4 1 1 dip1 1 ' r 1 lllif IN,? F R A NK M O R T TME It , Editor and Proprietor. "Vol. XV. ijc gjionnmnu (Junius. Published Weekly, At New IMooinlleld, renn'a. 11 Y FRANK MORTIMER. SUBSCRIPTION TERMS. ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR! IN ADVANCE. ADVERTISING KATES. Transient 8 Cents per lino for one insertion 13 " " two insertions. 15 " " " three insertions. Business Notices in Local Column 10 Cents per line. Notices of Marriages or Deaths inserted free. Tributes of Respect, &c, Ten cents per line. YEARLY ADVERTISEMENTS. One Square per year, Including paper, $ 8 00 Two Squares per year, including paper, 12 00 Three Squares " " " 10 00 Four Squares " " " 20 00 Ten Lilies Nonpareil or one Inch, Is one square. MY FIRST YEAR OF HOUSEKEEPING. BY MRS. II. C. GARDINER. r' is no fiction that I sit down to my desk to chvoniclo this evening. As I look hack through the long vista of years, and review the early days of my married life, its perplexities and cares come upheforcme in far more vivid coloi s than its joys ; though the retrospect often i provokes a laugh where the real experience caused hitter tears. I was just twenty years old when I lie came the wiTo of a clergyman, a poor coun try pastor. It was a love-match, and with the thriftlcssncss of lovers, I think it did not then occur to us that we could not live upon love, or that it would need such vulgar ap pliances as roast heef and palatablo pud dings to preserve, in its purify, tho divine essence of the grand passion. Everybody said that I was totally unfit for a minister's wife. I was, naturally, ex ceedingly joyous and mirthful, and without a particlo of the staid dignity expected from persons in my position ; whilo my husband was a grave, thoughtful man, en dowed, by nature, with a commanding ap pearance and prepossessing manners. I do not wonder now that pcoplo could not see the propriety of his choosing mo for his wife, when so many pattern women stood ready to accept him. My own family had but one objection to the match ; ho was poor and I had no idea of practical house keeping. Ah ! how well T remember tho first wash ing day ! My husband, after vainly trying to pcrsuado me to employ u wash-woman (I knew ho could not afford it,) came into the back kitchen to help mo himself. We were very merry at first ; but after rubbing- oiT little patches of skin from every knuckle, and burning our arms till they looked like illustrated maps of some unknown country, we began to find out that there was little poetry, and no fun, in the wash tub. But tho ironing day was worse yet Nothing but pride kept me from rolling those starched shirts into a bundle and tak ing them across tho fields to my mother's kiUhen. I forgot to mention that wo had taken up our abodo in a parish but one mile distant from my father's house. I had never ironed any starched clothes of any description ; but from my brothers at home I had imbibed very exalted ideas in regard to tho importance of immaculate shirt bosoms. My husband told mo all that ho could rememl)er of his mother's method and then betook himself to his study. Shall I ever forget my feelings when the ilat-iron heated seven times hotter than its wont, and carefully appliod to tho glutinous sur face, suddonly struck up an attachment for tho same, and, whon forcibly separated, left its whole image and superscription behind AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY in black and brown colors. I havo that shirt now. 1 keep it to show to those wiso mothers who are training their daughters for future usclcssucss. But it was in cooking that I found my chief trouble. All my attempts in that line, at the time 1 commenced housekeep ing, had resulted in spoiling several kinds of rich cake concocted in accordance with those recipes which fill our modern cookery books. I had never made a loaf of bread in my life. Baker's bread served us for a time for so long a t ime, indeed, that we found out all its good qualities, and have not tested its excellencies for many years. We had been married and settled nearly a fortnight, when, one morning my hus band came in with a letter in his hand, and a very anxious expression on his face. I sprang up from my seat nearly upsetting tho breakfast tabic, which was waiting for him. " What is tho matter, Frank ? Is any body sick or dead? Have you got bad news?" "No. At least, it ought not to bo bad news." " Well, what is it ? Something serious I know by your looks." " No, ITattio ; nothing of tho kind. On ly I feared it might annoy you. It is only a note from one of my college chums, Fred Knowles, saying that he is going to Boston, and will call on us, and get his dinner to day," said my husband, finishing the sen tence reluctantly. It was my first call to entertain company, and, knowing, by thU time, my ignorance, I shrank back aflVightcd from the prospect. I confess too, a feelimr of deep mortification that my husband could not receive his most intimate friends ithout so serious a draw hack upon his pleasure. All my natural energy and pride was aroused, and I de termined to become a good pract ical house keeper at whatever cost of time or labor. But the present emergency was first to ho af tended to. " T suppose I had better get some fresh loaves from tho bakery ?" Frank looked at t lie dry, light slices on tho breakfast table as ho spoke. " Yes, 1 think so. And somo meat, ITat tio. The forlorn old roast has lasted a fort night, I am sure. 1 think I should recog nize its bones if I saw them in Africa. Do you think you could broil a steak, llattic?" " Yes. But Frank you must come out of tho pai lor and overlook me. And if you will get some peas, and lettuce, and other vegetal iles, I shall get up a famous din ner." A half-smile flitted across his face. Ho had heard of my famous dinners before." " Well, we must do our best. Tho ears will not arrivo till two o'clock, so there will ho plenty of time both for marketing and cooking.' "Is Mr. Knowles very particular ?" T ask ed, timidly. " Will he notice if things go just ii littlo wrong?" " Perhaps not. But he will have a natu ral curiosity in regard to the capabilities of his friend's wife. But I think wo shall do very well." "I am sure we shall," was my encoura ging response, inspired by a bright idea that suddenly occurred to me. In accord ance with it, my husband had no sooner stalled for tho market, than I, slipping on my hat and shawl, started on a long walk through the fields and woods. I was going to consult my mother about tho dinner. I surprised her by bursting into tho dining room, quite out of breath from my hurried ! walk, just as tho family wore sitting down to a late breakfast. t 1 "Is itllattio or her ghost?" asked my father, getting up to welcome me. " If j my memory serves mo our Ilattie used to be a late riser." ' j " Housekeeping improves me, papa." "Don't wait to talk," said mamma. I " Tho coffee will be spoiled. Take off your IVow I3looiufielI, Xsi,., IHiiy bonnet, Ilattie, while I got another cup and plate, and we will chat afterward." " No, thank you. I cannot stop a minute." Mamma opened her eyes in astonishment. " You aro not going to walk directly back again ? Let mo take your shawl." "But 1 must go. Wo aro going to have company to dinner. Frank's chum. And I want to know how long to boil potatoes and olher " Such a chorus of laughter as interrupted me. " Why, my dear child, boil them f ill they are done." " T know as much as that, mamma; but when must I begin them to have them done at the right time ? I have got peas to cook and beef-steak, and I ought to inako a pud ding. Oh, dear 1" They all laughed again, as much at my distressed looks as at my ignorance. 1 did not join them ; indeed, it was as much as I could do to keep back my tears. " It is not llattic's fault that she knows so little about cooking," at last said my father, kindly : "You must not mind our laughing at you my dear. I havo been longing to ask what you put into fhat mince-pio that I cat at your table last Sun day? I have lasted it ever since. But I will not tease you, for I have no doubt that you will in time, be as good a cook as your mother. And now as it regards the pres ent difficulty," lie went on pleasantly, "I have a plan to propose. I will put the har ness on old Fanny, and you, mother, can take the poor child homo and stay to super intend this dinner." Mamma always assents to papa's plans ; so my load of responsibility was gono at once. It was pleasant to see the look of re lief on my husband's fac.o as wo drove up to the door. "! have been searching every where for you," he said, "and I could al most find it in my heart to scold you for causing mo so much anxiety ; but your safo return satisfies me. Especially as your ex cursion has brought your mother to aid us in our extrcmity. But, Ilattie, I must in sist on your having no more private walks." "Ah, sir! If you had known, you would have forbidden it. That would have spoiled all." I have no doubt that Mr. Knowles left us that day, under tho impression that my husband had secured a matrimonial prize. But I felt like a hypocrite for weeks after ward. It came to pass, after many days, that bakers' bread became unendurable. I tried to believe in it, T praised and tasted it ; but it would not do. Its glory had departed. I began heartily to approve of Pharaoh's course in liffing the head of tho chief ba ker from off his shoulders and hanging him upon a trco; but I saw no way.out of my trouble. I had tried many times to raise bread, but had not succeeded in making any fit to appear on the I able. I had a trillo better success in -making some milk biscuit, though 1 could never guess right in regard to tho amount of soda required. Sometimes they wero yellow enough to be mistaken for nuggets of virgin gold ; but oftcner they had the appearance of having been hardened and compacted in a cheese press. My husband pretended that they were passed through heavy rollers, liko thoso used in foundries. At lirst I tried to work tho cold biscuit into pudding and griddlo cakes, but their peculiar solidify frust rated all such attempts to economize. 1 But when tho caso appeared perfectly hope j less I had still one resource. There was a wide ditch behind tho garden, and in its dark waters I buriod my biscuit out of my sight. Inexperienced girls should never commence housekeeping without a conveni ent ditch at hand. But my troubles did not end hero. In an evil hour, a neighbor's hen hatched a big brood of ducklings, I which, in duo time, found their way to my I eaeht of provisions. Tho biscuit, so long in soak, now had a resurrect ion, and I re member watching the poor fowls as they vainly attempted to divide them with their strong bills. " My dear Ilattie," said my husband, one NEWSPAPER, lO. 187(). morning, after the usual toil of breakfast was over, " don't you think you could learn to mako raised bread?" "I cannot tell, I am quite discouraged." "You have learned to cook so many things in so short a time," he went on en couragingly, "that I am sure if you had somo ono to give you a few hints about tho best method, you would succeed admirably. Why do you not consult your mother ? She is a superior cook." "You forget, Frank, how we resented it when my mother, and sister, and aunts, and, in fact, all our friends united in pre dicting our present perplexities. No, it would bo too mortifying to go homo for for counsel in this matter. Indeed, I am ashamed to expose my ignorance by con sulting any one. I give all my visitors ba ker's bread, and they, having it occasional ly, seem to like it." " Suppose wo try hoarding Ilattie ?" " We cannot afford that ; and, besides, wo want a home by ourselves. You would not bo contented to give up our homo liberties and privileges, Frank. If it were not for tho eternal bread quest inn, we could get a littlo enjoyment out of life ; but comfort is now out of tho question. I wish Frank," I added, pettishly, " that you had married a housekeeper, and I had gono into a con vent !" His face flushed. "I was not finding fault, ITattie. I am as ignorant as yourself, and I am sure I could not get along with the countless details of kitchen work hair as skillfully and cheerfully as you do. I think you will conquer this difficulty in timo." "In time, if ever," I responded, ungra ciously. "I hope there will bo no bread making in eternity 1" He looked at mo in Rurprlso for a mo ment, but ho did not reply. Tho marked irreverence of my language effected him painfully ; but he saw I was in too reckless a mood to he reasoned with. After ho had gone to his study, I sat down to think. I felt wickfcd and unhappy. I knew I had spoken unkindly and ungen erously to my husband, whoso unwearied forbearance and gentleness, amid tho incon veniences caused by my incompetency, had so often excited my gratitude. Alas, that so much misery could result from the want of a loaf of good bread ! A sudden resolve inspired me. "Without waiting to clear away the breakfast things. I went into a kind old lady in tho neighbor hood, and after confessing my ignorance, begged to be initiated into tho mysteries of broad making. " There is no troublo." said tho old lady, "if you havo good yeast." " But I have tried yeast, and my bread soured." " You let it stand too long. It must bo put in tho pans as soon as it is light, and then stand till it begins to come up again." "But whero can I get good yeast?" "At tho bakery. I get mine there. You can't help having good bread if the yeast is right. Only bo suro to bako it soon enough." I was soon on my way to the bakery, a mile distant. Tho fresh air and pleasant sunlight soon had their usual genial influ ence upon mo, and I began to get back my lost courage and cheerfulness. "After all," I said to myself, "I must succeed if I persevere. I am not naturally dull, and I will learn to mako good bread if it takes mo a year. I procured a pint of yeast and hastened homo. I determined that tho "hoisting" clement should not bo lacking in quantity ; so I put into tho Hour all the yeast I had bought, only adding a cup of milk to moisten it sufficiently. It smelt very strong ly of hops, but I thought that would bake out. I had scarcely placed it in a warm corner by tho stove to rise, when I recollected Mrs. Lee's caution about baking it in time to prevent its souring. " I must run no risk of that, at all events, " I said. " I am sure there is yeast enough Terms: IN ADVANCE. i One Dollar 2cv Year. jXo. 11). in it to raise it if I bake it directly. It can rise in the oven, to be sure. Dear mo ! how green it looks 1 But it will all come right in baking, I dare say." So, without further delay, I placed it in the oven. I would not, if I could, describo its appearance when it caino out. I did not wait to test its quality, but threw it, almost hissing hot, into that long suffering ditch. I am afraid it is there now. It is many years since I left tho place, but I often fancy half a dozen ducks hard at work upon it. I went back to tho house, and, for tho first timo sat down to have a hearty crying spell. It was no genteel sniffle, with just tears enough to add lustre to my eyes ; but a downright sobbing that would have done credit to any whipped youngestcr of ten. I was utterly discouraged. In Ibis condition my husband found me when ho came down to dinner. There was no dinner cooked and the - breakfast-table stood just as wo had left it. At first he looked much alarmed, at tho state of affairs. Then ho came and sat down by me, and drew my head from . the hard table, upon which it had rested, to his shoulder. How soothingly and encourag ingly ho talked to me 1 Ho seemed to have quite forgotten my provoking language to himself, and to be only anxious to com fort mo. After a time I told him the sad experience of the morning, tho long, fatiguing walk, f ho attempt to obtain instruction, and tho lifeless result. It was anything but a funny story to me, but I felt him trembling as I proceeded; and when I concluded with this amiablo wish, that thoso ducks might bo choked to death if they ever brought that bread up to the light of day he broke out into a fit of laughter such as I had never seen him indulge in. It was a long timo before he was sober enough to speak. "I think, Ilattie," ho said, at last, "that you have at least taken one step in the right direction." "How?" "Why, after confiding in old Mrs. Lee, it will not now bo difficult to tell her of your failure, and to ask for the privilcgo of fixing a few loaves under her direction. You will easily get the art in this way, and she is too kind to care for tho troublo." " To be suro Frank. I wonder I did not think of that. I shall try very hard, and you will havo a housekeeper yet." "And you will not sigh for a convent, Ilattie?" " Ah, Frank I it is fortunate that I havo a considerate husband. Every body would not forgivo such a temper as I exhibited this morning." Wo extemporized a lunch to servo for a dinner ; and then I again set off to visit Mrs. Lee. At last I learned to mako bread. I could fill many pages with such doloful reminiscences, and should bo willing to do so, if I could convince ono young girl tho importance of practical housekeeping knowl edge ; or mako her understand how much of tho grace and comfort of a homo de pends upon tho domestic habits of its mis tress. But I will only indulge my vanity by stating, what is really true, that I can now cook a dinner, clear-starch and iron, pre serve aiid pieklo, knit stockings and darn them, all in unexccptionablo stylo. If any ono doubts it, let him or her come and pass a week at the pretty parsonage in tho rural villago of Lanswood. tW An Irish glazier was putting a pane of glass into a window, when a groom who was standing by, began joking with hire, telling lain to mind and put in plenty of putty. Tho Irishman boro the banter for some time, butatlast silenced his tormentor by "Arrah, now be offwid ye, or else I'll put a pane in yor head without any putty." IW Modern belles are said to be like burglars, because they destroy the finest locks by introducing powder into thorn.
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