Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-09-09


his thought, as he ran down, three steps
at time, and presented himself before
the small damsel of twelve, who was the
only domestic that economical Catha-
rine Verdon kept.
"Where's your mistress, POlly?"
''Sure, sir, she's gone to see picture
gallery, she tould me, down town..
And when is she coming back?" de-
manded Mr.. Verdon, biting his lips with
inward vexation.
''She said she mightn't be back be-
fore night.
"Where are the Children"
"Goue to their Grandmam's IN Brook
Ign, sir"
'And what am to do for din
ner?"
''Sure, sir, don't know"
''Here's a pretty fix" grumbled MIR.
Verdon to himself as he stamped de-
spairingly about the kitchen. "And
I've asked Howard and Talboys to dine
here at three. What demon has got into
Cathiel Why couldn't / have held my
tongue the other night should really
like to know what am to do"
He tore his hair in perplexity.
"Polly?"
''Sir."
''What is there in the house for din
ner?"
There's a tongue, strand Goldfish
and a cabbage, 1 believe"
Bring 'em on, Polly, and Ill cook
'em myself. You know how to boil a
tongue, don't you?"
81 don't know, sir.
81 wish 1 had cook book" groaned
Mr.. Verdon, in great tribulation. "Any
how you fry ashland a cabbage is very
good boiled, with butter. Fetch on the
frying pan, Polly, and bring lots of kind
ling. I'm afraid the Goldfish is little
rough and dry-confound the creature
how it sticks to the pant Polly, you set
the table while strip off all the nice big
cabbage leaves-those little sprouts arm t
any use down in the middle. I'll send
to the bakers for an apple pie, guess.
/ wouldn't have Howard and Talboys
suppose we didn't keep professional
cook for any money. If Cathie were
only at homer
Mr.. Verdon dropped the cabbage
leaves one by one meditatively into the
pot as he spoke.
''Shure, SIR" interposed the staring
hand maiden, "Misses always washes
them first
"Washes emp" calculated Mr.. Yer
don, "What's the use of that when the
pot is half full of water? But women go
to the work by the hardest. Give us
that tongue, Polly, and a sharp knife
/ suppose the plaguy thing has got to
be skinned. Hal-loop'
Mr.. Verdon uttered an agonized howl
as the knife slipped, infiicting a disa-
greeable cash in his hand. He tied it
up with his pocket handkerchief, and
went on with his rather difficult job.
'"Therep heexclaimed, as he triumph
antly jammed the tongue down among
the cabbage leaves, ''that' done. But
I'm afraid my fish is quite old-it doesn't
fry at all favorable. Perhaps you
ought to grease the pan."
He took the fish out by the tail, and
anointed the kissing pan literally with
butter, then set the establishment ON
the fire once more.
But just as he was bending over the
fire, his sleeves turned back, and his
dripping with perspiration,
there was a sudden sibilation and an up
ward blaze-the butter had taken fire
so had mir. Verdon's hair and shirt
sleeves.
Luckily he had presence of mind
to dip his face and arm instan-
taneously in the pail of water that stood
In the sink; and at the moment that he
stood there scorched and dripping, with
singed hair and no coat, over the high
" favored ruins of the luckless Goldfish,
Polly threw the kitchen door wide open
and announced:
''Please sir, two gentlemen"
And Messrs. Howard and Talboys en-
tered, considerably surprised at the
state of things before them.
''Halloop exclaimed MIR. Talboys.
''Why, what's the matter, Verdon?"
gueried Mr.. Howard. ''Not a case of
spontaneous combustion, eh?"
While Alexander, scarlet and confus-
ed, jumbling vainly for the linen cuffs,
with gold sleeve buttons, that
had blazed into light cinders long ago.
Ell" he stammered. Every stu
pid of the girl to bring you down here
Il Just came for a glass of water-let
me escort you up stairs.
He preceded his guests up the narrow
stairway, blissfully unaware of the ash
neither garments and sooty
that gave his friends such
d task to keep their countenances.
excuse me one minute, gentlemen"
he growing hot all over, as he caught a
glimpse of himself in the parlor mirror,
and lodged out to renovate his toilet,
TO himself:
"What has become of Cathie I'd
give a hundred dollar note if she were
only here
AS he issued once more from his
room a soft, familiar voice sounded on
HE ear, and his heart gave O great
bound of delight. Cathie had return
ed in very truth, and was in the parlor
at that instant, talking with his friends.
"Cathie," he whispered, holding the
door half aiar, "Cathiep'
But she was too busy descanting ON the
merits of some -Raphaelite artist to
pay any attention to her husbands
husky summons.
cts burning, Cathie," he whisper
ed, coming into the room and gently
twitching her sleeve.
81 smell the cabbage quite plainly"
But Cathie never stirred, nor broke
off in her pretty, enthusiastic chatter.
81 think ought to have creased the
inside of that pot" thought Mr.. Yer
don. Nothing but tonge and cabbage
for dinner; and Howard boards at the
and Talboys keeps a
French cook. What will they say?-l
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