Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-08-09

/ After Nan had shut lis i'll, She burst
out" Il should think, Myra, you was
clean daft to undertake this thing,
now where's the beginning of it."
1 Get some small potatoes, wash and
trim them, and put them in to bake;
also bring up that quarter Of salt cod,
and after the potatoes are III the oven
give that batter Il pinch Of soda, and
start some griddle cakes, meanwhile
4 Ill attend to the tlsh.
This was all | said in one breath.
50 stripped my fish. put it III the tray
and choppe it fine, then turned it
into tho spider and poured i'll boiling
water, stirring it little to start the
salt out, then changed the water again
and again, and set it to cooking After
cooking it as many minutes of the half
hour rs could spare, | added milk,
butter and one beaten egg, with little
| flour thickening. lnthe meantime how
that sister of mine had worked, and
such pile of griddle cakes as she had
fried made me laugh.
"Do YOU calculate, Nan, that We are
going to sit down and help Mr.. What's
his-name eat them =
"Don't you worry, Myra, that man
has got II mouth hidden somewhere I'M
der that mustache of his, and Pm pre-
pared for anything So she covered
them to keep them hot, while we pre-
pared the table for one.
Nan had gone to the hen-house ard
found three eggs which she boiled hard,
rs she said "to lay good foundation "
in that hungry stomach. She had
also found good remnant of cake in
the cake box, SO that our table looked
quite bountifully supplied, and we
called our guest to his repast.
Ladies', YOU have done well, and
have three minutes to spare as he
looked III his watch. Now LII SEQ if
| cannot dojustice to your vianas.
Well the man could have only told
half the truth when he said he was fam
ished. Nan winked me into the kitchen
and shut the door.
Myra, I'm going to stir up another
pan of griddle cakes, while you so to
our next neighbor's and borrow pie or
two, or anything else they may happen
to have, or we shall see our dishes and
table cloth going.
OF course did no such thing, CON
Guiding he was doing well, rs lie passed
his cup for the fourth time to be filled,
(which / accomplished by the friendly
aid Of the teakettle.) Said lie, ladies
was very hungry, and nnsn', Ny q"
AT last he was done, nothing was lett
10 tell the tale, butthe butter and sugar.
He leaned back i'll such apparent CON
tent with himself and all the world,
that could not help thinking what a
blessed thing it was that we were born
to eat. do not know what had got into
me, but it seemed rs if ] could have
gone on cooking forever in his behalf.
"Now, ladies, / will settle with you,
if you please"
Itold him he was welcome to what
he had eaten. He insisted, but / could
not accept the money any how.
"Well then allow me to present you
trihe from my cart, ! will bring il Y
few samples, and you shall select for
yourselves"
50 lie brought III II pretty assortment
Of fancy goods. We selected plain
linen set Of collars and cuffs, to which
he insisted in adding an handkerchief
apiece.
Il must add Il triae now for the mas
ter of the house, or he'll be jealous, -"
said he, looking at me searchingly with
his clear blue eyes. Nan quietly re-
piled
"Wc're master, mistress, and mald,
on these premises, my sister and l.
We are two lone old maids, sir, if you
please" !"
"Well, which Of you concocted that
savory dish Of fish for my repast. y
makes my mouth water for more every
time / think Of it, Here Nan made
eyes.
Nan again spoke up. 20, that's one
of Myra's messes, she can cook any.
thing out of mere nothing. Learned
to be an economical cook in our facto-
nv davs, when we hired room ano
boarded ourselves. II you would like
few Of her famous recipes to carry tt
your wife, I'll write them oil in wei
come, for you have paid us triple fol
your dinner"
Said he, "Fm really ashamed TO con
fess it, ladies, but I've not got any wife
and here am past forty. But I'm get
ting weary Of my rowing life, and otter
think / would like to settle down to
home and wife. But there, ! mus
say good day ladies, hoping to sec yol
again soon"
As he and his cart passed out o
sight, Nan stood at the window ant
sung:
SToo bad that horse 70 sleek and gray.
our bachelors body has borne away
As for me, | am ashamed to confess
it, was terribly out OF spirits, and Nai
declared that that night / did nothing
but toss ana turn in bed and murmur
+" Yes, if he we're mine, III gladly cooi