“I recollected the conclusive evidence of his attachment and dependence, which he had voluntarily given in the night, and I thought I would try them in another way; so I packed up my things, and slung the saddle on my back, and taking my gun in my hand, I started on my route. After I had advanced a quarter of a mile, I looked back, and saw him standing, with his head and tail very high, looking alternately at me and at the spot where I had been encamped and left a little fire burning.
“In this condition he stood and surveyed the prairies around for a while, as I continued on. He at length walked with a hurried step to the spot, and seeing everything gone, began to neigh very violently, and at last started off the fullest speed, and overtook me, passing within a few paces of me, and wheeling about at a few rods distance in front of me, trembling like an aspen leaf.
“I called him by his familiar name, and walked up to him with the bridle in my hand, which I put over his head, as he held it down for me, and the saddle on his back, as he actually stooped to receive it. I was soon arranged, and on his back, when he started off upon his course, as if he was well contented and pleased, like his rider, with the manœuvre which had brought us together again, and afforded us mutual relief from our awkward positions. Though this alarming freak of Charley’s passed off and terminated so satisfactorily, yet I thought such rather dangerous ones to play, and I took good care, after that night, to keep him under my strict authority; resolving to avoid further tricks and experiments, till we got to the land of cultivated fields and steady habits.”
The Kitchen.
The art of managing the kitchen is what every wife should thoroughly understand; and all those girls, who have any chance of becoming wives, should be careful to complete this important part of their education. Even those who are rich, and who can afford to hire people to perform the work of the kitchen, should still understand it, for the following reasons:
In the first place, if the lady of the house knows how work ought to be done, she is competent to direct her assistants; she knows what they should do, and how they should do it. If they fail, she can be just in bestowing the degree of censure, which is truly merited. If, on the other hand, she is ignorant, she is as likely to find fault for what is well done, as for what is ill done. A lady who is ignorant on the subject of household duties, is very apt to be unreasonable in the direction of her helpers: they therefore learn to despise, and perhaps to deceive her; thus making themselves and their mistress very unhappy. In this way things pass for a time; but they go on from bad to worse, till they are beyond endurance, and the lady’s help leaves her.
In this way, owing to the ignorance of the lady, many a household is rendered miserable, many a home is a scene of disorder and confusion. It is in part owing to this ignorance, and the want of judgment and discretion that attend it, that we hear of so much changing of servants, and so much trouble with them, in families. The truth is, that servants are human beings; they are rational creatures, and have their rights; when they are ill treated or find themselves uncomfortable, they will change their condition. It is a blessed thing, that, in our country, even those who are in humble circumstances are independent, and need not submit to oppression, even in a kitchen. They are as much entitled to have their feelings duly considered, as any others. If they are honest and faithful, they are as well entitled to respect as others; and it is a pleasing thought, that, when they do not thus obtain their rights and privileges, they can go away, and seek a place where they may find them.
Now ignorance of the duties of the kitchen, on the part of a lady, implies ignorance of the proper way of treating her servants; and it frequently happens that the servant is more wise, more reasonable, more respectable, in the sight of God and man, than the ignorant lady of the house. As ignorance of household duties is thus degrading and hurtful—bringing contempt upon the subject of it, and misery to all around—I beseech all the black-eyed and blue-eyed little lasses, who pretend to be the friends of Robert Merry, to beware of it.
I know that some young ladies fancy that it is degrading thus to work in the kitchen. Alas, what miserable delusion! Degrading to do that which contributes to the comfort of home, that which makes a family happy, that which enables a wife to discharge her duties well and wisely! Oh, do not let any of my readers indulge such folly! It is never degrading to do our duty—but it is degrading to despise it. Even if a person is so rich as to render labor unnecessary, yet it is impossible to enjoy even riches without some toil, some industry; and when my young friends grow up, if I should live so long, I hope to see those who are girls now, industrious, skilful housewives then. If they can reign well over the little kingdom of the kitchen, I am sure they will preside successfully over the parlor. One thing should be remembered—and it is this: home is seldom happy where housewife duties are neglected; home is seldom miserable where they are wisely discharged!