My First Loaf

An emergency nt last came in my domestic arrangement?, for which I was wholly unnepared, despite the admonifory warnings of all good house-keepers, to be prepared vvhon siich do occur, as occur tbcy must, in these day8 of belp-woDtiug. An excellent girl had gono, and her place was supplied by one who felf, when Ibeheld her, could never answer that description which had indnced me to encage her. She stood demnrely before me, awaiting lier new instructious. 'Youcan makesome bread, Nancy; - now T vant you to sift somc flour and set it riing.' 'How shall I make it? That neverwasmy vork before, but you wil! teil me how, ina'am, andl can learn quick,' was the rep: and the anxious yet wüling expression of her face, )eppoke a teachable epirit, os it also dtd ah inexperienced hand. Pleavily did that answer 'all upon my ear - 'Jiow shall ï mnke it?' Yes, hat was the qnestion, how?11 What a world of experience and power, did that little word omprehend. I remember my' mother talked njuch about setting the spongc, placing t in a varm 6ituation, baking it when it was just enovgh raxsed; these enatches of informatinn well remembered, bnt thn right quantitv, quaüty and mimber of ingrediënt?, with the 'usl hoto thcy should be put together, was the still unnnswered questïon. There stood Nancy. 'U pon the whole,' said Í, nfteramomènt'8 thoughtful pause, 'as there is so much that is more important to do, we will put this matter ofT and try bnker's bread,' and I feit thankful for the respite. Days passed on. 'Cnnnot Nancy make bread? asked my hnsband, nt last, 'I am getting quite tired of baker'd bread.' 'She shall make sorae; bot this is beautiful baker's bread, George. I don't knów bnt it is nicer than any home made bread I ever ate,' I replied, in a most recommendatory tone, taking another slice, which I did not want. 'There is nothing like.good home made bread, such as my mother used to make.' To the first part of this remark, I did not maten'ally object, inasmuch as it was secretly ray own opinión bur when he suggested an equality with his mother'e bread, ihan which nothing in Ivs estimation ever excelled, T feit a pad shrinking of the heart at my own conscious inabilitv of attainlng it.'May you bo blessed witli just such an np petito as you had, when, a boy, yon ate your mother'8 bread?' was my nward beneciïction, as he aróse to return to his aftemoon business, Sometimes I thooght of our dilem ma. Had it been the first week of our marriage, it had a'! been well; be would have smiled at my inexperioiïce; but we had unfortunalely been married fcome time; and, however lovely incifficiency and want of ek.ll may appear in a lady-love or a bride, it ossumes quite a different aspect, when not to know is inexcusable ignorance. 'Oh. I can't do that,' conld no long-er be viewed in the light of maiden timidity, or delicate helplessness; besides, it sarored too litlle of 'his mother,' who was a pattern house-keeper. But the bread must he mádo. 'I will. begin with pe.rlash bread; that I am sure will be easiest and much less trouble.' So upon pearlash bread I was decided. With whatdcep and earncst interest did I prepare my flour, milk, salt, and pearlash. - Wifh what anxietydid I mix thpse important ingredients (ogether. 'I will havo pearlash enough,' thought T. 'I am determined it shoJ] be light,' nml another spoonful was quickly added. ."Too bread was made; the pans were ready, the fire kindled, and at last it was satisfactorily deposited in the well heated oven. I took my sent besiiie the stove to watch ilp progress. TIow anxious was I to see it ri.se. Hcnv readily did I remember the round, plump aspect of my mother's Ion ves. Time passed on and despite my watchful inspection and ardent wishe?, it was nar, flut, Het! Jt grew beautifully brown, but there it lay, so deniure, so unaspiring. Dinner.came and my husband waiked in, with a friend or two to diae, as, in the hospitality of hia heart he ofton did. I extended a 'vplcome hand, but I nm sure my Inirnt face and disquictcd look xrcre telltacsofa heart not parficuiarly glad to see them. We sat down at tablc; the mackcrel ïcfl woll broiled, the potatoes well done, and th butter was meUed, but tho bread- the bread the article nboveall, which my liusband con sidered iiuüspcnsoblcto be good- it was hand ed round- he took a slico: it cerlainly did .to rcsemble bre;id, thickly. studded as it was wit little brown spots of undisbolved penrlash; ant then how it tas.ted! a strange mixture of sa' and bitter, which was altogethcr unbeanible !Iy hdloanfi Jooked purprised and mortifiec Rnd How did not I feel?' 'Ts there no other he looked signiflcantly to me. I shook my head, whilo he involuniari' removed the unpaJotable slice afar from lii plate. How little did l enjoy the society o my agreeable guests. How distant did I wis thein; ar:y where but at uiy own table. 'Had 3'ou not botter altend to the breac making yourself, Mary,' snid Georgo, as soon as we were alone, 'and nol leave that most important part of cooking to such miserable inexpcricHced hands?' Thcre was a decisión in his gent le tone, which I wcll knew meont to give me no choice in the matter, nnd I saw that he little imagined the, 'miserably inexperienced hande,' upon which helaidsuch strong emphasis, were neither more nor less than m; own; and it did not afford me much consola tion, that he expected better things than a this of me. T went nwoy nnd wept heartily and humblv with this piliful lamentalion, 'what sliMl I do'Thero stood the pinno. What avoiied nll the me, talent, and indiistrywhich had sn long )een spent upon lenrning a few tunes' It added notan iota to the real comforts of ruy ïousehold. Handsome worsted work adorned onr parlor. Oh, tliat I could recul nn hundreth part of the time spent wiU) tin embroidery needlev and re-pass it, in tboroughly and skiüfully aeqtiiring the important arts of house vifery. From tliat moment I resolved to sludy int o Ti}' domesticduties; not lightly and Joosely, s if they were Fmnll ma terp, easily gotten ■vor. but I resolved to know hoiv to become a kiljfuT, economicnl, thtifty house-keepcr. - Jpon euccpss in tbis, how much of ft mi tv velfareand family happiness, depend. When have cwt my sweet, light wholesome loaves, bere etill lingers the sid remembrance of the ain, the anxiety, nay, the raortification of my rst efforts; with no one to advise, and no one o aid me. Mine was a long and wearisorrc robation in bread making1, and aJI because I ghtly esteemed these great du lies, when time nd opportunity were freely offered under a nothers eye. Jjct not young ladie? look upon thrse dutics s menial or of slight importance. A hoitseo!d cannot be wellordered and happy, unless hey are fáithfully and intelligently undertood. Let no woman ever imagine that a insbancTs comfort, enjoytnen, or prosperity ependsupon the smiles and ornamenis of his jarlor. It i? skilful anrt judicious management in the kitchen xvhich does so much towarfl mnking home peasant and pro3pects bright. Let every young lady who expects to becóme a wife (nnd whb does not?) look well to these things before sheleaves the maternal care. Let her reniember, thnt to become truly a 'help meet,' implie? prudence, ra. gacity, experience in domestic duties; and let no one enter into that important and most interesling relation vvitli untried powerg'and nnskilful hnnds.