The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-09-13


en-. Mamma used to make it up in no
time. What are we to do about dinner,
I wonder? We can't cook the ham,
there's no room on the stove. We must
have makeup dinner when we have
finished Mr.. Hastings will excuse us,
I'm sure"
And, arrayed in her Holland apron,
with her pretty braids all pushed back
bows, Nell worked away with all her
might, picking, boiling, straining until
her cheeks were flushed and her head
ached.
"Why, Jane, this juice won't be iel-
ly, and it has boiled so long. What can
be the matter?"
"There's something you put in to
make it jelly, I think, ma'am-'
"Oh, dear, no. Mother never did,
I'm sure. I'll add more sugar, and let
it boil another hour. Dear me I
thought we should have had our last ket-
tie on by this time. We shall be so
late, and I'm tired to death now. I wish
I had done as mother said. She ad-
vised me to send the currants over there
and let Hannah make the jelly, but Twas
sure I could do it myself"
The steaming kettle boiled another
hour.
The summer sun hung above the
&c 4Io
"Surely, it will be jelly now, Jane, %
said the weary housewife, pouring some
of the hot, red liquid into cold water.
But juice it remained for all the
cooking and stewing it had undergone.
"Oh, what shall I do? Surely, the
stuff must be bewitched. I've great
mind to pour it all away" cried poor
Nell, ready to cry with vexation.
81 tell you, ma'am, you put some
thing in to make it jelly" persisted
Jane.
sob, Jane, hush You know nothing
about it. tell you you don't put any
thing in. What must I do? Cook it
more? It is burning to the kettle now,
and I've wasted ever SO much sugar
Jane, run over to mothers and ask Han
nah to step over, Will you? She'll know
in minute what to do. Do pray be
quick; it is dreadfully late"
Jane departed.
eff cooking will do, I'll make jelly of
it before Hannah gets here" she said.
But, instead of boiling to jelly, the
currant juice boiled over in great foamy,
red waves.
The fire hissed, and dense smoke
and pungent scent of burning sweets
filed the kitchen.
Spattered from head to foot with the
hot liquid, one hand scalded, her pretty
face besmeared, Nell retreated to the
door Ill utter despair.
"Oh, I wish I had neyer'-
The sentence was never finished.
She stood dumb with horror, for COM
ing leisurely along the sunny garden
path she saw her husband and his par
ticular friend, Mr.. Warburton.
"He has invited him home to din
nerr' she gasped, darting back into the
smoky kitchen. "Oh, what shall I do?"
Two or three narrowing minutes of
suspense, and her husband entered.
"Nell, are you here? And what is
the matter Is the kitchen on fire The
whole place is in fog"
Nell came forward, looking more like
a tattooed Indian than the pretty woman
she was.
81 am making currant jelly and I
thought you wouldn't be home till late,
Ned"
"Does it require such mess as this
to make currant Jelly? And what
fright you are, Nell! I've brought
Warburton home to dine"
"There's not mouthful of dinner,
Ned"
"What? Didn't send a ham and a
pair of chickens %
"Ive had no time to cook I've been
making jelly all day."
"Confound the jelly! Come, Nell,
you must get up some show of dinner. :"
"I can't, Ned I'm tired to death,
and my hand is burned Tou shouldn't t
have invited Mr.. Warburton without
letting me know"
"Now just hear that" cried the pro-
voked husband, "after telling me SO
often to bring friend whenever liked !!
- III
Nell sank into a seat, and, covering her
face with her sticky apron, burst into
tears, while the jelly began to stream
over again.
Her husband, half beside himself with
the kissing noise and his own vexation,
made dive at the kettle, and, in his
efforts to get it off the stove, upset it,
deluging the floor.
"Tm glad Of it You've no business
attempting to make the confounded stuff
when you don't know how," he cried,
founcing out of the kitchen, and
| leaving his wife to have her cry out.
"Tn go and send Warburton away"
Poor Nelly sobbed convulsively, un-
mindful of the meandering red river at
| her feet, until Hannah entered.
why, dearie, what trouble you're in,
to be sure and all your jelly wasted
But never mind; we'll have the next
kettle all right.
Nell sprung up and threw herself into
the old woman's arms.