106 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
i'Mabch, 
perfectly at home iii the culinary department. 
There is no lack in the 6tore-room, for Edward's 
father is well off, and provides his family with all 
they need. We sat down, and one after another the 
family gathered round the table. Jane was still in 
bed, and Julia was not quite ready. The hoys were 
busy about something, and we were nearly half 
"done eating before the entire family assembled 
at the taljle. It seemed so strange to me, for my 
father would never ask the blessing until every 
child was iu his place, and we were as obedient to 
the ring of the breakfast hell as it was possible to 
he. But here, every one came wheu ready, 
and all left when they had finished, as though they 
were at a hotel. Jane made her appearance after 
we were quite through, her hair in curl papers, and 
with a soiled morning dress carelessly wrapped 
around her. She said she had laid awake reading 
Victor Hugo's " Toilers of the Sea," uutil a late 
hour, and didn't feel like getting up early. At last 
everybody was done eating, and I helped clearaway, 
expecting that the table would at once be put in 
its place, and the dishes washed up and put 
away. Edward went out with his father to look 
about the place, and the boys were busy with their 
sleds and skates. Edward's mother was taking 
care of the milk, which had set through breakfast 
unstrained, while Julia devoted herself to her 
canary bird, and Jane dreamily addressed herself to 
the task of washing the dishes, talking all the time 
about the novel she had read the night before. It 
was ten o'clock before every thing was put away, 
and then it was most time to begin to get dinner. 
It was very different at my home ; w r e were all 
made to get up early, and while mother moved 
about the house, putting everything in order, and 
superintending the several domestic departments, 
one of us girls got the breakfast, another took care 
of the milk, aud the other trimmed the lamps and 
helped generally. The boys brought in wood aud 
did the various chores that boys usually do. We 
all sat down to table together, and after breakfast 
and prayers were over, one of us girls cleared away 
the breakfast dishes, another swept the floor, or 
made the necessary preparations for dinner, and 
thus by a division of labor, our work was all done 
up by nine o'clock, floors swept, beds made, and 
everything in order. Mother had us take turns in 
the different departments. I had entire charge of 
the table one week, while Emeline attended to the 
chamber-work aud sweeping, and Jennette was re- 
sponsible for the work not included in these divis- 
ions. Thus, by a system of rotation in office, we 
all became familiar with the entire household rou- 
tine, while Mother directed and supervised all. 
March 10th. — I was not half done writing iu my 
Diary, when Edward came in with bad news, and a 
funny time we have had ! The old mother pig sud- 
denly died, leaving ten poor little orphan babies 
only three days old. "What shall be done with 
them?" we both exclaimed. My sister Jennette, 
who came home with me to stay a month or two, 
aud who is extremely fond of animals, suggested 
that we bring them into the house and raise them 
by hand. So we took the two bushel basket, filled 
it half full of soft oat straw, and the bereaved 
family was established iu a warm corner hack of 
the kitchen stove. I scalded a quart of new milk, 
added a little water, as I had seen mother do for 
human babies, and Jennette and I spread large 
aprons in our laps, aud began to feed them. We 
had to open their little mouths with our fiugers 
aud pour the milk down their musical throats. 
Such a squealing as they made ! but they relished 
the sweetened lacteal very much. In two hours, 
we repeated the operation, passing them all back 
into basket No. 1. At night we took turns in feed- 
ing them every two hours. They soou learned to 
squeal the moment they heard the rattling of the 
spoon, but by feeding them the last thing at night, 
and the first thing in the morning, we secured 
good rest last night, aud they are growing so fast ! 
I meant to have written more about my visit, but 
the advent of the ten baby pigs so unexpectedly 
into my kitchen, quite banished all thoughts of 
writing from my head. And I have been occupied 
with Jennette, and in teaching Sue, and in making 
and receiving visits. — Who should come to see me 
the other day, but Bettie Hannum ! She was mar- 
ried the week after I was, and went right to house- 
keeping. Such doleful accounts as she gave of her 
experience in cooking ! She used to say, she 
thought my mother was very hard on her girls to 
make them do so much housework, that it would 
be time enough to learn how when she had a house 
to keep, and her mother wanted her to enjoy her- 
self while she was free from domestic care. She 
sees her mother's mistake now. 
leaves from My .bnrnal. 
PKIZE ESSAY BY MBS. B. M'CLELLAN, OF OHIO. 
I have been making a "shoe bag" for Lizzie to- 
day. ' I made a small one, too, for Hannah's room, 
though I don't know as she will take the trouble to 
use it. As it is quite fanciful, she will like it for an 
ornament at auy rate. Lizzie's is of green delaine, 
bound with crimson braid, and lined with cambric 
of the same color: It is really pretty. A good size 
is three quarters of a yard in length, and half a yard 
in width. This gives room for three tiers of bags, 
with three in a row. The lower ones are the deepest ; 
aud the upper, being the smallest, furnish a nice 
place for the 6hoes of the little ones, or for stock- 
ings as well. One of the lower corner bags is just 
the place for "father's" slippers. The bag should 
be tacked upon the inside of the closet door of the 
bed-room. — A "string bag" is most convenient in 
the pantry ; made of calico, a quarter of a yard 
square, and hung by a stout cord to its own nail. 
Let every string around store bundles and every 
thing else find place iu it. Though within reach of 
"Charlie," who has such unheard of uses for 
strings, it will always be running overfull. Anoth- 
er useful bag about house, is one for patches and 
pieces of all sorts. This should be large and square, 
so that, upon drawing it wide open, the whole con- 
tents can be seen, without being- at the trouble to 
empty it. The old-fashioned "ragbag," though 
not ornamental, must have some good corner for 
safe keeping. Not a shred should be carelessly 
thrown away. Its contents will keep the tin mend- 
ed, and now and then furnish a bright addition 
in that line, which the careful housekeeper, with 
a self-satisfied shrug, will pronounce " clear gain." 
I called to-day upon two of my friends, aud have 
been thinking so much about them, I must tell my 
Journal some of my thoughts to night. They are 
both considered very superior housekeepers, but 
view life and its duties from quite opposite stand- 
points. Mrs. W. is an inveterate scrubber. Her 
house, from attic to cellar, and everything iu it, is 
just as clean as soap and sand, and hard rubbing 
can make it. She has a large family, and usually 
does the work herself, for she can not find help 
neat enough to suit her. Of course she has no 
time for any thing else. She is jaded and worn, 
and so annoyed by dirt, that I fear her children do 
not find home either bright or happy. She seldom 
goes out, but she mourns that her cares allow her 
no time for enjoyment. 
The home of Mrs. T. is equally neat, but much 
more inviting. She is often called overnice. Per- 
haps she is. But she says she has found that keep- 
ing every thing in order, and doing every thing at 
the right, time, saves work and time too, and she 
does it for that. At any rate, she has time for many 
a work of love. She visits the poor and the sick, 
with hands and heart full, for their relief aud com- 
fort. She is kind and polite to all, intelligent aud 
beloved. If a choice bouquet is wanted, or. a deli- 
cate cake, a garden herb, or the very best recipe 
for auy thing in the housekeeping line, it is well 
understood that Mrs. T. is the one to supply it. 
" Her children rise up and call her blessed, her hus- 
band also, and he praiseth her." Her home is re- 
lieved from the stiffness and exactness of too scru- 
pulous order, by the atmosphere of love, with 
which it seems ever surrounded. 
March. — One of my neighbors told me to-day, 
that her Pickled Peppers were covered with a white 
scum. She had scalded the vinegar, aud then put 
on new, but all to no purpose. She had come to 
the conclusion that the vinegar was poor. That 
may be the trouble, as Peppers keep better than 
other pickles. But for the past two years I have 
put horseradish root among mine for this very 
purpose, and it has been "just the thing." It adds 
a fine element to their flavor, and has wholly pre- 
vented the white scum. Tomatoes are favorite 
pickles with us. I choose those of small size, slice 
them aud scald a few minutes iu strong salt water. 
After draining, I pack them in a jar, sprinkling 
among them cloves, cinnamon, peppers, and horse- 
radish. The vinegar should be scalded, and poured 
over them hot. They keep well until they are 
eaten up ! When blustering March comes round, 
pickles find a good market. I don't know r why it 
is, but the appetite becomes dainty, and craves 
something sour aud stimulating. Now is the time 
for the housekeeper to bring out from her hoarded 
treasures the canned red cfierries. How splendid 
their color! How delicious and acceptable their 
flavor ! Mr. Frisby declares, again and again, that 
they "go to the very spot." However, they must 
not be dealt out too generously. Currants, black- 
berries, and jellies, give a good variety. Apples, 
too, must be freely used, for they will 60on become 
insipid, and there is scarcely an end to the different 
modes in which they may be prepared for the ta- 
ble. Cut into halves, removing the cores and skius, 
and filling the space with a little butter and sugar, 
and baking in a pan, in which has been poured a lit- 
tle water, they make an excellent dessert to be eateu 
with cream and sugar, or served as sauce for the tea- 
table. "Yankee Pie" is another favorite dish. Slice 
apples into a quart basin, or pudding dish, which has 
been well buttered. Add a little water, and cover 
with crust about half an inch thick, made up as 
for soda -biscuit. It requires about three-quarters 
of an hour to bake. Place the plate to receive it 
upside down upon its top, and reverse the whole. 
The apples, white and soft, will thus be upon the 
crust, and may have a dressing of butter, sugar, aud 
nutmeg. But the crowning dish of all is fresh ap- 
ple-pie. (That is, provided I make it myself!) Too 
much apple is usually put in a pie. Let the plate 
be only even full, but of a quality that is tender, 
tart, and juicy. Add sugar, butter, salt and a little. 
nutmeg. This last gives a lemon flavor if used in 
small quantity. 
Mr. G. took dinner with lis to-day. He came 
round to his favorite topic — comparing the women 
of the present generation with our wonderful 
grandmothers and great-grundniothers of the olden 
time. He enjoys it so well, and is so perfectly set 
in his opinion, that I don't take the trouble to have 
any argument with him. One fact, however, is 
noticeable. He never alludes to the sturdy old 
grandfathers, who were a match for their wives auy 
time. Who ever heard of them with false shirt 
bosoms and wristbands, with paper collars, and all 
manner of fancy neckties, with kid gloves, or 
stove-pipe hats, or cloth boots, or bosom pins, even 
if they were miniature links, or rule an&compass set 
in gold ! Were they found at the Theatre, or Opera, 
or even at the counting-room, until the small hours 
of the night ! By nine o'clock they and their fami- 
lies were in bed, and long before the morning light 
crimsoned the east, they were up and at work, 
milking the cows, and feeding the cattle. How, in 
the dead of winter, with good homespuu suit, and 
cowhide boots, and mittens that "mother" had 
knit, they were off with an ox-team to the woods, 
cuttiug and drawing, with never flinching patience, 
the year's supply of firewood. How heartily they 
breakfasted, and dined, and supped upon "potluck," 
with a good mug of eider for a condiment. Who 
ever heard then of bronchitis, or dyspepsia, or a 
voyage to Europe, or dumb-bells, or fishing-smocks, 
for health ? I do hope Mrs. G. doesn't try very hard 
to be like our grandmothers, for I am sure her hus- 
band don't remind me in the least of the grand- 
father's of yore. 
A blessed old niau of eighty-three was miue, 
when he went to rest. A fresh, rosy face, and a 
heart full of love, had he. His teeth were as sound 
as a nut, but his head was bald. He wore a wig of 
young brown hair. Ah, me ! human nature waa 
the same then as now, after all ! 
