Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1856-01-10
A KITCHEN SCENE.

"Well, Dinah, shere come to cook the
dinner. Mamma has tucked my curls close
ly under this cap, my arms are as bare as if
/ was going to dance, and with this hideous
apron [ trust suit your taste.'
Dinah, showing the white of her eyes in
the most extraordinary manner--"Yes, mis-
Isy, but is dat a cook book in your apron
pocket p
"No, you old lynx eye. You know well
that it is very interesting novel that in
ted to read while the meat is roasting, and
reeollect, you are to say nothing about it. %
s'But missy, you know dat I hab my or
ders not to touch the dinner, and if you read
dat book, de meat burn as black as Dinah's s
face-what den p
ooh, mind your washtub, Dinah, and
leave me to manage. A piece of pork to
roast, eh Lucky [ am no Jew here's the
dredging box and salt, so I'll commence op-
erations"
Mrs. Clement-Elsie's mother-was a
thorough New England housekeeper Mar
ried when mere child, totally ignorant of
domestic affairs, she had experienced, OF
course, innumerable notifications in conse-
quence, and having by perseverance and en-
ergy made herself acquainted with all the
details of domestic economy, she determined
that Elsie should begin in time to make her
self useful as a housekeeper.
But return we to our heroine There
she sat with her little slippered foot peeping
from beneath her neat gingham morning
dress, her shining hair confined under her
cap of snowy muslin, and in her hands the
book referred to by Dinah, Dinah herself,
stood near, at the wash tub, ever and anon
looking over her shoulder and muttering
''neber saw gal do two things well at
once" But after watching some time, and
seeing the salt and -four duly applied, and
the meat occasionally turned, she ceased tc
demonstrate.
At length, the meat and the novel being
done, Elsie jumps up from her, spatters a
handful of soap suds in Dinah's face, and
says:
''Look here, my dear woody pate, there's
your meat done to a turn, and your gravy
CONNIE IL fam, which, translated into Afri.
can means, you could do it no better your.
self. Now, do your duty as I have done
hiine, dish it up properly, rnd I'll speak q
good word for you to Pompey; so now I'll
make the custard, and then prepare for din.
ner."
This being done, with skip and bound
she vanishes.
The last shining curl was just arranged
to her satisfaction when Dinah presented
hersef at the door, with both hands raised
and her face looking, ifpossible blacker than
ever.
90, Lor, O, Lor Missy Elsie, it only
wants five minutes to dinner, and young
Alfred coming home with your papa; Lol
bless my soul, tits too much for this nigger
if he links [ cook dat dinner-O, Lor! 0,
Lor p
"What on earth do you mean % said El-
sic, with vague forshadowing of some i'm
pending evil. 90, LORI said Dinah, sit
ting down in chair, and wiping the per-
spiration from her face with the corner Of
her apron. ''You take the cup of saleratus
and you baste the meat and season de gra-
Wy wild it-and you put peppermint in de
custard instead Of de essence oh lebben.-
Land OBJ Goshen dis nigger neber so discom-
posed in all her life. Only wants five min
utes to dinner. O, Lor 0, Lor all for dat
novel book, Miss Elsie -