Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-08-24

| llOuE.
The summer sun hung above the greer
summit of the poplars.
''Sureiy it will be Jelly now, Jane,'; sait
the weary housewife, pouring some of thu
hot, red liquid into cold water.
But Juice it remained, for all the cooking
and stewing it had undergone.
''Oh, what shall do? Surely the stuff
must be bewitched. I've great mind tt
pour it all away" cried poor Nell, ready
to cry with vexation.
u tell you, ma'am, you put something
in to make jelly" persisted Jane.
s'Oh, Jane, hush You know nothing
about it. tell you don't put anything
in. What must l do? Cook it more? Il
is burning to the kettle now, and I've
wasted ever so much sugar! Jane run
over to mothers and ask Hannah to steE
over, will you? She'll know in a minute
what to do. Do pray, be quick; it is
dreadfully late"
Jane departed.
eff cooking will do, I'll make jelly of il
before Hannah gets here" she said.
But Instead of boiling to jelly the cur
rant juice boiled over in great foamy, red
waves.
The fire Kissed, and dense smoke and 8
pungent scent Of burning sweets filled the
kitchen.
Spattered from head to foot with the hot
liquid, one hand scalded, her pretty face
besmered, Nell retreated to the door i II ut
ter despair.
ooh, wish had never
The sentence WAS never finished.
She stood dumb with horror, for coming
leisureiy along the sunny garden-path she
saw her husband and his particular friend
Mr. WarburtoD.
''Heha invited him home to dinner p
she gasped, darting back into the smoky
kitchen. ''Oh, what shall I do 20
Two or three narrowing minutes of sus-
pense aud 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
was.
''I'm making urrant jelly, and l thought
you wouldn't be home till late, Ned"
s'Does it require such mess as this to
make currant jelly? And what a fright
you are. Nell! I've brought Warburton
home to dine.''
''There's not mouthful or dinner.
Ned"
What? Didn't send a ham and a
pair of chickens 20
king jelly all day.
"Confound the jelly! Come, Nell, you
must get up some show of dinner''
II can't, Ned! I'm tired to death, and
my hands burned. You shouldn'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 I liked !! Pm
surprised at you, Nell! ~
Nell sank back into /, 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 eff
forts to get it off the stove, upset it, delug-
ing the floor.
''I'm glad of it! You've no business at
tempting to make the COMPOUNDED stuff
when you don't know how,'' he cried
aouncing out of the kitchin, and leaving
his wife to have her cry out. "I'll go and
send Warburton away"
Poor Nellie sobbed convulsively, un-
mindful of the meanlering 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 sprang up and threw herself into
the old woman s arms.
ooh, Hannah and Ned's gone to send
Mr.. Warburton away without his dinner,
and he'll never forgive me- she sobbed.
eyes, he will, dearie, yes. he will-don' t
you fret! I've sent them over to your
mothers for lunch. And now let me tell
you what to do. Put all this jelly making
by till to-morrow-we'll begin bright and
early in the morning, and''-
but, Hannah, it won't come to jelly''
ooh, yes, it will, when we add a little
gelatine."
"Didn't I tell you, ma'am?' muttered
Jane, hopping up the red river.
''Never mind the jelly now" continued
Hannah; 'you and Jane set to work and
get up nice little supper, and take down
your curls and put on your prettiest gown.
and III hurry over and send the master
make everything right"
Nell demurred a little.
''Ned was cruel to get into passion: he
knew couldn't help it, she sobbed.
Old Hannah gave her look.
"Hush, my dearie; put that foolish pride
in your pocket; you can't afford to spoil
your happiness. Mind what old Hannah
says
And Nell obeyed.
She and Jane worked as they never did
before in all their lives.
Sunset found the kitchen as clean as a
new pin-the unfortunate jelly banished,
and the daintiesl Of supper,tables set.
And as the sun went down Nell herself
walked down the garden path to meet her
her husband, robed in crisp, white mus
lin, scarlet ribbon coming her waist, a
rose in her hair.
"I'm glad to see you, Mr.. Warburton,'
she said smilingly. ''You have found me
in great tribulation to-day. attempted
what I did not understand, and got into
trouble. Ned, dear, forgive me, and bring
your friend into supper?o