, (luring which time
I heir ed Bridget with her work, much to her
wonder. She protested against any need of
Jielprbnt I permuted, and when we had finished,
"Now, Bridget," said 1, when baby woke aud
was ted, "put on your bonnet, you shall carry
bab, and I will walk with you into Islington;
there is no fenr of any one coming; it will not be
poht-tiiue till 2 o'clock. I will tell your master
that we are going."
My husbuud coming in at that moment J
merely said, "I am going to Islington with
Bridget to get some thiue9 I want; no one is
likely to come while we are goue."
Our walk was a pleasant one; the baby was
awake the whole time, and was quiet and re
freshed. In an hour we bad returued to home
and Us duties Bridget somewhat bewildered,
for I beard her say as she descended the stairs,
"What's come to the missis now ?"
In furtherance ot the unexpressed plan I had
laid down, I was determined to learn every
thing I possibly could in the way of cooking.
Bridget's was a nap-hazard way of proceuding;
eometimcs the food was well dressed, but
ttener very indifferently so; some system I
thought there must be, and this I was deter
juiued to find out. The invaluable and expe
rienced services of our old Maggie at home had
precluded the necessity ot my being instructed
in tbe culinary art; but now now could Bridget
help me, even if she were disposed, which I
much doubted? Her temper was peculiar; sht
disliked interference and being tound tault
with; all her efforts at cooking were, in her
eyes, perfection, no matter how palpable were
the failures: "Sure au' it's the tire won't burn,"
or, "The weather's heavy," or the fault was in
everything or persou but herself. Certainly
this was untractable material lrom which to
extract golden knowledge, but in the absence ot
retter this mutt be doue. She could boil pota
toes and meat well this was something to
beein upon, certainly; so in the afternoon,
while baby was sleeping, I made ray appear
ance in the kitchen for the purpose of finding a
particular cup, which I knew to be in my own
room. Bridget was, as I expected, peeling the
potatoes. "Why do you take two waters to
wash them in?" I asked.
"Becanse they wouldn't be white if I didn't."
"Oh! I see," said I; "you peel a potato, then
wash it in one water, then throw it into tbe next
directly. Yes, they do look very white. Ah!
end all the dirt is washed off lirsl before you
peel tbem."
"Sure, an' I wouldn't be making ye ate the
anoold, would I?"
"Do you cover them with hot or cold water
"when you boil them ?" 1 asked, still carefully
feeliue my way.
"Why, if I should cover 'em with water they'd
be drowned, poor things, and wouldn't be at all
jnaly; aud if I was to put biting water on 'em
they'd be waxy. I feteam 'cm. Ah ! missis, it
takes a time to understand a petaty; they don't
like much water."
"Well, Bridget, I have a fancy I should like
to understand cooking, and you must teach me."
" 'Tisn't alter the likes o' me to tache ; but I
'do know a little ; and sure the house is yerown,
and ye can do as ye plaze ;" and so it was settled
1 was to take lessons in cooking Irom Bridget;
that was tbe ostensible object in coming into
tbe kitchen while dinner was dressing ; but the
real one was to mate experiments, and bring
Bridget round to my way of thinking.
In course of time I succeeded, too, In this
object, but it was a long and tedious process. I
consulted various cookery books, but they con
tradicted each other, and, besides, required so
roany expensive ingredients that were beyond,
far beyond, our allowance.
CHAPTER III.
IUNCTUAUTY HOW TO KEEP A DINNER WARM
BKKTHA cnAPUAM'8 VISIT HEtt MANAGEMENT.
It would become wearisome 10 detail the
various ways by w bich 1 arrived at peace and
oomlort. You may smile, lor 1 did become
famous as a household manager so my friends
thought. 1 certainly often pondered upon the
Xiasical process, whatever it tniht have been,
which enabled me to retain, to Lis dying hour,
the love of my husband in its freshest torm;
and not orily this, but to create an ever-Bprininj;
flection tar more reliable than when our
marriage vows were spoken. But I can under
stand it all now.
In the early part of my married life, before
my days of reformation, an intuitive feeling
made mo fear that my husband's love was drift
ing away there is no other term to call it;
there seemed not mucn visible outward sign.
l)ut nevertheless it was a fact. In all my lite, to
see and know an evil was, with me, to remedy
it. To lament a bygone of any kind, which it
was not in my power to avert or to repair, I
always considered a weakness. If I could
remedy the error 1 did so, aud at once;
and I never stopped at half-measures,
which only wrought confusion. Thoroughly
did I enter upon the matter, whatever it was
take up my burden with all my strength, and
walk straight on; hence it has been said of me,
"Whichever way she falls, it is on her feet."
The trials I have passed through need not be
dilated upon here; they have been enough to
wake tbe bravest heart succumb, but mine never
did; a higher Power upheld me; that 1 felt, and
also that a miraculous strength seemed to pour
Snto my spirit when it was needed: therefore I
bad no fear for the luture. how dark soever the
present hour, and it was always with the present
I had to deal. My business now was to win
back my husband's interest in me to live tor
film' alone; beautv ot face or grace ot form I
never possessed; but the same charm which
won him could, I thought, also keep him. My
dress had been slightly neglected, for I had in
jny carelessness imagined that anything would
Uo for borne. "That will do, nobody's coming,"
was too frequently my mental ejaculation, and
thus a crumpled ribbon ar collar would occa
sionally offend my husband's critical .eve, the
ffense'seen more in its expression than by any
Utterance ot tongue.
Again punctuality was unheeded; it mattered
not to me whether dinner was ready at the ap
pointed hour, or ten or twenty minutes later,
even naif an hour 1 thought not of importance.
and yet tn my own home my mother was the
Mill of exactitude; in fact, her fussinga on this
point teemed to me to be a fault, aud many
times betore marriage i mentally thought that
to be so very punctual was io oe very often trou
Idesouie to idle people eepecmuyror it was
always a scamper with me to be m time for
Uaw often since I bad been my own house
Jteeper bad I aeeu my husband oouie home at the
d'nncr hour and say, "I am quite famished is
dinner ready? It is jtf.st the time.''
"it will soon be on the table," was the reply.
But, alas! whenever it came, If It hai tibe
waited for, Fred's appetite was gone, anl to my
mortification, he scarcMy more than tasted of
the food Next to my e.aly rising, whi di I
found to be indispensable for comfort, I endea
vored to become punctual, and this was my
hardest task. Atrnin and again I triad, and
failed I could not be exact. One day I was
reading the "M'e ot Nelson." and It was said
that he owed all bis success to being always a
qunrtcr ot an hour beforehand for any appoint
ment or objec t that he had in view; not that he
actually kept the appointment at a quorter be
tore time, but was always ready for it. The
words seemed to sfard luminously out from the
page, and forced themselves upon my sense, so
that they recurred continually to my memory,
and could not be forootten.
I had now become an adept in our homely
cooking, and knew that overcooked food, par
ticularly vegetables, were equally injurious
with thoso wuich were undercooked. I puzzled
roy weary bead a longtime how to keep the
vegetables hot without injury to them. Upon
my consulting Bridget, to my Infinite relief she
replied,
"That's easy done, anyhow, all but the peta
ties." "Well, then, dinner 1 to be ready a quarter
before four exactly, and it has to be kept warm
tl'l four; and I must come Into the kitchen and
see how you manage."
When tbe time came 1 had forgotten all this
till Bridget came to say she was going to dish
up. 1 saw her temper was not to be trilled with,
or I should have said "not dish uo." To my as
tonishment, I louad she had dished up; every
thine was ready to come on the table but her
darling treasures, tbe "petaties;" they were
neammg away as if over the f unnel of a minia
ture steam-engine. The greens had been taken
up and drained in the colander, the greater por
tion of the water remaining in the saueepan; a
tea-saucer bad been turned upside down in a
vegetable dish, upon this the greens had been
placed, and the cover of the dish pj ton; the
dish plated over the nearly boiling water in tbe
saucepan, kept -the former as hot as possible
without drying the contents. The meat had
been taken from tbe lack and placed !n an old
dish on the top of the oven, and covered with a
large dish cover, and over that was placed a
cloth, well tucked in to prevent its catching
smoke or blaze. The dripping-pan was removed,
and on the draw-out ot the grate was placed
upside down the dish in which the meat was to
be served; the gravy, Irom which every particle
ot lat had been removed, was waiting the usual
adjuncts before pouring it on the meat dish.
"The 'petaties' will be done on the minu'e,"
said Bridget, who looked at the clock. "In Ave
minutes it'll be all on the table." And punctually
to the moment it was.
My husband, to his surprise, was called, aud
the pleasure which flashed over his face when
he saw the dinner steam mp hot was ample
reward lor nil my tiouble. On lifting the cover
which concealed the greens, my cliaurin was
great to fee water quite over the rim of the
inverted saucer, Bridget saw it too.
"That's nothing," said she; "I didn't think "
and iustantly the dish was tukcu to the side
table, and the trending water povired into a
plate.
"That's all rieht now," said I; "but, Bridget, I
did not see the pudding."
"Surely you have not forootten my rice,
Bridget ?"
"Oh, no, sir; that was baked yesterday; I've
onlv got to waim it."
"But, surely, that cannot be good; tbe milk
will be sour."
"You always praise my puddings, and sbure
you've always bad if 6o;" and she made good
her retreat with a slam ot the door. When
Bridget was in this humor it w as best never to
notice it; it nil come around in good time; and
sne was invaluable in many respects. The pud
ding was very good, and finding it so, led me
afterwards to preparing the sweets a day be
fore, such as tart, milk puddings, and custard
puddings. In alter years 1 found this plan of
Rreat advantage; as, when visitors came unex
pectedly, a passable dinner could always be
made up, with the addition ot fish, or hash, or
mince, and this without delay, or making it
appeur tnat tne inoic so served was anyiuiug
dilierent from our usual meal. Cold vegetables,
all but cabbusre, would warm admirably. Cold
carrots, sliced thin, put into gravy or melted
butter in a basin, covered down and placed' in
the oven lor a quarter of au hour, made an ex
cellent dish. Cold parsnips could be mashed
with milk, a little butter, pepper, and
salt. Cold broccoli be warmed by putting it into
a basin, then standing the basin in a saucepan
of boiling water, and putiing on the lid. Cold
peas and beans in the same manner. Cold
tuinip-greeus, or spinach, the same; these two
last, minced tine, and placed in the oven while
a lew rashers of bacon and some eges were
poached, aud one of each placed on a sippet,
with the spiuneh or greens between, made a
dish roost appetizing, and onp which we rarely
saw our guests refuse. Ah. well, I got a bad
name In all these contrivances, tor some of my
lady visitors uccuscd me, though not to my face,
of beiner very exiravagaut, and were quite sure
that a downfall must come; but it oever did. I
went on my way rejoicing; though all these
things came slowly to me, not in the second or
third year of my wedded life, but when with
two little ones and one servant; then there was
scarcely a day that my experience or my neces
sity oid not teach me something.
At the end of the third j ear I began to be a
little nervous about the insurance; we had so
many expenses, and with no help but our in
come, that I did not see where the money was
to come from. To my infinite relief, my hus
band brought me, one day, a new policy of in
surance, which this time, instead of for a thou
sand pounds, was only tor nve uunarea.
"This is all that we can do, fliuiy; it is useless
attempting too much; however, 1 am glad that
even ihls pittance can De secureu; au oi me
twenty pounds which we appropriated lor con
tingencies is, as you must be awure, spent; we
have had many e'xpenses not reckoned for, and
which will not occur again, at leat to the same
extent; and ior these, in the coming year, the
money which would have insuted for another
ttve hundred mut be set aside to meet them. I
have no fear now, little wile;, dearer, a thou
sand time dearer than ever."
Tears were rolliuiz down my cheeks as he
folded me in his arms, and continued, " My own
darling Muly, when we orst came here 1 missed
in you sll the thousand little charms which
wound themselves rouud my vagrant hoart
belore 1 iisked vour love ; then, dearest ay,
even only a short year ago, I pined for the
bright smile, the loving elauce, the cheery voice,
wnicn in our courting days bad ever welcome I
me. one sad year you buried thuin all out ot
sight, and I grieved to think that lor me they
would never spring again. But now, now,
dearest, I forget sometimes that we are married
I forget that we are otner than the lovers of
old, till the merry crow of that boy yonder
recalls me to the reauty, tne Dlessing ot the
Teality, that you are mine only, my darling true
Those who may read this story may guess my
feelinurs; not one word ol utterauce rose to my
lips, which I presoed to his forehead, then flew
to my room, to be aloue there wuh my God to
thank Hiin even ior all I had suffered to pray
for that strength in welldoing which as vet,
whatever brave show 1 might make, was but
green aud tender as an early rose-xboot. My
besetting sin was an indolence of body. 1 lli,.,i
to sit and dream for hours, and to put otf till
another tune, it I could, a present duty. It u
useless now telling people this; they will never
believe but that action, and energy of will
and purpose were oi mv nature. "It w impos
siblei" say they ; but it Is nevertheles true, and
what is m'oriltyiug. I am eveu now, and ever
was. constantly falling into the bad habit. My
children were around me belore I baa devised
any certain method of managiug my household
affairs. Room were swept sometime one day,
Kometimes another; occasionally all 1 were lit
tered and in process of cleaning at once. So that
If any. one called upon us unawares, and Irom a
dlstauce, no apartment was tit to auk them Into,
and the consequent confusion and flurry gene
rally resulted in a nerveus heaJaobe to mjsolf,
and an irritation of temper difficult to bear with
by those who surrounded ae.
When my second child could just run about,
Ecitba t bapman came to pay me a somewhat
lingtliencd visit, i We had been schoolgirls
tooether, and at school our Intimacy com
menced, which had continued all these long
years. At twenty-six she bad marrb'd a
widower of tilty, with four daughters and one
son. She was a elrl of spirit and Intelligence,
devoted to ber husband and loved by his chil
dren. D spanty ot years she never thought of.
"Milly," she tald one day, as we were talking
over our married lite, "lam tbe harpiest wo
rn nn in existence; you cannot imuginehow I
reverence iny noble husband; nnd my brothers
and sisters (for I cannot help calling his chil
dren o) are tbe pleasure ot my lite when he is
absent."
"But how in the world do you manage such
an establishment?"
"Oh, easily enough," she replied. "You know
my aunt who trained me was very systematic.
I must confess to having some dread when I
first came home, for the former Mrs. Chapman
was, 1 had heard, an excellent manager. The
discipline of the house had Eomcwuat fallen
away since her death, and I soon saw that the
servants were caieless, and disposed to lonk
upon my coming as an innovation upon their
rights. Robert, in a day or two alter our return,
raid to nie,
" 'There Is but one servant that I care to re
tain, it any of the other pre not aereeable to
j on, and even old Fanny I w ill pension otf if she
should be disposed to resent your interference
in the present mauapemcnt. Ho continue them
or discharge them, as you think fit,'
'IlaviiiB this power vested in me, with only
one reserve, and fiol'iintr the reins ol punctuality
and early rising in my hands, my influence was
despotic. On the morning after, I called all the
tour servants Into the dining room, and kindly,
but nimly, made tbni understand tnat each
must be down stairs by six o'clock, and none up
in the evening after ten, excepting the tipper
housemaid; that each one must individually
keep to her own work, but that, if 1 requested
either ot them to perform some duty not exactly
within ber province, she must do it without
dtmur; and al-o that their daily duties, ot which
I would give them a list, must be punctually and
thoroughly perlormed; of the latter mode I
should myself judge. If they could not agree to
these terms, it would be better tor them to say
so, and at once. Three ot them at once accepted
tbe regulations, and I have had little fault to bnd
since. The cook turned restive then, but not
afterwards. I bad understood her chief fault was
lorgetlulness; the dinner would be well cooked,
but frequently the appropriate sauces and vege
tables would be omitted. . Anbthor circumstance,
amounting to a nuisance, 1 had to complain of :
the tradetmen, while waiting for orders, would
assemble in the lower hall leading to the kitchen,
and at this time the housemaids would join tbem,
and the laugh and ioke were freely passed;
besides, these morn'ng gatherings became the
headquarters for disseminating ail the eo-'sip of
me uouse: wno were visuinar; w ho going; wno
cross; and who good-tempered. This I was
determined to put down, aud I did."
"Why, bow could you do this 1 It is Just what
I complain of with my one servant. Budget will
gossip, forsonietimis I really canuotat aniomeut
ten w hat 1 should like lor dinner, and while 1 am
considering she is amusing herself."
"The remedy is verv simple," replied Bertha.
"I merely transferred the practice of my aunt's
house to my new hoin. 1 wrote out on a strip
ot paper a bill of fare for the day, aud under
neath this, at some distance below, I wrote the
dilieieut orders, such as tbe butcher's, the gro
cer's, and the lishman's, writing them very dis
tinctly, and widely dividing them by a line,
which line I afterwards nearly cut through, so
that each respective order could be rapidly torn
otf and given to each party. In writing an order,
say for the butcher, I distinctly defined the
weight of joint, and whether I required much or
little lat. The fish-monger sent in always his
bill of lare, and two minutes sufficed lor him.
These orders I also transferred to the weekly
books; p.nd the dinner bill ol lore the cook came
to my dressing-room tor at 8 o'clock every morn
ing. At 10 punctually I went into the kitchen,
and from I hence she accompanied me to the
larder, w here I directed what was to be sent up
for lunchion, what meat and pudding should be
Ferved up for the servants' dinner. I had the
bread-pan dailv wiped out. The order tor the
bread was written in the bread-book what
loaves to change if it were needed, what quan
tity to take in each was put down separately,
whether loaves, rolls, brown bread, flour, or
cakes; and 1 called Doth on Daker and grocer,
and gave them to understand that unless an
order was in my writing they were not to de
liver it."
"What! did you write down the grocer's order,
too ?"
"Most certainly I did. It is but little trouble,
and an hour in the morning will sutlice tor all;
besides, how is it possible to keep a check upon
the expenditure ol a limited income it such were
not the case."
"But eight hundred a year is not a very
limited Income," I remarked.
"It all depends upon the requirements of a
family whether It be considered large or small.
There are four young people, myself and hus
band, four servants, aud a boy, making in all
eleven persons. The education of the younger
children is not yet completed, and this swallows
up a considerable sum; besides, Robert has
claims upon him which I am not authorl.ed to
mention. So limited do we find eight hundred
a year that tor the last twelvemonth I have bad
all cur dresses, excepting one, made at home."
"Made at home ! Oon't you tind it very ex
pensive to have a needle-woman In the house?
They are always so slow."
' You co not know, perhaps, that I am a great
adipt with my needle. It was an accomplish
ment my aunt thought of paramount import
ance, and insisted upon it that no needle-work
should go out ot the house. She got a clever
dressmaker to come once a month, and, by dint
of observation and some aptitude, I acquired
uuochbiiuh ..u vui "c'11-!
i suiiicieut or tne art to cut out ana mace up a
diets. I pouted and was sadly troubled at first;
but how ihanktul I am now I can scarcely
express."
"And you played so exquisitely, and your
drawings used to be my envy; what a pity to
lay down these acquirements, and degeneiate
into a mere household drudge) though I must
say your appearance is not exactly that."
Bertha looked at me in amazement, and at last
burst out into such a ringing laugh that tbe
elder of the two children who were playing on
the floor got up and tan across to her, rested
her little arms on her lap, and said. "What did
hoo laugh tor?" while the totty babe crawled to
her feet, saying as fast as he could, "An' me
too." She caught them both up, and broke out
into such a torrent ot sons that convinced me,
however much she bad nealected ber music and
dancing, her voice had been cultivated to the
highest extreme.
"Why, Milly," she exclaimed, "is it possible
that you think a woman cannot unite accom
plishments and usefulness? Surely they should
go band in band together. You don't mean to
tell me that you have given up your music
that ou never olav. never sins ?"
"It is eveu so." I replied, a scarlet flush
mounting to mv face, for she sat with such pro
vokinz astonishment on her face that I telt
mrselt no other than criminal
Eertha, with a look of grave concern on her
face, sat musing for some moments, then said,
"Milly, win you oe oucnueu witn me u i
speak very plainly to you? When at school,
you will recollect, I was termed eccentric, and I
have been called so since though 1 never could
undcrfctand in what thousbtor movement of
mine my eccentricity consisted. Do you re
member my being laughed at when I said that I
believed alllaccomplishments were necessary tor
girls, and actual requirements in their educa
tion? Experience has taught me that my views
are ccarect. Surely the years you . studied
music should not be a wasted time to sny
nnthin? ot the exnense thrown away. Why
bhould a girl be educated at all if she is soon
Birer marriage to dwindle into a mere nouse
hold machine? I have noticed bow weary your
husband is of an evening, and how be turm
irom the detail of your day's management and
ot Brldxuts dolugii it-Cklng for refuge in a boot,
to read which Is pobion to bis already over
worked brain." ;,.,-
" Bertha, do not blame me for this i you know
he likes reading."
" Yet, a we like food for our sustenance, no
for harm. You hive accustomed him to this
modeol passing the evening, varied occasionally
by a walk, during which the same home topic
goes on."
Here I broke In most vehemently. "You
know nothing about it, Bertha. Why should
you blame me lor Fred's quietness? he wishes to
be quiet."
"In any home but my own, Milly, I am chary
of oflrring to amuse the master ot it ; but you
know my own devotion to Robert, and therefore
will not misconstrue my motives; to-night I
shall try the experiment."
I laughed consent, bnt felt sure no experi
ment was needed! things were best as they
were. Fred always looked tired and grave; why
should he be disturbed? Evening came, it
seemed an effort lor my husband to join in the
conversation. Bertha sat quietly talking to me
tor some time, w hen she said,
"Milly, do you recollect any of your old
songs ?"
"ies; but my voice is gone from want of
practice."
"Never mind, como arid try; perhaps it will
come bnck again."
I involuntarily turned to look at my husband;
a shade passed over his face as he buried himself
deeper in his book. Presently the most exqui
site melody breathed round the room; no loud
chords broke the charm it was as if an annel
had touched the Instrument. My husband put
down his book, threw his head back, and closed
bis eyes; still the tame heavenly strains went (
on, and ultimately a voice seemed to rise in the
atmosphere, so perlect in its modulation, so
charmingly liquid in all Its tones, that 1 could
not help exclaiming, "How delightful !" When
it ceased my husband rose, came to the piano,
and said,
"Bertha, you are like David of old capaUe of
chasing aw ay evil spirits; at all events your voice
has not run awav."
"Neither has Milly's," I replied; "it is stored
away for the present."
"1 used to like Milly's singing better than
yours, but I never hear her voice now," he said
with a sigh; "the children take up all her tame."
1 was about to reply, but Bertha. I thought
somew hat hastily, asked tor some information
respecting some people whom she had told me
she did not care a straw for. I certainly fancied
she was inconsistent; however, this led to de
sultory but amusing conversation through the
rest of the evening, which glided gradually
away. I had not seen Fred &o bright-looking
for many a day: I could not but rejoice at this,
though a jealous pang arose when I reflected
that it was other ttiorts than mine which had
aroused my husband into something like gayety.
However, this evil spirit ot jealousy I strangled
belore it had time tor more than to show its ex
istence, hortunate, indeed, was it that strength
was given me to resist the selfish feeling which
poisons every enjoyment, for this evening was
the beginning of a new Hie. Insensibly a brighter
influence encircled us. In conveisation, read
inn, and music, in which I bore my part, the
days became scarcely long enough, and the,
evenings I looked forward to with delight. The
I children throve amazingly upon the diet which
"' Bertha itisif ted tney should have, and Bridget
unn
rarely unamiabie; she! was not called
I upon at unusual times to make a lizht nuddiner
3 lor the baby, and to beat up an egg in milk tor
the eldest child, "and then missis always crying
out about the expense: tor, mem, she never will
think that all the UWts cost anything 'tis only
tbe male and the petaties she reckons upon."
Robert Chapman, Bertha's husband, liad gone
to the West Indies, accompanied by his sou, to
look after some property that had descended to
him by the will of a recently deceased relative.
The eldest daughter was visiting an aunt, and
the three youngest were at school. Bertha had
determined upon paying this visit to us, and
had left the house under the care of old Fanny
and the cook: the other servants were at board
w ages. On her first coming she had insisted
upon paying some portion of our weekly ex-
fienses, but seeing how very little her plan was
iktd, and that to pres the matter would have
ben cause of some offense, she desisted, though
many a luxury found its way to our table,
which, but lor her, would have been unattain
able. Fanny, by her mistress' orders, fre
quently despatched a hamner containing
delicacies, which could not be refused, and
which no remonstrance could prevent
fiom appearing; so that at last we quietly
gave in to Bertha's "whim," as she called it, and
accepted the good things with thankfulness. In
the intervals between these arrivals Beitha
contuved to become housekeeper. She ordered
the dinners, and managed the scraps so well ,
thai Biidget replied to an inquiry I one day
made as to dinner "Shure, 'tis a French dinner
Mrs. Chapman will be alter sending up to day."
In short, everything went on so admirably, yet
so quietly, that, as my Iriend's visit was now
limited to threo or lour weeks, I felt much
reeret at her leaving; and, knowing that I
should a sain fall into my unsystematic wavs, I
got her to draw up a programme (if I may use
theteim) ot management, which I must give
here, or my story will be incomplete. Hee, here
the has headed it
"Early rising Punctuality Despatch, and a
place for cveiy thing."
How musical was her laugh as she wrote, at
the same time making gentle excuses lor such
important words, as she termed them,
"Milly, dear, you must get out of your dreamy
moods; whatever presents itself in the shape of
outy, let it be giappled with at the right mo
ment; if it be disagreeable, never mind, grasp it
at once; don't stay thinking about it. You
know the old rhyme,
" 'Tender-handed touch the nettle,
And it stings you lor your pains;
Grasp it like a man of mettle,
And it soit as silk remains.'
So, little friend, difficulties vanLdi before resolu
tion and action."
"But, Bertha, I have not the strong will and
power you have. W ith jouto will is to do; with
me it is oiflerent. I am naturally the slave ot
circumstances."
"Milly, stop; don't acknowledge to such weak
ness. If you make youi self the slave of circum
stances, they will rule you; but once bend cir
cumstances to your will, and the victory is
gained. I understand but two to which we must
all bow sickness aud death: these excepted, we
can be brave under all others. Be dauntless In
the right "
"Now, Bertha, how can I always judcre what
is right? You know how tiiesooie Bridget is,
and when 1 require things to be done one way,
she will insist upon doing them in a different
manner."
"Brideet sees that your orders are merely the
nut of capiice, not of judgment or koowlediKs-'
ref
and this observation ot her tiuick-witted inlet
lect makes her flippant, almost impertinent.
Thoe below us must see some superior quality
in tneir employers to respect. A selt-styled
architect who had no more knowledge than a
bricklayer would not be able to govern his men.
So it Is with a mistress; if she really knows
nothirg ot household manasement, there will
be insubordination among uer domestics, and
even contempt exhibited."
"What can I do? Bridcret will never net ittr.
ieientiy now, nowever i may alter, ' 1
helplessly.
said,
"No, perhaps not; but at all events you can
begin upon a system, aud leave Bridget to fall
into your ways as she likes or not; so that
should you be obliged to have some ona in her
piace, tne new-comer will not
deticiencv."
see your
"Well, then," I replied, and inclined to be
angry, "since you can see, Mrs. Mentor, what I
ought to do, perhaps you will give me a list of
duties to be performed, omissions to be winked
at, pleasures to be enjoyed, smiles to ba indulged
in, etc. etc., to tbe end of the chapter."
"If jou are sat rical, Milly, I have nothing
more to say. It is ior your good, not mine, that
I have protlered my greater experience for your
guidance: but let It all pass. I will take baby
into tbe garden, and have a romp with both tbe
children;" and, so saying, she turned away with
a graver expression on her countenance than I
bad ever yet witnessed. My pride would not
then allow me to apologize for my ebullition of
temper. .
' Since Bertha's stay with us I bad seen thfr
advantage ol order, neatness, and regularity
and our table was better served, even when
thpia wern nnlw anrana tn maLrA nn Ai
than it ever had been. Bertha had theknack of
turning eyry thing fx) account; and many
time when I had thought it impossible we could
make a dinner of what appealed bare bones,
out of this bareness came lorth a repa.it which
1 and my husband enioyed as much as when we
began tbe week with a Joint. Thw very day of
our dltlerence, orcasioned by my petulance,
some such a dinner was to be manufactured,
aud, as I saw Bertha still in the garden, I con
jectured that she meant to leave me to my fate,
and an hour previously to the dinner-time I
went Into the kitchen, where I was civilly In
formed that the dinner was all arranged, and
would be read? in time. My temper led roe to
believe that this time the meal would be
a failure. What could be toade of a tew scraps
of nieat sticking to a mutton bone? Bridsret
had asked me tor a f hilling to pay for somothing
Mrs. Chapman bad ordered; but what was mis
fum to do in finding provision tor four persons
dinners? To my astonishment came, first, a
pair ot Meg, which were not so very small, and
ot which some was left for Bridget. Then came
a dish of w hat looked very like rissoles, oniy
they were eeg shaped, and somewhat Inrgerthan
egg; these weresavory, and there was a plenti
ful supply, and they were accompanied by a dish
ot nicely masnea and Drowned potatoes,
To this
fare w as added a rice pudding. I must confess
to my bad temper quietly oozing away, though
my curiosity w as none the less excited.
In the evening, before retiring, I went to
Bertha's loom, as I usually did, and fearing my
courage would tail me, said at once:
"Bertha, in all serioupncHs, I am come to ask
you to mve me a few rules lor my guidance In
house keeping. I find since you have been with
us that our meals cost less, aud yet we have
greater comtort; that my husband and children
are in butler health, and that altogether home is
pleasanter. I know you are capable ot guiding
me, lor you were differently brought up to my
self. Mymotherdid everything saw to every
thing; she was, and Is, as you know, tbe sole de
pendence of the home in its management. Your
aunt made you sell-helpful, and thus gave you
wealth lor jour lifetime. I am very sorry," I
hastily said, lor I saw she was about to Interrupt
me, "that I cave way to temper this morning;
but forgive me, and be my best friend."
Bertha looked at me with her eyes full of
tears, thnueh smiles dimp'ed her cheeks.
"Milly, you will do very well," she said. ,"0n
my return home I will write all 1 cannot now
say. In three weeks Robert will return, aud I
must lor a time bid you larewell. While I
remain let things go on as they have hitherto
done, and when I eel back 1 will write your
'Rules,' and send them."
"But, Bertha, about the nice dinner to-day;
how did you manage it ? The cost was cer
taiuly more than a shilling ?"
"Not much," she replied; "the soles were
only sixpence the pair, and then I did not give
the order to the ush-monger who frequently
calls here tor orders, but in my walk this morn
ing I met a man with a truck, who had plenty
ot tish, good and cheap. 1 stopped anil pur
chased tnem, he giving me a sheet of paper,
mid I brought them home. Do not look so
airhast; w hat harm was there in that? I saved
sixpence by the bargain, aud I injured no one;
1 should do the same always if necessity re
quited if. A limit of twenty-seven shilliugs a
week is not at all suggestive ot pride. The po
tatoes cost threehaltpence. The meat came off
the bone you despised so yesterday, when I as
serted it could be made to do for a dinner to
day." "The composition was a mystery to me. and I
can get no information lrom Bridget; so if you
will tell me all about that I shall be glad."
" Listen. Every scrap of meat was taken off
and chopped very fine. I then measured it iu a
basin, and took the same quantity of bread
crumbs and a table-spoonful of flour, a little
allspice, salt, and half an onion chopped very
tine indeed. I mixed the bread-crumbs, flour,
and spice together first, then mixed the meat
well with it, then sprinkled the onion over, and
stirred it all well together ; I then stirred in two
table-spoonfuls ot bacon fat. It you did not
make Bridget take care of all the tat which drips
from the bacon, I should have been obliged to
have minced a rasher or two of that expensive
article. With a very little milk I mixed these
into balls, then pressed them flat and somewhat
egg-shaped ; 1 then rolled each in flour, aud
dropped them one at a time into a saucepan of
linilmrr rl ri nni nfr frvinir thjm paph blncrlir "
"A saucepan of boiling dripping!" I ex
claimed ; " why not have fried them in the
frying-pan?"
"For two reasons. Do you think a domestique
or cook of my experience could do without a
sauiejian f Certainly not. So I improvised one
out of a small iron saucepan which Bridget
seemed to have discarded as good for nothiug
but to boil a couple ot eggs in; that was one
reason. The second was that in your larder I
found dripping a scarce article, so that the
quantity which would have tilled a small trying
ran was not to be had, and if sufficient could
have been tound it would have been wastod by
evaporation, and been soon burned up; whereas,
in tu saucepan, as soon as the tat boiled 1
threw in a bit of bread; when it readily browned
I drew the saucepan lo a moderate heat, where,
however, its contents continued to boil. I then
diopped in one of my meat eggs, so that it was
entirely, and somewhat deeply, covered with
the lai, and as soon as it was brown I took
it. up with an egg-sllce, allowed the lat to
drain from it, and placed it on a pad of paper
belore the tire, so as to allow it to be
come quite dry. After the meat eggs were all
tried, 1 threw the fat into a basin ot hot water
and sthred it up well; to-moirow mon.ing this
will be settled in a cake on the top of the water,
which I shall take otf and lay on some double
paper to dry. Tbe impurities the tat has ac
quued in being used will have sunk to the bot
tom of the water, and the tat will be ready for
use again. The potatoes were mashed singly
with a spoon against tbe side ot a basin, a little
salt and milk weie added, and well mixed. I
then butterea another basin, pressed the pota
toes Into It, set it in the oven tor live miautes,
then put an old plate on the top of the basin,
turned the latter upside down, when toe pota
toes came iu shape on to tbe plate. I scored
them over with a knife, and placed them on a
plate in the oven to brown.
"Now, Milly, otf with you to bed: it's half
Into tbe middle ot the night; we shall both lose
our hearty sleep."
"But about the rice pudding?" I answered:
"lust tell me how that wa made. I never liked
rice belore."
"Ob, that is a very simple matter. Bridget
bought me a quart ol milk, lor which she gave
threepence; and excellent nmit i must say it was,
1 ,cok lw0 BmaI1 Pie-didies, and put into each a
ver-v lutle more th'm an ounc8 01 rice, about a
( ii, stirred the rice in it, then drained the water
away, and repeated the process again. By doing
this all the eurtbiuess, or rawuess, which is
always attached to rice and barley is doue away
. . i . - - t , I , . . ! . I . . 1 ... r
Witn. i tueu ujixeu wioi iuo rice in eacn aisn a
(Icsstrt-spoonful of sugar, and a slight sprinkle
of nutmeg. I mixed a pint ot milk with the rice
in euch dish, put a shaving of butter on the tvp
ol each, and baked it in the oven tor an hour. But
one thing you must remember that after the
dish is once pat in tbe oven tts contents must
not be again stiried, or, strange to say, there Is
a likelihood of the milk burning; and also your
judgment must be exercised with regard to the
oven's heat; If it be of too slow and cool a tem
perature these pudding will take two hours
instead ot one to cook. The second pudding
the children had at one o'clock, after their meat,
a lew scraps of which I minced very finely, and
mixed with some bruised hot potatoes and a
little salt: they had each a pretty tolerably
thick slice of bread and but a scraping of butter.
The pudding added to this made them an excel
lent dmuer. Neaily half the rice was lett lor
Brideet. Now, dear Milly, not another word
to night; away with you; I must lock you out."
"Just tell me why you put such a scrap of
butter on the rice? I should fancy jou might
just as well put none at all."
"You goose) If the butter were not there a
thin wfein would be on the milk, which would
readily burn; you may call the butter oil If you
tike, tor as oil rapidly stills the troubled water,
to does the butter allay the ebullition of the
milk. And now not another werd, but good
night, or rather good-morning." '' .
Bertha left us in three weeks, and returned to
hi t han py home. Happy, because she made it
I sos her cheeriul teuinur. healthy tone of think
t lug, and active usefulness could not but heap-
predated. Her husband, Iu his first marriage,
bad been termed exacting; now, his wife's pre
vision loft no room lor exactions. He had out
one fault like the Israelites of old he was
ranidly falling into idolatry, and bis wife was
thoqueen oi eartn ano heaven. Her brat letters
to u were tilled with such "ioyous romancing,"
my husband called it "blah-'flown nonjense,"
which he could not realize, but which I, in a
far off dream, seemed onco to have known. .
In a mouth came my anxiously-looked-for
epistle, which was to contain "rules" for my
guidance. Ye, mine! a wile and irother of
two children. Had I ever seen any weakness Of
purpose in Bertha I should have had no eonu
deuce; but in all her management, in all the
ordering of her own wnys, she was to my
human vision perfect; yet it was with trembling '
that I opened her letter; I felt that in every
line I shoulJ bo condemned her precepts and
my practice I knew would not agree. I need
not refer to any note-book to refresh my memory
but, setting aside all the love which welled
forth from her heart, and found tittinar place in
her affectionate words, I give the rtilei them
selves: "Early rising Punctuality Despatch. Duties
to be instantly performed, however in them
selves disagreeable.
"In every household, larce or small, palace
or aot, there must be a place for everything;
and tbe mistress must see thai eventhing be keil
m Us place. This matter is generally a prolific
source ot unpleasantness between domestics and
mistress or housekeeper. There is rarely to be
found any order or plan in uuiralned servants.
Everything Is put out of hand at the readiest
vacant spot, till confusion everywhere is appa
rent, uuless supervision be exercised day atier
day; in tact, it is a daily duty, and must be done
despite the tossing ol the head, or the thump
ing of various articles, or the banging of doors
by the enraged damsel, who tells you that ni
lady would do such things, and as 1 don't
seem to give satisfaction I must go. In nine
cases out ot ten this is the result;
but either one must be subject to one's servauts,
or one roust be mistress, tt is in this point that
a young and inexperienced mistress bleaks
down. It is troublesome to be poking every
where at the risk of stirring up a tempest, but,
nevertheless, it must be done; and if the trouble
be met evpry morning tt will soon cease to worry
the mistress or annoy the servant. To master
this most essential duty, one has to conquer
one's own unwillingness tor the task, as well as
indolence hence the hardship. Sume mistresses
have a peculiar talent tor lookine after things;
these get well served, and can never be made to
understand the natural timidity and shrinking
from an act which Is telt to be uupleasant; but
w tether brave or timid, slrong or weak, this
net esary daily act is one of the first of house
keeping duties."
On reading this I felt self-condemned; I dared
not look too closely into a region at the back of
the kitchen, which, like Dinah's drawer, was a
teceptacle tor everything, lrom a nutmct-grater
to candle-ends. In tact, had I now commenced
my inquisitorial visit, Bridget would have pro
tested by leavintr me. So I put this rule on oue
side, to be acted upon when Bridget's successor
should commence her reign. I was found want
ing, too, in the next rule
"Keep a rag bag, a paper bag, and a string
bag, all conveniently at band; a small drawer
with nails and tack9, hammer, pincers, aud
chisel; but all thefe tools, with the addition of a
glue-pot, keep under your own eye, or, like pins
and needles, they will nowhere "be found when
wanted."
Oh, tae lectures I have had from Bertha about
wasting rags !
"It is a sin," she would say, "to destroy that
which our paper manufacturers ar at their
wits' ends to obtain. Every particle of raj
should be saved."
"Ob, nonsense ! It's such a little which I
make, 11 cannot affect the paper question," was
my laughing reply.
Bertha looked at me gravely.
"Milly, Milly, a grain ot wheat is but small,
but numbers feed nations. A pound of rags is
little to make In one year; but if every woman
saved that w eight, would there not be millions
of pounds ready to be converted into one of
the actual necessities ot civilized life ? The
miser gathers bis hoard penny br Denny: vou
save In money, not by the sovereign, but by the
shilling, and eveu by less."
Bertha had a most convincing way of putting
things. I could not deny her arguments, and
therefore set up a rag-bag, and henceiorth made
it a point of conscience to take care of the
scraps. At the end of the year I was astonished
at tbe accumulation wbicn I sold, and transferred
the money to my children's money-box. The
next rule was:
"Never crowd too much woric into a given
time, by having three or tour rooms cleaned in
one day."
Bertha bhowed me the folly of this proceeding
betore she lett. We had but eight rooms; the
two sitting-rooms underwent tolerable cleaning
every day, and when ore bedvootn only was di
turbed at a time there were plenty of others tor
occupation; besides, Bridget could compass tills
much without effort.
"Never allow dilapidations of linen, or articles
of lurniture to remain unrcpa'red; the latter
give an untidy appearance to a house, aud the
lonner is subversive of all comtort. A pair of
stockings may be mended in a quarter of an
hour, more or less. This portion of time will
scarcely be missed, while to mend two pair will
take a longer time thun can, perhaps, be spared."
W hen I read this my eye wandered to my
basket ol linen Its contents accumulating daily;
with a heavy sigh I turned away.
"Four times a year have the beds and mat
tresses beat, and shaken in the open air; once a
year, if needed, have the latter re-made. If the
bedsteads or boards ol tne room coLtain unplea
sant intruders, expel them at once by brushing
every crevice with stroug brine, and let it crys
tallize on, aud so remaiu, instend of removing
it. Be careful in this process to brine the Hoars
before taking the bedsteads to pieces."
Bei th a got that hint, I know, from my own
mother, who used to say, in relerence to it, that
equally simple remedies for many nuisances lay
always close at hand, if we bad only the wit or
knowledge to use them.
"Mark all linen with the best marking-ink,
when, if it should be obliterated in washing, rest
assured that the laundress has used chloride ot
lime in the operation of cleansing the clothes;
tbe use ot soda will only make the ink become
blacker.
Let every article be marked so that It
becomes a perpetual register so long as the
marks remain; thus supposing there are six
articles say towels of a particular pattern,
mark your initials, the number 6 over these, and
the Individual number, with the date, under the
initials; by thus doing, at any time, if vou are
In doubt about the to wels, you can be sure you
bad six ot thi particular kind, and you can also
directly tell w hich of the numbers, from 1 to 0,
is mi.-smg. This manner ot registering linen Is
so correct in its application, and a Toss is so
readily discovered, that tne method should be
one ot universal practice.
"Rarely trust a servant to send tbe linen out
to be w ashed, or to count it over on tts return,
unless you standby. See the former counted,
and set it down yourseli ; and the same with
the clean linen see that it agrees In number
and Mnn; exchanges are often made, and never
the better for the worse substitute.
"Every article ordered of jour tradesman
write down in their books; never allow an order
to be written by a servant.
"Keop all rf ceipti nnd file them. At the end
of each quarter sew them through the centre
wi'.b strong needle and thread, aud tie them;
place a strip of paper round each packet, with
tbe date ol month and year. At the end of each
year place tbe four packet iu one paper, tie it
up, and label it with date, Ac, aud place it in a
diawer or other convenient place.
"Enter in a book all the money you receive,
also all you spend, and also for what it hat been
spent, so that at the end of the year you may ta
enabled to see for what purposes the money has
gone. . '
"Have no 'aundries,' which, in other words
mean 'forgets.'
"Do not go into debt. Do without even necos
sarles, if so it must bet but avoid debt as vou
would a mountain that will crush you. '
" Have no secrets from your husband, cither
as to your expenditure or proceed iuirs. If a
husband be kept In ignorance of his wile's care