The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-09-28

a., THURSDAY, SEP
80. - L.. on
lars year. Imust try to be very saw
ing. Iwont use as much sugar as !
intended to; and the recipe says little
nutmeg and won't put in so much as
that. Economy is areal virtue
Soliloquizing thus to herself, Nellie
mixed the rice, water and all, with a
cupful+ of milk, a teacupful OF sugar,
two unbeaten eggs, half cup of salt,
and few grains of nutmeg. This
precious compound she put into the
oven OF the stove and then proceeded to
examine the fire. This was not 90
easily done, as there was no fire to be
examined. Nellie thought she never
did see such contrary stove in her
life; and by way Of improving it's con-
tumacious disposition, she poured two
or three spoonfuls of burning fluid on
the coal, and then touched luci-
fer to. it. The effect was as
tonishing; the covers of the stove
were blown off like beaver hat in a
nor'wester, and the fire proved to be q
mere "flash in the pan.''
(" Never mind" said Nellie, in con-
solatory tone; 81 guess it will kindle;
there seems to be small blaze under
meath" aad :. gss,se as{ s.*,g.
The potatoes were brought next, and
having carefully peeled them, she
placed them in q kettle with some wa
ter and put them over the stove. Then
she cut the steak-and her finger at the
same time; and the extraordinary gyra-
ton which she made under the influence
Of the pain upset the dour-bucket into
the slop-pail and entangled her crino-
line in the hooks of the steelyards which
depended from the WALL It was a long
time before she could break clear from
these tenacious intruders; the steel
framework of her skeleton held on like
true metal, and the hooks Of the steel
yards we're bound not to let go; so
compromise was made, and Nellie di-
vested herself Of the warlike garments
and disengaged the combatants at her
leisure. -
Nellie had heard her: mothers cook
say that pounding meat made it tender;
and, in pursuance of this knowledge,
she put the pieces of steak into q NOR
tar and pounded them until the perspi-
ration streamed down her face and her
arms ached with the exertiOn. As for
the meat, it is best not to say much re-
garding the appearance; but it more
strongly resembled poultice than any
thing else.
While she was thus engaged the cat
"a family pet-had taken possession
Of the remainder of the steak, and was
enjoying it to her feline hearts content,
in the shadow of the pickle jar.
"Scat, scat, you beasti Shoe, scat,
there! Shoe, say!" cried Nell, drop
ping the mortar, and making at pussy
with the pestle elevated over her head.
The cat, to avoid the impending blow,
made sidelong spring, knocking down
q shelf which held several vessels of
milk, and this shelf, falling upon the
egg basket, smashed q dozen of as good
eggs as ever hen cackled over.
Nellie had quite q mind to sit down
in the midst of the ruin and indulge in
q good cry; but she controlled herself,
and, after mopping up the milk, to the
great detriment of her white garments,
she went out into the kitchen to see
what progress the fire was making.
There was not the least vestige Of q
fire about the premises, and poor Nell
lie was in despair. just then she spied
q boy going by, and called out:
"Here, boy, here! III give you
ninepence to do little job for me. !"
The boys eye glistened at the pros
pect; and he obeyed her call with alac-
rity; but, when she told him to make
fire, he laughed in her face. However,
he was capable lad-as Nellie thought
and ere long, by his skillful appGca-
ton Of kindlings, brisk fire was in
progress. The stipulated price was
paid, and Nellie considered it a good
bargain. s3ssI sil1lss
The pudding was in the oven, the po-
tat0es in the pot, the steak on the
gridiron upon the top Of the stove -ev-
cry thing was en- trGine. By-and-by the
dripping from the fat began to smell
rather unpleasantly; it filed the room
with smoke so dense and sitting that
poor Nellie's eyes grew red and fearful
and the tortured meat sizzled and hiss
ed, and turned black as q bears skin.
Nellie threw open the doors and
stack to her task Of turning tho grid
iron, resolved in vulgar, though express
i've, parlance, g to grin and. bear !"
The pudding boiled over continued
stream; the potatoes bounced up and
down in the kettle like cookie shells in
q stormy sea; the steak oroaned and
spit; andIin the midst Of it all 1.-The clock
struck three. Punctual to the hour,
Henry 3 step sounded in the entry; the