The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-05-21
The mutton next went, on the pudding

Come let's go up stairs again it's fear
fully hot down here, said George.
But the dinner? 2
'Oh, that's got nothing to do but to
cook until three O'Clock.
oh, George, here's the potatoes
Another pot was procured, and the po-
tatoes, with about two gallons of water to
the half peek of Murphles. put on the fire.
Smoking, chatting, reading, and little
practice en- the violin, filled up the morn
ing, though George declared it was hor-
rid dull, and Minnie wondered what on
earth women did with themselves
Half past two brought home three hun
cry men to dinner
Leaving the cooks to dish up, they all
adjourned to the parlor to cool themselves.
That it was dusty there, was not noticed
Jennie had made the beds before she left,
but busting the parlors was Susy's work,
and her early start had prevented her
from doing it
'George'-Minnie'S voice was rather
doleful
WHAT
The fire is out
'OutH
i wonder if anything is cooked?'
'The asparagus IS burnt fast to the pan
so is the meat
The potatoes 5!
Broken all to pieces, floating about in
the water
The peas are all mushy, Minnier
'Punctuaity is the soul of dinner
cried Joe, FROM the parlor; it's ten min
utes past three
60 set the table, growlcd George.
1t was unique in its arrangements, that
table, as the gentlemen sat down to dinner.
The meat figured on an enormous dish,
with ah ocean of white china surrounding
its shrunken proportions Tie potatoes,
IN little Jumps, unskined, were piled up
in fruit dish; the green mass which
Minnie had with infinite difficulty fshed
from the meat pot, was served on red
earthen plate, and the stalks of asparagus
were In the salad bowl The table-cloth
was awry, and the napkins were omitted
altogether
Where's the gravy was Joe's first
question.
There wasn't any
'The meat is burned cried one voice
Its stone cold, cried another.
whats this 2 said another, digging
into the pile Of peas.
'faugh! ! followed daring attempt to
eat some asparagus.
Never mind SAID Joe. Rome was
not built in day. Give us some bread
and butter, and pickles, George
No, not pickles, preserves, said Char
ley
'Susy locked both up said Harry,
laughing. She declared a woman put
them up, and that if We wanted them we
nust prepare them for ourselves
Minnie produced the strawberries and
some sugar, and the gentlemen declared
they had dined superbly.
You fellows clear away said Minnie,
we're tired
You wash up, don't yon?' queried Joe.
Yes
wv here's the water?'
In the hydrant'
wv hat do yon wash 'em in p
pan, | guess
Away went Joe on voyage of inves-
tigatlon, and returned soon with tin dish
full Of cold water The leaviDgs,' as
Harry termed the remains Of the sumptu-
Gus dinner, were thrown from the window
into Snsy'S flower beds, and armed with
bar of soap aud fine damask table nap
kin, Joe began to wash up.
How the grease sticks +
Persplration streaming from every pore,
he rubbed manfully at the greasy plates
and Dishes and if the water was Geld, he
certainly was not
i have wet my shirt 'front.' Splash No.
Good for white pants!!' Splash No. 2.
That went into my eyes; somebody
wipe them, my hands are wet Don't rub
them out, Hal ?
The table was cleared at last. Five
damp, greasy napkins thrown into a COR
ner of the room, testified that the dishes
were washed and wiped The water fol-
lowed the leavings, and the quintet sat
down to cool off. (Do cigars assist that
operation ,
Spite of the superb dinner, FIVE inner
men called, like Oliver Twist, for more,
at about Z O'Clock.
What's for tea p Four voices echoed it.
Lets have coffee | can make coffee
said George.
And steak | can cook it, cried Joe.
There's bread and butter, said Harry.
George went for the steak Minnie un-
dertook to make the fire; Harry cut the
brerd Joe set the table; while Charley