The Portland daily press., 1876-08-19
THE PRESS.
Mrs. Carter's Cook.
How She Cooked Young Mr.. Carriers
Goose for Him.

When Miss De Lancey down to break
fast, somewhat late, as was her wont, on that
memorable 10th of April. the other girl poun-
ced upon her like some lovely variety OF bat,
waving the newspaper as if it were wings.
'Joe," exclaimed Alice, "we are ruined"
And, "Joe, chaos is come again." cried Hes.
ter, both in breath.
Miss De Lancy ran down the column, with
its display heads and fateful figures.
'Well?," she said, laying the paper down
directly, and breaking an egg with the air
Of one whom fate could not surprise.
Ill, should say" retorted Hester with
asperity, from behind the tea-things. "Was
there ever such genius as poor Papa's for
making bad investments? All mama's money
made ducks and brakes of before he died, and
now the little remnant OF his fortune gone in
that nasty banking housed It's well we took
your advice Joe, and came out here to live
when we broke up that great establishment
which he would maintain in town. We don't
know rustic, and there's no law compelling
one to write letters, notwithstanding cheap
postage. We can starve in these wilds, and
nobody be the wiser but the 'crowner.' You
don't seem in the least surprised, your majes-
esty. don't suppose Alice and need be,
since nothing poor papa did ever turned out
well. But it would be polite in you to look
dismayed at least, and not so superior"
"Joe always did find the soul of good in
things evil,'" observed Alice. I suppose
she's hunting it now; though Ewing knows
as my dear Mrs. Camp would say, chat moth
ing year can't be a blessing in this Pill
jah's Projiss of a wave of tears. Hetty, I'll
trouble you for little more cream, since we
are doomed to skim-milk henceforth and for
ever, humanity speaking"
Nevertheless" began the invincible Miss
Ia T,anpav onoa moro SsTFc oopnfort RI
think"
Josephine" cried Hester, "you are the
tn most exasperating girl. Nobody is allow
ed the solace Of his grievance where you are.
You always remind me of that satisfied and
charitable old lady whose children declared
that she would find something to praise in
Old Nick himself. To which she replied ooh
no my dear children; nobody could see any
good in Satan, of course. But mast say
that if we all had his patience and persever-
ance the world would be better off, 1t
sounds exactly like leaf from your geogra-
ply"
Joe laughed good naturally. "But 1t is a
comfort to think that there isn't a dot of in
cumbrance on this place." she said. "Grand-
papa knew poor papa so well when he de-
yised this property directly to the children.
Alice, you are cashier. How much money in
the family treasure-boxY
dcbo tudu d uuuuItu uOlidTS, joe, anu
when that is gone, emptiness" groaned
Alice.
Nonsense, my dear. Before that is gone,
fullness. We are three able-bodied and strong
minded women. 1t would be poor compli-
ment to ourselves and the nineteenth centu-
~ to assume that we can't get our bread with
butter and honey,for that matter. We have
simplyto transform ourselves from consumers
to producers, from mere ornaments to utilities.
10 cirr ,lry 20 4I,ox -
instead of perching idly on the circumference.
Doesn't it sound fine-and easy2"
Very" said Alice, dryly. SIT is another
OF the feicities OF papa's system that we were
never taught anything useful, and so we have
absolutely no tools for any undertaking.
What are the convertible terms of your neat
statement Public schools We couldn't get a
place for love or money. Summer boaders
You perceive that the boundaries within
which your able-bodied and strong minded
women may disport are both narrow and toll
erbly full already"
mot at ALL demonstrated the elder, gath.
ering up the tea-cups and silver to wash
1.-The trouble with working-women in gener-
al is just what you suggest, 0 wise virgin !!
(Hand me the egg spoons, please.) They all
try to do the same thing, which keeps prices
down. The law of demand and supply regu-
lates that, of course. Now my daring mag
lnation surveys fresh fields and pastures new.
Here is dry towel, Hetty.) A career opens
before me full of possibilities. propose to
unite the vacations of philanthropist, scien-
fist, and day-laborer, so to speak. I forecast
liberal service to my kind, and generous
stipend to myself Health, honor, compe-
tence, gratitude throng upon my right hand
and my left. Good sense and opportunity
will meet together; industry and reward
shall kiss each other. Visions of glory, spare
my aching sightp" and Miss Dc Lancey re-
tired behind her wiping towel in well-acted
awe.
81 know you're not going to be married,
you cheerful lunatic," said Alice, land you
surely don't mean to volunteer as a mission
ary?o
s'Yes, child; though I shouldn't have
called my profession by so fine name. In
short, intend to go out as cook"
Alice emerged from the china closet to
stare at this new complication of existence.
Hester sat down quite limp with amazement,
and suffered the spoons to slide in single file
to the floor. Joe laughed again delicious
halfscale of music.
"The distinguished Miss De Lancey, belle
and beauty, in her new and unprecedented
role of cook and scullery maidi otis mad
world my masterr" calculated Hester at
last, gathering up the scattered spoons.
"Cook, cook, my dear. 4 deny the butler
and the coach horse under your leave. And
why not? I've often been cook for weeks
together when we couldn't be suited. You
gave me empty praise in plenty. Why
shouldn't have the solid pudding too?"
"Noblesse oblige," said Alice. 81 think
decent respect to the opinions of mankind
ought to influence you as much as it did our
forefathers. A cooks is not gentlewoman's
employment"
'Then will make it so, dear Lady Dis
dain. I'll live to build, not boast, gener-
Gus race Blu: have you forgotten my be-
loved Ruskin? Listen. sWhat does cookery
mean? 1t means the knowledge of Medea,
and Of Gree, and of Calypso, and Of Helen,
and Rebecca, and of the queen of Sheba; it
means the knowledge of all fruits and herbs
and balms and spices, and of all that is heal
ing and sweet in fields and groves and savory
IN meats; it means carefulness and inventive
ness and watchfulness, and willingness and
readiness of appliance; it means the economy
OF your great-grandmother and the science
OF modern chemists; it means much tasting
and no wasting; it means English thorough
ness, and French art. and Arabian hospital
ity; and it means, in fine, that you are to be
perfectly and always ''ladies,' s'Ioaf-g ivers,"
and as you are to see imperatively that
everybody has something pretty to put on,
oyou are to see, even yet more imperatively
that everybody has something nice to eat.'
There is the text, Pussy, and this is the ap-
plication. You know those mill-owning Car
tiers who lease that superb Edgewood. In
their creed dinner is one OF the chief ends of
man, and yet they never can keep cook.
Our unimpeachable old Ann, whom quietly
pumped, says that they are difficult and
that the place is too lonely-'fearsome,' she
called it. Now these are recommendations
in my eyes. At this moment there is an
utter restitution of cook in that establish
ment, and Mrs. Carter will willingly pay
thirty-five dollars month to the right per-
son. have a cheerful confidence that am
she, and my palm itches for the Carter gold
In year I should have saved four hundred
and twenty dollars. Think of that, Master
BROOKE And meantime, everything here
could 60 on as usual"
"You stupid old joe" retorted Alice, edo
you mean that you are to delve and grub and
spoil your complexion, that Hester and I
may be fine ladies at home and live on the
fat of the land? Not if the court under
stand herself, and she think she dop''
Tears sbpne in Joe's handsome eyes. "I
fear it must be the lean of the land for
WHILE" she said, "and plenty of hard work,
too. But want you to do it here, with
everything as it is now, old Ann, and the