The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-04-04

seized third and still larger pot, and
trt m both vessels proceeded to pract!-
cally fill it.
That ricel Even now never think of
it without a sickening sensation. For
two days it was served in every CON
ceivab;e style, as a substitute for tea,
fried tor breakfast, and pu ding Tor din
ner.
just before dinner father returned
from town, accompanied Cousin VIII,
who was my special aversion, inasmuch
as he never let pass an opportunity to
plague me. On this account, therefore,.
| was, ii possible, more anxious than
ever that my dinner should be u success.
W it'll them came also Harry Lee. NOW,
| had often been teased by Harry. lie
certainly came to the house great deHi,
and danced with me at all the parties,
and in other ways showed his adm,ra-
tiun. AS yet, however. | could not make
up my mind whether l liked him or not.
lie was rich, accomplished and nand-
some. and the girls all enVied what tnet
called "my good fortunes" but was, L
must confess, a little AFRAID Of him. lie
was SO sell-GOntained that L had all llea
he was seYgre, L was all in nutCef'
therefore, when / found he mad come 10
dinner, and LremDled lest there should
be some mistake. l almost regretted
Juat l mad undertaken to play the part OF
COOK. WHAT III the morning had seemed
10 me such rare fun, now appeared 10 Ge
the very reverse.
But there ~ as nothing 10 do, but to
nut good face ON the lnater, and 50 on.
An tulngs being ready, set the iaoie,
IsWeeteneu can OF peaches, anu pro-
ceeded TO take up dinlser. The chicken
| considered done to aturn; but neither
biscuit or potatoes had exactly the riShl
look, the former being undenlaDIy yell
| low and hard, One accidentally drop
ping on the floor, star led me win us
SOLID thud. Tue potatoes, L regret To
say, were in II condition that rendered
| the use OF "a spoon not simply convent
ent, but simply essential.
At length, win beating heart flushed
| cheeks and burnt fingers, l announced
ali things as ready, and the family as
sem uleu in the dining. .0Om.
"a very nice looking dinner, lndeed,"
said father, wisely fixing ms eye upon
the side-taD.e, " here $40 ID the de. s9rt OF
cake (nOL OF my oWn maklng) and the
canned lrult. "Here, WILL" ne added,
Il nave The headacue; take this seat, IL
| YOU please, and carve"
| "And, so, Cousin Retta, you have
turned coos" said Win. "a very nlcC-
| looking dinner, considering" Here he
| suddenly paused, laid down The carving
knife, and Tor AN instant puzzled eX-
preston OVerspread Lis lace. lneD, IN
| spite Of all Efforts to Restrain himself, he
| burst into an uncoMrO.lADle iJ oI
| laughter.
"Wny, what's the matter with the
chicken" he exclaimed, at lengtn.
Mother in mild tones came 10 my ellie I.
"lhey forgot TO SINCE it properly lOr
Retta," she SAID, apolOsetically. "Sul-
pose we have IL taken away. Let US try
| Lhe ham,"
1t would be useless for me TO try to
enter into the details OF thai dinner, or
to repeat the many jokes Viii made at
my expense. Durlng that hour learned
the Importance OF grinding coffee, and
discovered that not water was pref ra-
bic TO cold in making Lnat most deIig t.
iul beverage. That part OF my instruc-
| tiOns | listened TO in weakness OF s JIrlt,
but when the whole egg, wnlch had been
DOiied in the cotfee-pot, was taken out,
and even mother laughed, it was more
than L could bear. Ile tears would
come.
1t was with feeling Of relief l arose
10 remove the dishes and help to des-
sert. This ~ least is one thing abou
which there can be nothing wrong,' |
said 10 myself. Had L not, in renlt M
Orance oil the family propensity 20,
sweet things, put two full cups Of sugar
on those peaches? Was not the crt an
rich in quality and abundant in guam
tity? What more could be desired?
$50, Retta, 10 atone for this PECULIAR
ly served dinner, you nave given US our
fayorite dessert" said father, leisurely
stirring the cream and sugar into his
| haIp tn
''And full atonement it is," replied
Will, still laughing, as he raised his
spoon TO his lips.
How shall L tell the sequel The next
instant VIII sprang from The table, and
rushed out OF the room, with tatner Iol-
lowing close at his heels. l turned first
from mother TO sister tor eXplanation-l
did not dare look at Harry-Dut had
they taken Il dose of quinine they could
not have worn upon Their faces look
expressive OF greater uismay and dis
gust.
had not yet helped myself, but seiz-
ing a spoon, L plunged it into the
peaches. When L had tasted, all was
clear. | had sailed instead Of sugareu
the lruit.
l alterward found that had mistake n
the sugar barrel. Both stood together
III luC otOIS-AOOLDJ oIuO Wy Slucj anu
uad used their contents without LOOKING
critically at them. Hence my mistake
All this time, while Will was making
open Jun OF me, While mother cOuld noL
always keep back Il smile, Harry had
never, for one instant, changed counteIl-
auce. In his easy, well-bred manner,
he kept up the conversation, as If no IL
ing had gone wrong. Hau he been din.
ing at DelmOnlco's with every thing
working AS smoothly as 1t always does
there, with each separate dish The per
iectiUn, i'll its way, Of culinary science,
ne could not have worn more uuCOH-
cerned look. Az the episode OF thr
chicken, not muscie OF his face re-
faxed. When the peaches came oh, h.
was the first to tasle them, but he gave
no slgA wnaLeVer OF Lnelr condition.
And all through The dinner, with It's 9TH
er mistakes, whicn L g,adiy bu.y III OF
lIYIOm, he showed the same delIcate con-
slderation lor my feelings.
| WHAT WOnder that, lrom that hour, ]
began 10 like him2 He was no longer
stern ana severe IN my eyes. He was,
on the contrary, the embodiment oi
knightly courtesy. lie carried MS for
Uearance to such point, thai he never,
even after we were engaged, aliudtd ~
that unfortunate mt,I.. lG was L. m1
| sell, that first spoke 1t.