Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-05-07
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1862.

cry men TO dinner.
Leaving the cooks to dish up, they all
adjourned to the parlor to cook themselves.
That 1t was dusty there, was not noticed.
Jennie had made the beds before she left.
but dasting the parlor was Susy's work, and
her early start had prevented her from
doing it
George'-Minnio's voice was rather
doleful.
/ 'What !!
The fire is out
'Gutg
| wonder ifanything is cookedH'
The asparagus is burnt fast to the pam
So is the meat
/ !The potatoes ?
Broken all tq pieces, floating about in
the water
The peas are all mushy, Minnie
Punctuality is the soul of dinner cried
Joe, from the parlor; it's ten minutes past
! three
Go set the table, growled George.
| 1t was unique In its arrangements, that
table, as the gentlemen sat down to dinner.
The meat figured on an enormous dish.
with an ocean of white china surrounding
1t shrunken proportions. The potatoes, in
little Jumps, unskined, were piled up in
fruit dish; the green mass which Minnie
| bad with indefinite difficult fshed from the
meat pot, was served on q red earthern
plate, and the stalks of asparagus were in
the salad bowl! The table cloth was away,
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.
It's stone cold,' cried another.
What is this" said another, digging
into the pile of peas.
Faugh! followed daring attempt to
eat some asparagus.
Never mind said Joe. FRome 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, laugh
ing. She declared woman put them up,
and that if we wanted them we must pre-
| pare them for ourselves
Minnie produced the strawberries and
some sugar, and the gentlemen declared
they had dined supeTbly.
You fellows clear away said Minnie,
we're tired
You wash up, don't you % quericd Joe.
Yes
where's the water?'
In the hydrant'
What do you wash EN- 10 2
Pan, guess
Away went Joe on a voyage of investi-
gatio2 and returned soon with tin dish
full Of cold water The leavincs? as
Harry termed the remains of the sumptu
GUS dinner, were thrown from the window
into Susy's flower beds, and armed with a
bar of soap aad fine damask table napkin,
Joe began to wash up.
How the grease sticks?'
Perspiration streaming from every pore,
he rubbed manfully at the greasy plates
| and dishes, and if the water was cold, he
certainly was not.
4 have wet my shirt 'front.' Splash No. l.
Good for white pants Splash No. 2.
s1Hat went into my eyes; somebody wipe
this, my hands are wet. Don't rub them
out, Halp
The table was cleared at last. Five
damp, greasy napkins thrown into a corner
OF the room, testified that the dishes were
washed and wiped The water followed
the leavinngs, and the quintet sat down to
cool OH DO cigars assist that opsration?)
Spite of the superb dinner, five inner
men called, like Oliver Twist, for more, at
about o'clock.
What's for tea? Four voices echoed it.
Let's have coffee; I 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 Gre Harry cut the
breaa; Joe set the table while Charley
cleared the kitchen by sweeping the pots
and pans used at dinner in closet, wash
ing being omitted in the operation.
Minnie, blowing and putting making the
fire, was saluted with
How it smokesp
what ails this fire, MINI
Harry discovered the cause, pulled out
the damper, and merry blaze repaid him.
The coffee boiled, the steak sputtered in
the pan, and the men painted, perspired,
Whlstled, and used improper words over the
heat.
It was good supper, and piling up the
dShss-lt was too hot to wash-the five
bachelors returned to the parlor
1t was involuntary, but each pair Of eyes
rested for moment on the seat Susy was
wont to occupy. A little music, more talk
ing, and still more smoking filled the time
till midnight, when each one yawned him
self off to bed. Harry, who was the one
to lock up, was the latest The kitchen
looked dreary; no fire, greasy frying pan
placed as helmet over the coffee pot, bits