THE DATL1 EVENING TELEG R AM. PHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY, JULY 31, 18GG.
do not take a servant who has lived years in a
place; bo assured she will be mentally niakin?
flisagreciible comparisons between yours and
the tanaily she has left, and be so settled into
their ways that she will not cbanse to yours.
Besides, depend upon It, she bas oeen tolerated
In many shortcomings, for which her plea of
long service has been sufficient, or she would
Hot nave been alschanzcd.
'Do not, MlUy, think I am hard in writing nil
this; I only bnris to your notice lacts of my own
and my aunt's experience. I can Rive you no
certain rules by which jou thould be bound in
hiring a servant, as there must be many excep
tions, and with all possible care much disap
pointment on boih udes will doubtle-s ensue,
which the mistress at least must patiently bear.
"When a servant rim commences her duties,
the greatest lorbenrance must be exercised by
the mislrcs, consistent witb her sposen orders
.or directions. Avoid telling too much at once: '
one thing only at a time: out trust not tbnt it
will be perlormcd to your satisfaction unless
you see that it is so. I was once staying in
apartments with n most amiable iadv of tilteen
hundred a j ear income; one day she sil l, 'I
bave asked Margaret to light the tire in my
bedroom at seven this evening; I wonder it' sue
has done it ?' and sue rose to leave the room.
'Oh I' said I, 'vou may be sure the his." 'I am
not sure at all,' she laughingly replied; 'my expe
rience has been this: the tirtisto do it your
sell', and, tailing this, to see that it be done.
The latter is less trouble than to trust and
repp disappointment.' Another triend,
whom I kno to be the best manager ol a ser
vant 1 have ever met with, mention that, in her
hiring, for onejmonth she accompanies her maid
every day throueh all her duties, and until the
girl is perlect in the ways of her mistress and in
the manner ot doing the work. If this plan
were generally adopted, with the few oxcptions
which must neces-aiily exist, there would be a
greater degree of comiort where now there is
utter discomfort; but, of course, this is premis
ing tnat the mistress is hcr;clt properly edu
cated in her duties; otherwise she cannot teach.
The remedy tor the universal outcry respecting
bad servants is iu the hands of the mistresses;
they must first be themselves taught, ihen teach
their domestics.
"There is always a certain number of good
servants to be found, but they rarely lull to the
lot of middie-clhss people, and wbn discovered
are cherished beyond prico, so that wh?re lim
ited incomes cannot be (stretched they are to tho
juniority unattainable.
"lie careuil to tav but little in giving your or
ders to domestics; that little must be said in all
kindness, but with firmness.
"Encoiirairo in them no tattling about others'
affairs, but in every other respect act as a parent
to them, feeling lor their pain, alleviating it as
much as possible, listening to tbedetails ot their
families, and in young eirls especially to
every particular respecting their lovers; guide
them, appeal to the leeliues, constantly and
practically place before them the purport of the
Divine maxim, 'Lo as you ould be dne by.'
It they waste, say, 'Would you have done this if
you had to purchase these things ?' It they tell
untruths, endeavor to reason with them, to
show the utter impolicy, the uselessness of their
fraud that confidence cannot be given where
such a tendency exists; and though there is no
chance that even this care and interest will
make them one whit better, s'.ill your duly must
be perloimed, whatever they leave undone.
"In giving orders care must be taken that
they are practicable; otherwise a girl will be
mentally defiant, and soon show it openly. To
overwork a girl is cruel, whether it arises from
thoughtlessness or design. Housekeeping really
becomes a science when every nerve and
thought are exerted in adapting the means to
the rnd. Tbeie are many ways in which a mis
tress may quiPtly assist her domestic, without
the latter really observing it. It is a bad plan
to commence with calling a girl's attention to
the fact that you are helping her; she will tien
neglect ber work and depend upon you, at a time,
perhaps, when it may be inconvenient. Every
day should have its portion of work performed,
so that at the end of the week the whole house
"will have been cleaned through. I know you
bave tho habit ot rising early, without whioh I
should be hopeless ot giving you help. It is
altogether a bad plan to call a servant: the will
then depend upon you, and you will become
her slave. Tho habit ot early rising will grow,
and she will foon fall into it.
"As you dress vour children yourself, and do
not trouble Bridget in tuis matter, I have
nothing to say about It, excepting that if vou
did not you would be compelled to keep another
pirl, as Bridget's plan is mine also, of cleaning
the knives, two sitting-rooms, and passages
before eieht o'clock, 'lis true your little fea
ther brush and silken duter are requisite in
both rooms; but this work. I am sure, does not
redden your hauds or require you to put on an
especial ugly wrap tor the occasion. I nave
admired you for this, and thougut the children
on the rug, croine with delight to see mamma
flitting here and there, and clrrping and chat
ting and crowing with them, pcrtect a pic
tuie as ono would desire. In such moments I
have envied you envied you the bliss ot your
litt'e ones. This is a subject I resolutely set my
face against dwelling upon; so to continue. I
wish that in the lew moments you are often
waiting tor Fred, you would decide upon the
dinuer arrangements for the day, and write
them down on a strip of paper. 'Tls true your
dishes may be few in number, and very siiuole,
and Bridget certainly always recollects; but the
time may come when it will be Bridget no
longer, and in the worry of change and a new
face, you will be sadly perplexed to recollect
even what you intended tor dinnr. Just write
your bill of fare for every day thus. Suppose
we begin with Sunday dinner' for this day, of
course, being arranged on the Jay previous:
"SUNDAY.
Koat beet.
Yorkshire padding,
l'otatses.
ilorteiadisii sauce.
A tart or pudding-.
MONDAY.
Cold beef.
JioaM, potatoes.
Salad, dressed.
W bole rice pudding with
out cent.
. To order or get.
Lettuce, oto.
l'o.tttoes.
To order or aet.
Fish.
Cutlets.
Potatoes.
THURSDAY.
Souo made lruni the bonoi
of bee I, aud thickened
witn Hooicn bar-lev.
The top oi the hour that
as bal ed stcwodwith
carrots, ana an onion
with lour doves in-
sertud.
Potatoes.
To order or get.
Scotch barley.
TUKSOAT.
Pea toun.
rotatoe.
jKinooa Deei, or, it me unions,
joint wm a sirloin, then Carrots,
tho upper part will: Friday.
have bees salted, and so Liver and bacon.
an remain another apiuaoh aud poached
dav
or
Manned parsnips
Fried potatoes.
App'e trittors
ears.
fitewea neck of mat-
ton.
without Potatoes and turnips.
batuhuay.
Stewed steak.
To order or get.
Split peas.
Potatoes.
Apple.
Parauips.
WKDHKftDAT.
Bole, or other fish.
Melted t utter, or
Anohory sauce.
Two mutton cutlets.
Poi aloes.
Boiled onions.
Potatoes.
Uhubarb tart.
OOKDAY.
Boast filet ol mutton.
Ureeni.
Potatoes.
Fruit pudding, or
Jam rod.
I
"It Is economical to have a whole leg of mut
ton, and have it cut in half, bo as to ro'ist one
end and boil tne oiner, and Dy these means a
roast and cold, boiled and minced.. may be
obtained, alo a soup.
" Remember every day to write down your
orders, never to giv them only verbally to a
0i v ant, although it will be necessary to read
them to her as well at to give her the written
instructions."
CHAPTER IV.
THE SIOCNKisS or bkbtha's step-son.
ITS OONHUQU BUCKS HOW TO KKBP
WATBB COOL.
A VISIT AND
BUTTER AND
Bertha Chapman's "rules" suddenl v came to an
end, for in a lew lines she informed me that any-
tning lurrner must u aeiayea to a tuture time.
ber step-son Robert having met with an acci
dent whioh had caused concussion of the brain,
My heart bled for the tortured father, for this
only son was the crowning blessing of his life.
it need scarcely do ioiq now my neart sympa
thized with Bertha and her husband in their
4 eep gHof. "Theie was no hope," were the last
words of her letter. After this I dally looked
for tidings of Robert's death, but none came,
"lie lingers on unconpclous ol us all," was tho
last news.
A lady, her husband, and children had come
to reside near us. She called one morning, and
I found her extremely pleasant and agreeable.
I did not return her call till one evening Fred
and I, in f is iug her house, were greeted with a
Irienoly nod as sho aud her husband were just
entering their door. She came towards us. and
insisted upon our loining them, My husband
hated fuss, su I thought it ben at once to com
ply. An hour soon passed in pleasait conver
sation, tor both Mr. an t Mrs. Gray were well
informed. Everything in tte furnishing of the
rooms appeared neat, some even e'egaut, and
all bore traecs ot refinement much above the
stvlcof bouse they were Inhabiting. Presently
the folding-doors of the two small rooms were
thrown open, nnl a charmlnBlV lald-out supper
appeared. There was a well-dressed lobster
salad, the remains of a cold joint, bread, butter,
and cl eese; and on the centre ot the table stood
a small spreading basket of freshly garnered
roses and miirnonFtle, perfuming .the whole
atmosphere with their fraerance. We were
overpowered with the hospitality of our kind
triends, and consented to share what they
termed their usual evening meal.
I looked with more of curiosity than of appe
tite upon the tempting repast thus so pie isantiy
displayed. There were no expensive articles of
food ; lobsters and lettuces were at their
cheapest. But what was it that made the whole
alluir look as if it had been pread for royalty ?
A second glance was sufficient. The table
cloth, although not spot'.es-i, looked nearly so.
Each told of thedamssk, as it had been sent
from the laundress, had been carefully kept ; no
ronphiie-s appeared on its surface, and it was
onl? upon near cxnmina:ion one could discover
that it had done dutv tor perhaps two days or
more. The silver, if silver it was, sparkled in
its brightness ; tho glasses were clear and thin,
nnd ttie knives Bhoue with uudlmr.icd lustre.
All this,' with the fragrant mignoncite and
ninny tinted roses, gave an indescribable cnarm
to the simple repast. Visions of mv own neglect
in t hese apparently trifling but really important
matters roie upas accusers, ana i au.unuiueu i
to have no more carelessness in this respect.
Soon after we commenced supper wine was In
troduced ; my husband gave me a glance, which ;
1 well understood. It was sherry, ot a very
Indilferont quality, but served in an exquisitely i
cut decanter. Without entering into further ,
particulars, I need only say we spent a very
pleasant evening, and mutual civilities having
piipsod, we returned home. During our walk I
said:
The evening has been a pleasant one; but I
fear wc must give up visiting Mrs. (Jrav. You
know we caunot afford wine; b-snlos, I ain too
proud to place wine ot an luuitieieiit quality
before our guests. T hate shsmis, nnd tins is
one of them; but how shall we manage about
the leturn vicit ?"
"It ia lust this which n perplexing me," re
plied my husband; "it o liuppcin.tliat I know
liertie Adams who tinea tne situiiuan flir. uray
is now in, and I know that he had barely two
hundred a year. Fossibly these people may
have other means. However, be that as it
roipht, we cannot give lobster salads and sherry
tor supper; so I suppose wc must U'lit shy."
"That will not do, at all events, nil we nave
invited them back. If Bsriha wrre here, I
know what she would say and do, and I leel as
it I had gained sonic courage trom thinking of
her. Shebnttsull subrertuge so do 1, and it
will Do better to commence our intercourse in
tho same way we thoull be compelled to con
tinue it. We dine late, aud do not take suppers.
It they come to us, it must be to our tea, and
thip meal must be the extent of our hospitality."
"Well, little one, I don't see what else we can
offer them il we mean to be honest. Tweuty-
seven shillings a week won't go lar in refresh
ments tor visitors, and ourselves to live out ot
it. Perhaps we had better give it up."
I do not quite like to do this," I replied.
'Mrs. Gray is evidently a gentlewoman, aud has
been accustomed to something more than her
present meaus. I wonrter how she manages?"
pever mind now sne manages, so tnat we
keep straight," replied my husband, somewhat
pettishly.
JNo more was men said upon wnnt was evi
dently a sore subject. Two or three weeks
passed on, during which time I constantly bore
in mind the briahtneas ot tne Miver, the un
created cloth, aud the flowers, and the general
etlect of tho pleasant repast we had enjoyed.
This scene was so ever-present to my vision that
every day I endeavored to produce, not only on
my table, but in the decorations ol the room, a
similar effect, and in a great measure I succeeded;
so that, when Mr. and Mrs. Uray called as we
were sitting dawn to tea, my husband, who had
hitherto appeared unobservant, looked with a
pleased smile on the general arrangements.
The teapot albeit not silver nor silver-platei
and the teaspoons and toasi-racK luoKeci inoir
brightest; and though I had but few roses, and
only flowers of the commonest kind, still there
thry were, and arranged, as Air. uray said, lite
a pictuie.
i ou have exquisite taste in grouping tiowers,
Mrs. Allisou; jou are an artist, 1 fancy," he con
tinued.
It vou mean that I appreciate an artistic
design or a pood painting, then you are correct;
but I do not paint nor skctou."
1 mean that you have bicnded the colors ot
thee flowers so well, and contrasted their seve
ral tmts with such appropriate loliage, that 1
fancied you must have an artist's talent. Why,
positively, you have made a simple dinner dish
do duty lor a costlier vase, ana witn capital
etlect. That exquisite outer border of fern
leaves, then the inward one of mignonette, then
the scarlet geranium, ana finally the white jj
roses. Why, the arrangement is quite a study,
You nave tnem in wet sana, oi course?
"No; not sand. Simple water, with morsels
of moss stuffed in to keep the blooms upright,
is all l use. i also put in various places small
pieces of charcoal, which prevents all decaying
or earthy smell."
"Your plan is an excellent one; I snail adopt
it," said Mrs. Gray; "and 1 also admire your plan
ot placing mignonette and scarlet geraniums in
these china saucers; they are infinitely prettier
than more cosily appliances, which keep one in
a perpetual uU et lest tiiey snouia get uroken. '
"I scarcely know whether I may be permittod
to offer vou tea; but it you will Join us we shall
be pleased," I said, with some nervousness.
Our Iriends were delighted, or appeared to be
so; and certainly an hour or two passed away
pleasantly enough; then Mr. and Mrs. Gray left.
We hud neither introduced wine, nor had other
amusement than conversation.
A fortnight claused, our friends again called.
and I was upon the point oi promising to spend
the lollowiug evening with them, when my
husband said -.
"Pardon me for a moment. Milly. We shall
be very glad to retain your friendship. Mr.
Gray; but our iucome is evidently so much loss
than yours that we should not feel comfortable
to partake of your hospitality, for we cannot
oiler you an equivalent in return, and so we
will be ery lriendly without a closer inter
course. I beseech OU to excuse my seeming
abruptness almabt incivility but we can only
auoru to visu ou Hutu iciuih ag vviu not en
croach in a material degree upon our very
limited income."
,"What do, vou mean, All'son? You have
supped with us but once. What did we give
you more than we bave received from you ?
Indeed, I leel that we are greatly your debtors
lor your extremely pleabant society."
, "It Ib kind of vou to say this 1 but still I feel
there is a bar to hospitality. You can a;ford to
place wine and knick-knacks before your
Iriends, w hich we cannot do, and therefore can
not accept irom them. It Is best to summou
courage, and speak out I fear my little wile
and myself must depend on ourselves alone for
society. Everywhere I see a tendency to luxury
which we dare not imitate, inasmuch as debt
looms In the distance. So, my good triends, we
will meet with pleasure, but that is all."
, J felt as If 1 should bave sunk with collusion
at this speech, though I could not but know that
it husband was right, and that a higher feeling
of respect stole over me at his bravery; for one
ean olten meet disaster with equanimity, while
one cannot fetcp aside from couventional rules
without trembling, however nsucn. that step may
Mr. Gray at first appeared astonished, while
bis wife looked apparently as if a be coincided
with all she had heard, and when Fred ceased
to speak, she hastily said:
"Mr. Allison, you are right. We can no more
afford wine than you can; indeed, I question if
our income is as large as ycur, and I know that
this matter of wine in our expenditure makes
no email item in our accounts, but on the con
trary is somewhat heavy to meet. Both Mr.
Gray and myself came from a borne where good
wine wa al ways one of the necessaries of our
family ; and, unfortunately, if we did not think
it one of our own necessities, we imagined it
irdispeusable to set it before our tract: but we
bave Lever been able to compass the wine of our
home, and I have always thought It mean to set
before people that kind which our not plathoric
purse compelled us to do, and I thank yon
very, very much lor the lesson you have given
ns."
Mr. Gray held out his band. '
"Very well, old fellow; I thank you heartily.
Do not fancy you have got rid ot ns."
"Nor do I wish that; indeed, 1 shall be very
grateful to both of you if you will accept tlie
hospitality we can give with a welcome which
could not otherwise be accorded, and give us in
return your pleasant society."
"But you don't mean to say you won't come
to our house at all ?"
"No, that is not my meaning; we will come as
often as you want us, but not always to eat aud
drink."
And thus we secured two of tho most valuable
friends we ever had. The Grays admired my
husband's moial courage, and thought highly of
him: the opinion thus formed was of infinite
service to us on one eventtul occasion, the de
tails of wl:ich I need v not enter into here.
Pleasantly time pm-scd on. Mrs. Gray had no
children, and, as she became devoted to mine,
spent more time at our houe than would other
wise have been the case. I found much plea
sure in teceiving her. a there was no expense
iltiending it; nortlid 1 hesitate to go to bar house
as frequently as 1 felt inclined. Indeed, my
husband's moral courage had eiven mo strength
to apply his principle of abstaining from false
appearances, that 1 felt losing my sell-respect if
I ever attempted a sham. Twenty-seven shillings
a week these words seemed to be endowed
with vitality; they were ever palpably rising
belore me whenever I was tempted to indulge
in petty extravagances whenever I de
sired to put on an importance not warranted
by my income; in the words of the day, "doing
the grand." All who marry upon 200 per
annum must be educated tor such a limit, or
muH educate themselves lor it; and they
may be vei-y happy, pcihaps happier than witii
X2U00 per annum. They must be early risers,
methodical managers, have an intimate know
ledge ot wholesome cookery aud useful nee He-
work; must be economical ot time, careful of
w aste pie ces, of dripping, of suet, ot bones, and
ot cinders, w hich are all of the greatest use in
household management, which must be had, and,
il not cured for, will be found expensive articles
to buy to much so, tbnt three hundred a year
income wni not suitice to replace the deficiency.
ISonie housekeepers say tnev tiud it. a better
plan to pay tor everything as it comes in from
the ditleient tradesmen; others prefer to buy at
once sufficient of every article to make a store.
The proverb. "A s'oie is no sore," is in one
teiiFe pernicious; but, as proverbs cut both
ways, there may te n.any instances, no doubt,
where a store has proved a godsend; but in
houseKeepirg mutters upon twenty-seven phil
lii.gs a week a store is an evil, trom there being
no check upon the consumption. My own plan
was always lo have a book from every trades
man who supplied my wan's, in which once a
week 1 eiitei ed all I required, and only sufficient
lor the week's consumption ta, sugar, coffee,
and bacon; butter, it the grocer supplied me
(and he generally did), I had twice a wek.
Bridget bad her ball-pound weekly. This
in price was nearly the same as that
for our own consumption; but as she
was never very careiul ' whether she cut it
with a clean knife, or keep it melting in the
kitchen under the influence of the tire and gas,
it w as not very palatable when it made its ap
pearance at our table: hf nee I cboBe that our
butter should be kept distinct, and, indeed. I
always had it under my own management, both
inwiuter and summer. In the latter, the hot
weather melted away poor Bridget's into oil,
aud she never could be made "to tuss as mipsis
do," lor ber own comiort. I never could teach
her the principle of how butter or water could
be kept cool by evaporation: not that I ever
mentioned such a long word to ber, for she
would bave fancied it 'some magical talisman
which operated upon the butter, instead ot the
result being the exercise of her own common
sense.
"Now, missis, how can that drop o' water
make the butler hard?" was her question one
day, when she saw me put a half-pound of butter
into our glass butter-dish.
"I will tell you, if you will but observe, Brid
get." "I do observe ye every day, m'm, but I'm none
the wiser."
"Well, watch me once again. You see I put
about half a teacupful of cold water in this soup
plute; standing in this is the butter-dish con
taining the butter."
"Shure, then, why don't you put the cowld
wafer on the butter?"
"That must never be, because the water would
soon get warm irom the hot air; but I keep the
tot air oil' by dipping this old table-napkin in
water, placing it over the butter-dish, letting
the w hole ot the other portion ot the napkin be
tucked into the water in the soup-plate; then
you see the water rises continually over the
napkin, making the air which surrouuds the
butter cool instead ot hot."
"thure it's ox is the clever one ; but It's a
terrible sight o' trouble, though the butter's as
huhH na Q Hint on tt Iropns uarata inn."
"It's no trouble at all. Bridget, once a day to
give tresh water, twice a week to scald the nap
kin and the butter-dish with boumg water; tnen,
when cold, let both stay in cold water tor uu
hour. And see the comiort you have."
"An' that's thruc lor you. If I'd only been
trained 1 mieht ba' been as clever as yourself.
Au' what's the use of all that meiled saltpetre
and salt round the filter? Won't water do tor
tbat as well?"
"No; because the filter is somewhnt thicker
than this table-napkin, and the coldness of water
is not sufficient, bo vou see I melt a handful of
salt and a table spoontul of saltpetre in a quart
ol water, place it in this shallow pan, then stand
the hller in it; i;ip a wet ciotu in water, tnen
place it over the filter so that the edges ot the
cloth shall lie in the mixture, and all I have to
do for a month is to renew the water in the pan
every dav, when vou know the water which is
daily put into the hirer is as cool as ice."
"But why do you have the filter put in a
draught?"
"Because the air in a draught is cooler, and
as constantly as the suiface of the wet cloth is
anea ov tne surrounding air, me aiuea oi iuo
cloth being laid in the mixture causes the moist
tire to ascend, and thus prevents the hot air
fiom approaching the filter. Now, Bridget, if
you ever marry, and wish to make the water
cool for vour family to drink, you need not
have a filter. Jut fill a pitcher with cold water;
nlace the pitcher in a basin which has water in it ;
wring out a clean cloth in cold water; cover over
the pitcher with the cloth, taking care that all
the edges of the cloth are tucked into the basin
in which yon bave stood the pitcher, and you
need not trouble yourself more. In two hours
the w ater will be delisiouslv cool."
'"Tis thrue, m'm, but 1 can't tell why it
should be cowld. An' I can't tell to this day
why, when I lived at Dr. Ilowton's, he should
do such a funny thing as this: One of the
children was very weakly an' rickety an' used
to have Bwolllngs come out in its neck, an' Us
little ankles used to give way. Well, every
night an' morning this child used to be bathed,
and shore the doctor made the bath list like
this: We had two long, narrow washiug-tubs;
both used to be nearly filled every day with
cold, water: he would have rain water when
'twas to be had, an' if we couldn't git it we jist
had t'other. ,
'The lun ot it was be would have both these
baths placed In the sun, an' in the bottom of
each he hud more than a poun' of roll brim
stone an' a teacuptul of bay-salt mixed with it;
well, this stood in the sun all day, an' before
the sun set one bath was brought in, an' t'other
was It-It out au' was covered over with a deal-
board which fitted nicely on the top. The ono
we brought in we put a quart of boiling water
into, an' then the child went in of his own
accord, for the doctor would throw in some
bits o' toys like goold, and so the child wanted
to (etch 'cm out.
"He used to be ken' in for five minutes, the
doctor splashing him about an' playinr wl' him ;
be would never kit tho child bo still a mlnnit.
Ihen we tuk bim up and wiped him wl' very soft
cloths, put on his little flannel gown, and tnen
the doctor nibbed his ankles very gently, an'
the great lump in bis neck, an' I put him to bed
an' he slep' all night. An' shure, a'niost afore
daylight, the doctor called out. 'Btideet, put the
bath out in the sun an' take off the cover:' so
down I went an' out ot doors an' done jist as he
bid me, an' so my moving about woke up the
little one (for he slep' in a crib by mv hide), an'
Wjben I come back I gave bim a bit o' bread and
butter, an' a cup o' aw ate milk, which 1 always
tuk up the night atoie, an' then the little fellow
would sleep on till eight o'clock, when we
brought in t'other bath an' done jist the same as
we did the nic tit afore. An' instead of his flannel
gown a top of bis other clothes, he had a grey
woollen dress, which was as thin as flannel. Old
nurse said 'twas flannel, tor tnasttr had it dyed
apurpobe to make the child coat". An' the fun
nies! thing of all was that tho child hnd always
cold milk and water to drink; 'twas tresh every
day, but In the bottom of the jug there was
always a lccile bit o' roll brimstone. Alter
awhile this brimstone was cracked with a ham
mer, an' inaister said all the virtues come out of
it again.
"He had some quare notions the master had,
for cook had to boil down some shin o' beet to
make strong clear beef Jelly, ho that you could
cut it with a spoon, and the child ato two
table-spoonsful every day, mixed it with his
mate and bread, lor the little sir k one couldn't
ate much mate, an' so he was made to noiuuh
hisselt another way."
"Did the child cot well, Bridget?" I asked.
"Yes, that he did, an' he's as tine a boy as
ever walked. Nurse said 'twarn't master's own
child, and that there was lots o' money ue-
Eendin' upon bis life; and when be comes' into
is lortiu I'm shure hu ought to give the maiter
a big share for all tho cure he took o' him. I
did hear that bis mother was a gTan'lady, an'
the doctor tell in love wi' her, but he never tould
her so 'tis said; an' vet, just befote she died,
she said that it Dr. Iiowton took her child he
would save his life an' shure he did.be the
blessing o' God."
"I should think the plan he adopted a very
sensible one. I am at a loss to know myself
w hy the baths were placed in the sun. Did you
break brimstone and bay-salt eveiy day in the
baths?"
"Oh, no: fresh bav-salt was put In twice a
week, and then the brimstone whs list cracked
In a tresh place; bo that every day, alter tb'i boy
was bathed an' ihe water had settled, it was jist
thrown away, all but a little above the brim
stone, an' then both baths was left in the sun lor
three hours, then they were halt hLed wi' water,
and left till a little before the sun net; ono of
'em was brought in, and t'other was covered up."
"But bow did you manage in the winter, when
there was but little sun?" I asked.
j "Well, the tubs were put out jist the same,
oniy we didn't put quite so much water in em,
an' we put a little more bay-salt, and a little
hoiter water in before the child went iu. The
doctor said the bo's narves were never to bo
shook on a sudden, and we were never, even in
tun. to frighten him; but he didn't grow up a
cowaiu lor an mat."
"lhave often thought vou had a wonderful
wuv with children, Br,oge,.: vou would inane a
capital nurse." Bridget colored, aud looking
oown soyly, paid:
it you please, m m. I'm going to be bould
enough to tell you a bit of a sacret. Patrick,
m'm, asked me last Sunday to have our names
caueo in cuurcn."
"What ! to be married ?" I asked, in dismay.
"Il you please, ni'm," answered Biidget. curl
ing up her apron and looking down, and color
ing up to her eyes.
isut. Bridget, vou ara so much older than
he is."
"Shure, an' it's a better wife I'll make him
than one of them spaloeens that's got a bunch
of garden stuff on their heads n bonnet 1 s'nose
they call 'era and barrel, hoops round their
gowns which sweep up all the muck o' the
stieets."
Lridget's last remark was unanswerable, aud
I lull ber without anotner word, so vexed was I
at this announcement.
Two months passed aay, and Bridget had
lelt me; her place tilled but, alas! not supplied.
Now, indeed, my housekeeping troubles began.
J had obtained an excellent character with the
new girl, which preved a fallacy; her only good
point was honesty; otherwise she was d:rty,
cureless, and slow soslow thatit could becallcd
nothing else than uJlene.-s. Agniu aud agaiu 1
chanced mv damsels, all to no purpose. Well,
thought I, I must turn servant myself; this can
never go on. 1 shall get a bad name in the
ne ghborhood; besides, the plan of changing
began 10 get expensive. Twenty-seven shillings
a v. eek ! oh, how this galled me ! but no it I see,
that bud I had titty shillings a week the result
would have been the same.' I had trusted im
plicitly to Bridget in everything. Did my bus
band wantbreakta t an hour eailier, Bridget had
it ready. Did he want an egg poached, how
nicely it came with the yellow just blushing
thtough its daiuty envelope fit snowy white!
The toast, which under Budget's reign was crisp
as the freshest biscuit, under the ueiv regime was
convened into slices ol leather. All the little
items w hich went to maKe up a whole of comfort
nuu suddenly vauisned. The knives were dim,
tne clotn was tumbled, the plates were rough
ana smcureo, tne water Dad never Doiieit. aud
so the first miserable meal of the day passed
over. Others loliowed; the meat was" Bodden
and peppered with coal-dust; ihe greens were
rusiy auu potatoes watery ; aud as lorptmetu
ainy, not one of my biied hindrances knew
w hat it meant.
1 wrote to Bertha to tend me a servant. Her
reply wns:
"Get an active girl, and teach her yourself.
di ar Milly ; be independent. 1 know uot where
to bnd you an experienced woman like Bridset,
who has grown into vour was: but take some
likely young girl ot eighteen, teach her all you
know, and possibly you may learn much, from
her; for a month or two be with her in the
kitchen from early morning till late. Bu. alas !
1 forgot that you are noi accomplished enough
yourseu to buKe, toact, or poach an egg both
delicate operations, by-the-way, worthv the
genius ot au artist.
"JuBt ask vour hiihbnud to let vou come here
witn tne children tor a mouth, or discharge vour 4
present servant, and let Bridget and PutricK
keep house Ml you return. You will gain some
experience with me which you caunot obtain at
heme."
The affair was soon settled; a week found me
undi r Bertha's hospitable root, saddf ned though
it was by the almost imbecility of Robert, who
bad never recovered Irom his tall, and dailv
become more cnildih. In vain the best medicul
advice had been obtained it was useless, and
each week found Mm less able to move about,
less capable ot understanding or of recognizing
bis friends. Then it was that Bertha shoue out
as true woman the consoler of her husband
the nurse of the atllieted. With what untiring
patience did she seek to amuse him, to tempt
liu appetite, to elicit one glimmeriug ot sense;
but without avail! How watchful was her leve
how untiring her interest! Had his appetite
failed at breakfast, in an hour she caoio with
some restoiative. prepared by her own hands,
for his sustenance. How I eDvied her the do
mestic knowledge she possessed ! How, from
seeing the comfort she everywhere scattered
around her, 1 determined, come what would, to
i nil 'ate her !
After breakfast on the morning succeeding my
arrival, "Milly " said Bertha, "come with me
into the kite ben. aud see how 1 manage lor the
day. Old cook has gone home for a holiday,
and will not return for three weeks; sue has
gone to Scotland. I have only her niece to act
as cook, and her experience is not great, though
she is not so very young. Iudeed, I very mucn
fear that I must be the 'guiding star1 for to day's
luncheon and dinuer, if one cau judge Irom her
attempts yesterday."
"What Is that list you have in your hand ?" I
asked.
'That is simply my bill of fare for the day,
with tho tradesmen's ordorn."
"Allow me to look," said I.
"Certainly; read it aloud," she replied.
"Salmon and anchovy sauce; roast lamb,
mint sauce; ducks, peas, potatoes; cherry-tart;
corn-flour pudding.
"lo order: Fishmonger Two and a half
pounds of salmon. Butcner ShouHer of la nb.
tour pounds. Poulterer Two ducks. Green
giocer A quart of shelled peas, two pounds of
new potatoes, one pound of cherries."
"How very exact you are respecting the
we'ght and measure !" said I.
'This, of course, a good housekeeper will
always be," she replied.
"But how can you tell how much people will
eat ? For instance, why do tou say two and a
half pounds of salmon? How many prr-ons
will dine off that to day ?"
"Only four; but I find that frequently we have
a vlcitor, who comes from a long distance, and
generally stays to dinner. I never lute to be
taken unprepared, for it isamileandahalt'from
hence to the shops in the village. I always cal
culate ball a pound of fish, such ns salmou, cod,
or tuibot, to each person it will not weigh so
much when cooked. Soles, ol course, I calcu
late as to their thickness; but I alwavs choose
a solo which, when tbe head and extremity of
tall are cut off at the table, shall no divided ino
two portions; consequently, we should but te
quire one pair if w e were going to have them to
day. Son-.eiitnes 1 have one very thick fish, and
divide it into three pieces before it Is fried, and
; this is a very nice way ot cooking them, or thick
soles filleted that l,the bones taken Out a-e
very nice. You are sure to be right if you cal-
ctilnte in this manner "
"Well, then, as to the meat; how can you tell
how much will be eaten ot this ?"
"I do not usually calculate so closely respect
ing meat unless there are six or nine people to
partake ot it. In the latter case, I should
recson a pound ot meat to each person; not that
any one wou.d eat n pound, or half a pound, but
you must consider that belore the meat comes
to the table, in addition to the bona of the
loint, there are always superfluous fat, super-tluout-
bits, outsides, and waste by cooking; all
this must be taken into consideration. For in
stance, take a sirloin of beef weighing ten
pound", just such as the butcher usually sends;
take fiom this the suet, the thin portion of the
end (which I consider a waste to roast, as it will
make a second dish tor the uext day), you will
find the joint not too much to place before eight
persons, although you may have a second di6h
ot poultry, or cutlet, or mince, or chops. I am
now speaking of homely family dinuers, not
company dinners; these are quite different
atluns."
"I don't want to know about company din
ners." said I. "Twenty-seven shillings a week
won't entertain much "company."
"You speaK contemptuously of a sum which
thousands nave not, and thousan Is more h ive
to provide every necessary ot life with, which
hardship you have not to endure."
"1 am your pupil," was my reply; "so pray go
cn."
"What is the next th'ug you wish to know?"
"Simply why you order th" peas to come
ready elielled instead of shelling them at homo ?"
"If all my servants were iu their place, I
(houM infinitely preicr to huvc them shelled at
home, for this reason, that if you purchase
them out of tho pod, the shellers have selected
tbe largest pods irrespective of tneir age; con
sequently, the peah are almost invariably old;
and as I object very much to charwomen's assist
ance, I save my servants when I have but two
all trouble than I can. Of course, I could not
shell them myself, as I am liable t interruption
every moment from some visitor; thereiore I
employ tbe grocer, who usually charges three
pence a pecK lor shelling, and a peck should
yield a quart of peas, when they are in full
season."
"I didn't know that before; and, like Captain
Cuitle, I'll 'make a note of it.' And you are
going to have cherry-tart to-day you are a
nappy woman to be able to have such expensive
lieai s. Why, I was asked an extravagant price
lor a pound beiore I lelt home."
"Thee weie foreign cherries, and uot fit fir
baking. Our own, as youpeiceive, are not nearly
ripe; but these cherries are brought herefrom
the village; we buy them now at eieht pence a
pound; and these mixed with lhubnrb, cut very
small, ake a tart not t be distinguished from
one made of all cherries."
"Rhubarb?" said I, much in the tone that the
old dame answered her hui-band when he asked,
"Whoso boots may these be ?" .
"Yes, rhubarb. I'll tell you a secret about
that. You must allow that it is very wholesome;
however, I know it to be such. Well, then, un
derstand that rhubarb takes all flavors but
gives Lone, and, therefore, helps to make up a
deficiency ot more coBtly material. For in
stance, if you de6ire to make a large tart, and
have only half a pint of raspberries to make it
with, how would you manage it? Raspberries
are expensive to buy, and go no way."
"Ah, well, I can't tell; 1 must go without it, I
suppose."
"Not so; you have only to mince the rhubarb
very small, wash it well beloie, and particularly
alter mincing; ttir up the sugar with it, and
bake it till soft; then, when cold, stir in
your raspberries, make your tart, and bake it
only sufficiently long to cook the paste. The rasp
berries are sure to be dressed enough. My aunt
used to say there were many contrivances which
opensive cooks made their employers pay for,
but never had. M-iny things can be made from
rhubarb of which an inexperienced person would
never dream. Cider was at one time the basis
ol artificial wine; rhubarb answers better. Rhu
barb makes a good imitation hock, moselle, aud
champagne, both still and sparkling, and from
it con also be nnule an excellent imitation of
thcrry, to which sweet almonds, with a few bit
ter ones, would impart a 'nutty flavor.'
"From rhubarb you may make what would be
taken tor 'preserved ginger,' a simple, inexpen:
sive, and pleasant aduition to the desert. Y'oii
may give it a fine name, and flavor it with
oianpe, with lemon or almond flavoring, and
present it ns a Chinese or Japanese novelty.
"You may boil rhubarb aud black currants
together till you have extracted tho juice lr m
both; then strain it through two sieves of a dil
lerent fineness; then boil it with its weight in
sugar, aud you have black currant jelly. Flavor
the simple juice of rhubarb with lemon peel aud
stick cinnamon, and you have quince jelly,
Flavor it slightly with lemon and almond flavor
ing, and you have apple jelly.
"Boil the stn;ple juice with sugar only, and a
small portion ol treacle, till it is dark und thirk,
and you have tbe best coloring imaginable for
Kravies and soups.
"Again boil tne juice with au equal quantity
ot foal sugar and t-ome red currants; strain it,
and when boiling drop In singly some ripe
t-trawberries, and a more dollcious addition to
dcssi-rt in winter cannot be put on the table.
In fact, tho capabilities ot rhubarb are so various
mm wey inu eiuicnv ol- cuumcian-u.
"There are a lew things you must observe;
au important one is, tor iuixuig with auy fruit,
the juice must be first extracted by boiling with
out sugar, and then be strained. This is now
the bat-Is or foundation upon which to build
other flavors, other deceptions, for tho admix
ti're Is no less, buc unlike most others, the
deceit is incapable of being discovered."
"But how can jou uiuke artificial ginger?' I
asked; "for prepared ginger is a weakness ol
mine."
"Milly, you had better writedown the instruc
tions I give you, thev may lie of use to you some
day; mv aunt collected them with great care,
nnd 1 ihinklhave somewhat improved upon
them, because I purpose giving you the reasons
why such and such directions are to be ob
served ; and this lutormation my own expeileuce
bas taught me."
"Well, tbeu, about the gluger?"
"Boil down a sufficient quantity of rhubarb
till the juice is tolerably clear, and the 'rhubarb
is separated inio fibre; iben strain it through a
flannel bag, pointed at one end as lellybags
usually are. I hav found it better for the ptir
pese to make first a Berlin canvas baa, pointed
at r ne end like a funnel, then a few inches blow
this haug the jelly bag; the cauvaj facilitates
the running through. While this process i s
grjiig on, or at the commencement of the work,
put In a carter bottle (because It has a wide
mouth and Is ready to hand) two ounces of raw
giSger cut into slices; nil up the bottle with
common splilts of wine. tr strong uiii or brand v;
let it macerate till it 1 of tolerable s rength;
this ts giuprer entiact. Weigh the Juice of rhu
barb, or measure it in a half pint glass; to every
pound of Juice put a pound of loaf sugar; let it
boil till It is like a thick syrup, but very clear;
it it be tbick, strain tt through coarse muslin or
a sieve.- Let the syrnp boil, then have ready
some pieces ot trch rhuoaro- a bait linger la
lcrgthtwhen the syrup Is boiling drop ia the
rhubarb piece Dy piece, let tt hoti tender, men
poor it into 8 large basin or dish, stir it occa
sionally till nearly cold, then stir in tho ginger
extract. Place the rhubarb In layer in jars or
wide-mouthed bottles, putting layers of racemes
ol ginger between each layer of rhubarb, then
tie It down securely, and when sending a portion
to table be carctul that the ginger is kept back."
"Bertha, how kind you aie to enter into all
these particulars! I shall ever look with respect
upon rhubarb, which I have hitherto despised
as being a mi re substitute for fruit."
"That comes from forming a prejudice against
anything you don't understand. But come With
rr.e into tho kitchen, or eleven o'clock will bo
here belore I know where I am."
"But your time is your own whnt does It sig
nify an hour cnrlicr or later?''
"Mv time is not my own, dear Milly, only
certain portions of it. - We havo been one hour
at brcskiast. I rannot call tbnt period my own;
otherwise, it I did, 1 should be entt'led to do
anything I liked lead, work, or go out. No,
this hour belongs to the breakfast-table; tho
next, trom 10 to 11, to the kitchen; and the next
I am with the housemaid settling the folds ot
curtains, or arranging the dranenes of a toilet
table, or doing the thousand' and one things
that a housemaid does not sen are even neces
sary. Besides, my eyes in this time do more
work than both my bands. At 12 I am in the
dining-room to receive visito's; my time cer
tainly is theirs. I am obliged to do tbi every
day in the country. If 1 were in Loudon and
hail many acquaintances, I certa nly shoull
only on at home to them once a week;
but here It is ditlcrent, our triends are
not numerous, live a long wav otf. and
eeuerally manage to get here oetore two o'clock.
Besides thry are all old triends not acquaint
ancesof long standing: to play the tine lady to
them would no, do. When no visitors are here.
my husbann and myself, with poor Robert, walk
cr drive. The evening, as you well know, are
spent in home amusements. to that you see,
dear Milly, the only time that I can really call
mine is belore bieaklast, while my husband is
out in the grounds among the laborers; and that
is the leisure when I and Martin, ti e gardener,
have long conlabnlations about my pets the
flowers; when I write my letters, and perform
other little matters pertaining to myself alone.
Even w hen the gu'ls are at home they do not
intrude upon me; so that these quiet two hours
belore bleak last are really all my ow n."
"And when do you sew'at the needle-work of
the house ?''
"Needle-work I put out, by my husband's
desire. There are dependants upon his- estate
whim it is better to emplov thun to permit them
to live on charity. At the lodge there is an
atllieted orihuu girl, whose lather was killed
while blasting a portion of the rock yonder,
which you see in the distance. The news of hia
deuth stmck ihe nervous system of the mother,
so that w hen this child was born It was deal ami
dumb. My husband placed the child under the
cuieot the lodge people. Sh has now groarn
up to be very intelligent. bey nd being a moBt
industrious worker. Now, not auother word,
Milly; Kllzubeth's patience will be exhausted;
besides, it's getting near the servants' dinner
hour ; so into the kitchen at once let us go."
in the kitchen I was surprised to find laid out
on the table all the spare cold meat, a handsome
piece ol bacon, butter, eggs, aud cheese, soup
stoCk, with a cake of tat ou tho top; iu another
aibhwas all the material tor making another
soup; ou ont side the table on a chair the bread
pan was placed. I was verv curious to know
what bll this w as tor, though I did not speak.
Bertha took the buker's book with pen and ink
and said:
"You have wiped out the pan, Elizabeth ?:'
"Yes, ma'am."
She then felt the loaves remaining in the pan,
then she put down the number of loaves that
would be required till the next day. Rolls,
fancy bread, browu bread, pluiu bread, each
kind was mentioned. Then she looked into the
flour-tub.
"This will be sufficient till to-morrow, so
please put both oread and flour away."
Elizabeth quickly vanished with these arti
cles, aud speedily returned.
"This cold beef with the vegetables re-warmed,
and a plain rice pudding without eggs, you will
take tor the kitchen aud nursery dinuer." Then,
turning to me, Bertha said, "Should you like
your little ones to have this. Milly, orsball Eliza
beth mince some of thu meat ?"
"No," 1 replied; "I should infinitely prefer
them to have it cold w ith the gravv, so delicious
us it is."
"You will get it punctually at one o'clock, if
you phase," said Bertha to tho girl; "and about
this soup, it 1 ok s cleur aud nice. 1 am glad
you did not torpct to strum it off last night,
otherwise we should have gone without it
to-day. And your soup-pot?"
"I have scalded it out, ma'am, it is quite
sweet; and I thought this bono ot mutton, with
the trimmings of tbe cutlets, and a small piece
Irom the end of this beef, which I lorot to cut
off and salt, instead of roasting it, with
some vegetables, will make a pint aud a half of
soup."
"Y es, that will do verv nicelv; but don't put
in any vegetables excepting carrots."
"Oh, I think vegetables iu soup are so nice,"
I said.
"So they are, Milly, but they must be put in at
a proper time, ottierwi.se you have no flavor ex
cepting a siule, dwagreiable oue. Boil the
bones aud meat lor sis or eight hours, then
strain it, Elizabeth, as you have done hero.
"Now then. Milly. this tat on the soup must
be completely taken off. Mince somewhat
tmall a couple of turnips, a tlnv onion, a piece
ot shallot, and some outside pieces ot celery.
Let the stock boil, Elizabeth, twenty minutes
before it is required for dinner; then throw in
the minced vegetables and a tiuy bit of butter;
let the stock and vegetables boil rapidly for a
quarter of an hour, aud, it not sulhoiently
thic k with the vegetables, mix a teaspooniul of
flour smoothly with ccld water, aud straiu it in
the soup, and let it simmer up once. Then
strain it iuto the soiip-turen. iu which you
will put the toast that was lettlrom breakfast
but first cut it into tiuv squares and we
shall have excellent vegetable soup. Will you
recollect this, Elizabeth ?"
' Y'is, ma'am."
"it cook were here I should not need to say
all this, but Elizabeth is iuexpetiencod."
( To be concluded to-morrow.)
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