348 HOME LIFE IN FLORIDA. 



We can perhaps best illustrate our meaning by narrating 

 some of our own experiences in this path ; it was not 

 strewn with roses, although there was an oasis of laughter 

 here and there along the weary road, especially after the 

 ruts were numbered among the things of the past. 



When our new Florida life commenced, we found the 

 routine of household work far from pleasant, having never 

 before been without trained, competent city servants to do 

 it all for us. 



Especially did we grow desperately weary of the disa- 

 greeable monotony of washing dishes, pots, and pans, three 

 times every day. It was all uninviting enough ; but this 

 was the worst feature, as every housekeeper knows. 



So, when a little colored girl, about eleven years old, 

 whom Ave will call the Goddess — since she bore the name 

 of one of those classic deities — came one day, and made 

 request that we would keep her ' ' to wash dishes and do 

 errands," we gladly accepted the offer. 



We soon discovered, however, that we had a very fair 

 specimen of a self-willed, untamed savage in our kitchen, 

 and that the task of reducing the same to subjection would 

 require no small amount of patience and perseverance. 



The Goddess was gifted with more than the usual acu- 

 men of her race, and was capable of learning, if she wished 

 to, which is more than can be said of the majority ; but 

 her temper was sullen and obstinate in the extreme. 



We manao^ed to teach her to read and to write, after a 

 fashion of her own, and very proud she was, and fond of 

 displaying her accomplishments. 



Our chief troubles were to teach her the meaning of the 

 words " obey," and " order," and the fact that china would 

 not bear as rough usage as iron, ideas w^hich it seemed im- 

 possible for her to comprehend. 



She possessed the proverbial characteristic of the negro 



