The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-11-26

"sBiscuits amt everything, an dough
nuts amt everything; TIL try her mince
pies an cider apple SARGE before take
sech an important step as that.
"There, now, that's jest like i'm p
commented the old lady, in an ecstacy of
adsairation; "he's that prudent in every
thing, none o. yer hot-headed, rushin'
sort, but one that always looks before he
leaps. He won't never ruin his fam
merly with idle speculations, can tell
you.
Susy's rage had time TO cool some
what, and her sense OF humor was fast
getting the ascendancy over her temper.
as she asked demurely:
How does he like my pies and apple
sauce now that he has had the opportu-
nifty of trying them 2"
"Very-well-indeed."
The words rolled slowly from the old
lady's tongue with an unctiOus sweet
ness that reminded her listener of we'll
buttered stick of molasses taffy, and
there was apook of complacensproprietor-
ship in the eyes that rested upon her
that the young girl felt as an added ag-
gravation.
Perhaps my cooking taken as a whole
might not suit him so well, she said
with tart significance, "and if the cook
cry did, I'm sure the cook wouldn't"
The old lady laughed placidly.
"Ill resk it !" she said, with glance
of maternal pride at the broad-shoul-
dered, heavy-browed lubber who was, in
her partial eyes, perfect model of man
ly grace and beauty-quite a modern
Adonis. "Benjie'd be reasonable an
make allowances for all shortcomin s.
He'll be a peaceable husband, like his
father before i'm, jest as long as he sees
that anybody is dom their very best to
please i'm"
Susy set her teeth with an angry grip,
and even Mrs. Toothacre was little
shaken out of her motherly abstraction
by the sharpness of her tones as she
said, CURLY
cts nothing to me what kind of a
husband he makes" then, with sudden
remembrance of the courtesy due to a
guest, she added with an effort eff
you will excuse me, now, / will go and
see about my dinner. Pray make your
self comfortable.
eyes, yes, to be sure :" smiled the
easily Modified dame, and Susy shut the
parlor door behind her with long
breath of relief.
Would this thrice tedious day ever
come to an end, and her father and her
self be left in peace to the pleasant quiet
of their own unshared fireside? But if
this day were to be heightened into
weeks, months, years, lifetime, per-
haps9 She fairly shuddered at the
thought.
81 would rather die to-day :" she
murmmed passionately, "and," her
courage rising with her desperation,
"Ill tell father so this very night. L
cannot and viii not endure this any
longer" and firm in her resolve, she
went about her duties with lightened
heart and step, intent, for the time, upon
the production of dinner that should
vindicate her claim to the title of the
best cook in town.
And the dinner was success, as Father
Harris had foreseen when he invited his
friends to share it with him. The po-
tatoes, squash and turnip were
mashed smooth as cream and seasoned to
perfection, the cranberry sauce was, for
wonder, sweetened sufficiently; the
pickles were SO crisp and green as to
call forth Mrs. Toothacre's housewifely
commentator, and the turkey-but
Ben Toothacre can speak for that:
81 guess I'll take another spoonful of
the stuffin', Mr.. Harris" he remarked,
stretching his plate half way across the
table, and bringing his coat sleeve in
dangerous proximity to the butter. 81
.<'c oh ln -, 3d. 4
ever tasted. / could just about eat my
weight in it. It's too bad, ma am, with
facetious wink ut that venerable dame,
"that you can't eat stuffin'. You don't
know how good It's
The old lady shook her head regretful-
ly. Turkey stuf1in' always briles on
my stomach, and BESIDES" the regret
deepened TO decorous solemnity, 81
never can relish turkey sence my poor
husband was taken ten years ago this
Thanksgivin'. You see Ga leetle more of
the gravy, Mr.. Harris), he was dretful
fond o hen turkeys, an the day before
Thanksgivin' he brought home one o.
the finest ones that 1 ever put my eyes
on, an says he, now, Cinthy, do yer
pertiest, so did, an 1 dressed it Jest
as he liked it best, in jacket an trow-
sers, an
In WHAT" interrupted Susy, in com
ical amazement.
"Why, with slices O. bacon, of course,
what else should / meanl" retorted the
speaker, a little tartly. can put it
on the table, an he helped me to piece,
an then he helped Benjie to piece, an
then he helped himself to good big
piece, an jest as he was putin the
first mouthful to his lips he fell back in
fit, an died before we could get to
i'm, an he never got so much as a bite
of that hen turkey, after ALL -
The last words were spoken i'm dolo-
rous drawl that contrasted so comically
with the placid, self-satisfied face of the
speaker that Susy could not command
herself sufficiently to utter the stereo-
typed words of coincidence that the
widow evidently expected, and an awk-
ward pause epsued, broken at last by
Father Harris, who remarked, with an
effort to appear at ease:
you're in the same pew with me in
regard to stuffing. 1t always disagrees
with me, and haven't tasted any for
years, while Susy here won't eat it on
account of the onions in it. ;"
Tca,, launched