Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-06-06

idle time. and there she stood in the door.
way. with all her years Of book knowl.
edge and kitchen ignolance behind her,
announcing her intention Of making that
mysterious compound. that chef d'enrre
of accomplished housckeeper'a chicken
pie,
Mis-. Prentice turned pale; he thought
Kate u little crazy.
Mr. Prentice smiled There was =
twinkle in his eye.
Let her try, mother; let her try; |
told YOU the old woman was in her" and
with II very quick stop and merry heart.
he was gone, too much absorbed IN hls
own tancics. for even another look Ut the
chickens But he talked aloud ~ he
went down the street.
II wonder who il can be. I'm sure
don't know, but il must bc somebody, ior
when "A girl that never could endure the
sigh. of kitchen begins to want To learn
how 10 cook. it's rs sue there's some
body else in the question rs it is when
you sec one little brown bird building
nest in spring. that lkcIe's n brighter,
guycr bird no; Ian off, that is equally IN
ten csted in that sample OF house build
ing"
Mr. Prentice ww right.
"But Kate" said her mother, You
surely don't mean lo do it alone; you'll
spoil it as sure rs the world; YOU never
made even Il common pie. and it takes Il
real knack II make chicken pie"
IL sure, do" said Kate. "and if |
spoil il spoil IT, And what's more, |
must do it all myself. and ynu have got
TO 90 entirely out OF the kitchen-yes, out
ol the house You may 90 over to Aunt
Marha's and spend the day, ." that The
people who cal the pic may be sure that
did it all myself The lact IS. (and here
comes the fact about which Mr.. Prentice
was - curious) Charlie Adams i, com
inr here. tn dinner to-morruw. Hes nj
WAYS wishing for one OF his mothers
chicken pies, so I'm going 10 make one
lnr HIM"
With i thousand iniunctionS about the
crust, and the gravy, and the fire and the
oxen, aud with many misgivmgs, Mrs.
Prentice withdrew. aud Kate. her dangh-
80. ra;nn.J in bar sta.tI
4 strange day WAS that. Katcs first in
the Kitchen She knew no more about
houscwork than child. nr say by way oi
contra Il, than she did about chicken pie.
Bnt restleSSness had possessed her OF
late. that seemed la delight in impelin.
her into all sorts OF queer freaks, and this
was one. She had scorned word ot
advice when her mother was there, but
once she was gone, humbly and helpless
" she sought the one cook book the house
afforded, and with lis aid. by some
means or other. VIXEN night came the pie
was done. In spite Of torn dress, and
II burned apron. and steam .scalded
wrist, and certain other disagrccable evl'
dences OF awkward working. Kate was
radiant with happiness rs at last she took
The pie from the oven. She thought /,
looked splendidly, though it was badly
ScGrchrd ON one side.
; That had happened while she had, in
\ process OF watching the baking, dropped
e into chair to rest. aud thus dropped in
t to u reyerie. and had thought lro~ it 1t
should only be true. which she halt sus-
: pected, and so earnestly hoped, that
/ Charlie did love her, and il he should tell
5 her so. and hey should get married
J and then 90 TO housekeeping in just
4 the c0zest little house, even ii Charlie
,cas poor so they couldn't afford to keep
girl. how nice il would be to do the
D work all herself, and how, because he
! liked it so, she would every day OF the
year have chicken pie.
"Oh. my, it's burning" Aud the
a revery stopped. and the oven door came
down. and out came the burned pic but
as Kate looked at ii proudly. though n
S little sadly. she went back to the last sem
tence of the reyery and modified it some.
: what. II think | won't have it but once
+. week, and even if it is burned | think
5 he would like il il made it."
Mr.. Prentice returned ut evening with
e his wife. and was told by her of the
4 events of the day. They went together
to look ut the pie.
"Oh, Mr.. Prentice, never can have
t such looking pie go on to my table" )"
y said the model housekeeper.
| "Oh. yes, mother. it might look good
; deal worse; but III step down early to
q the market. and have some nice things
sent home, which you will make all right
U YOU know. We mustn't let Kate spoil
C all her chances by poor dinner"
B. The next day came, and with it Charlie
e Adams, and the dinner was one of Mrs.
j. Prentices best, so that Charlie was in
v capital humor when he reached the pie.
. and declared "it was years since he had
eaten such chicken pie He might,
r with equal truth. have said he never had
+ eaten such chicken pie, Tor the crust
i was tough rs well as burned, and Kate
0 had been in n revsry somewhat while
. making as well as baking, so she had for
4 gotten the salt, and it was indeed n very
4 poor pie. But what is it Virgil says
s .Love seasons all things!"-even chicken
mia