The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-03-30

eager for n mother-in-law;' and she
looked up at him and laughed. 81 hate
mother-in-law I" she added, presently
"I'm so glad my mother died when 1
was born-my husband will never have
that to complain of I" They were sweet
lips for such brutal sentiments. Law
renee, in his historical parallels did not
think that possibly Lucrezia Borgia's
were as sweet
"How it rains p she said, as the sleet
struck the panes.
"And suppose every variation of the
weather affects a person sensitively
strung as you are.
"Oh yes, said Flora, lifting her great
eyes. "And it does so spoil your boots r.
1t was only beauty that filled the gaps
of such conversation. Presently some
one was calling. "Flora Where is
she ? Such capital idea What do
you think? We are each of us to get up
a dinner !" cried Kate Farley, looking in.
"Come and hear about it-only / stipu-
late that mine shall be last"
81 protest, said Lawrence, as they
joined the group, "against the practice
of any such mysteries, Wilder and me
excluded"
"That's right" chimed in Wilder. the
young millionaire, who had been added
to the party for the sake of equipoise.
MIR. Wilder" said Cousin Fanny,
sepulchrally, "some day when you are
cast away on desert island, and your
wife cannot even make a johnny cake"
Does that desert island mean matri-
mony?" asked Louise, slyly, of Cousin
Fanny.
"And when cast away on it," said
Mrs Hounslow, "is it that the cook and
the house-maids have struck hands and
struck work."
"Well, if this is to be-" said Law
renee, "you will, at any rate, interpose
buildings with picnics, roasts with rides,
marmalades with moonlght-are there
any more alliteratives, Miss Louise ?"
t" AS much, said his mother, cas- you
can intersperse in weeks gale"
cts ridiculous" said Flora, turning
away now with young Wilder. CT wish
there wasn't any such thing as a
kitchen"
"And yet" said Mrs. Hounslow, look
ing after her refiectively, 81 should think
she would have genius for cookery she
has a cooks build-the typical cooks 4"
Lawrence's eyes were blazing, but his
mother went calmly on. "Well, it's an
experiment" said she. "We shall have
to suffer for it-nous autres. What a
farce Kate's dinner will be salt in
the whipped cream, and sugar in the
mayonnaise--bu Flora's will be good. {"
"Good enough" said Cousin Fanny,
with a sniff. "Any glutton must
cook.
The storm setting in Justify, there was
fine season for the amateur cooks, who
were going about with culinary literature
next day, like nuns with their missals
Lawrence said. Enchanted into book
worms, we are to eat our way through
these volumes, he said.
The first dinner was of course an alb
surd failure, being Hates; but they
made so merry over it that it seemed, as
Kate declared, better than if it had been
good. Louise replaced it on the follow
ing day by one as exquisite as any little
French dinner, so perfectly prepared and
so perfectly served that Lawrence looked
with an amazed respect at the little being
| III Ills lilOOlicI pltct, WllOst Stllis nul
ordered it al, and who was as composed
as if she had merely threaded her needle.
The next day it was Miss Furlong 8 turn !;
and certainly more bewitching picture
of a cook than she made, with her hair
tied under the prettiest of caps, her soft
arms bare witt all their dimples, and her
white apron wrapping her from head to
foot, could hardly be drawn.
Mrs. Hounslow," said young Wilder,
81 never knew a jollier idea than this
sitting in judgment on pretty caps and
choice Dishes"
GA fine way to be stayed with flagons
and comforted with apples" said Law
renee.
"Well, said his mother, "there are
Flora's and some others in reserve and
after them what do you say to dinner
by Cousin Fanny"
g 1t would be peppery, said Lawrence,
for the estimable lady had not yet come
down.
"And tart" said Mr. Wilder.
"And well seasoned" said Lawrence
again.
" Pastry short, and bread crusty,"
said Mr. Wilder.
"For shame p exclaimed Louise and
Kate. Gas if any crumb of it would
not be dish fit for the gods %
But why should this affair be so one
sided?" asked Mr.. Wilder.
"True enough. Men command high
wages as cooks" said Lawrence. "Why
should we let such chance go by? L
have made up my mind if these young
ladies are to be sequestrated, L, for one,
shall join the sequestration. Miss Fur
long, put on paper cap and serve
with you to-day. Wilder, set your cap
for tomorrow and Miss Maria. Not
word to the griffin. Here she comes.
You see we are waiting for you, Cousin
Fanny, and Hebe is cup-bearer. They
also serve who only stand and wait. -
And so they all went out to breakfast.
If the cook had assisted Louise the
least in the world, it was owing to that
young lady's witcheries. But Miss Fur
long had no witchery for cooks, and the
assistance vouchsafed her came in the
whitening manner of science toward ig-
norance, and was scomed. And. al
though she and Lawrence began the play
in the greatest spirits, long ere anything
approached completion Miss Furlong
L.