Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-01-23
John Bacon, Cook.

| BetSey Jane Bacon had been away for
nearly week. She had left goodly
supply of provisions, but her beloved
husband found on Wednesday morning,
that there was only enough left for his
dinner; and he expected Betsey Jane
tired and hungry that afternoon. So
the good soul resolved to get up de-
licious supper, which should both sur
prise and delight his dear wife.
Now John Bacon had never cooked
anything in his life; but he was not to be
daunted by this consideration; for was
he not one of the "lords of creation ?"
And if q women could deliver lecture,
he could cook, and then he knew where
his wife's recipe-books were, SO after
carefully locking the front door, he pro-
cured the books, and sat down to look
them over. The first recipe he con-
cluded to try was for tea-cake. "Just
the thing" said he, " Betsey will be sure
to come home with headache, and
she's amazin' fond of tea. Let-me-
see; One egg, one cup sugar; can't
make out the next word, but it must be
the tea, little salt, one teaspoon all
spice. Well, l can make that we'll
enough. Wonder how she fixes the
tea, guess she must bile it in water,
wonder how much tea she puts in. As
it's tea cake, it must be pretty strong
of tea. I'll venture good handful" Z"
While the tea was sleeping, John took
off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and
put on his wife's apron. Then he broke
an egg into dish, put in spoonful
of salt, which seemed little enough to
him us he was used only to giving salt to
cattle, then he came to the allspice.
"Now," said he, "I have to put in n
tablespoonful of all kinds of spice. How
handy these receipts are, they tell fell
low just what to do! Here goes tea
spoonful of cinnamon, and now one of
cloves, here goes one of ginger, and one
OF nutmeg, and here's the mace-that's 8
all can find. There's the tea boiling
over! I'll put it in a bigger dish. Won
der if Betsey puts it in grounds and all,
disremember ever seeing any grounds
in her cake. Guess I'll strain it, but
what ise body going to strain it through
Here's towel, but dear me, it don't
strain good bit. I reckon the towels
too thick. Oh, oh! that teas hemen-
dous hot. How it burns! What does
she strain it through. There's that little
thin handkerchief, with lace or some
thing round it. 1t is on the bureau,
and I'll take that, if it gets hurt I can
buy another. There! it goes first-rate
through this, now for the -four" Af-
ter considerable stirring John poured
the latter into tin dish, and put it in
| tho oven. f.-., 81.
"Now for some blanc mango. It's
awful lucky found these books" said
he, chuckling in high glee. ' 1t says
blanc mango is very nutritious, md
good for sick folks; and Betsey will be
sure to be aboutsick. Thenit's so easy,
nothing but moss and milk, and lemon.
Never know moss was good to cook be-
fore. member now, l see Betsey Jane
out diggin' some off the old fence the
other day. She do say she wants new
garden fence, but believe III let the
old thing be; seein' it's raisin' stuff for
us to eat. Then she went to the woods
for some nice green moss, and here tits,
right on the buttery shelf. How handy !
How I can cook. I'd like to see the man
that could beat mel I'll just show 'em
how to get up nice suppers. I think I'll
take pint ofmoss, some Of both; kinds.
Now I'll ifill up ths'dish with milk.
And here's some lemons. LII cut one
up and put h-sHght in, lemon always
was my favorite .seasoliin'" Having
got this delicious dish upon the stove,
John bethought himself of, his tea-cake.
He took it from, the oven, looked at it
and smelled of it, then gaveIa a prolonged
whistle, for certain it was, that it did
not look right, or smell right. Ho was
afraid Betsey. would not enjoy It, In
fact it slowly dawped upon his honest
mind that his tea-cake was not q success.
He cheered himself with the thought
that the blanc mango could not help be-
ing nice, and resolved to try another
cake. Just at this moment small boy
! lodged inthe back door saying, :" I cay