The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-05-14
The Arithmetic of Gingerbread.

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I Poor Katy y!-she had been dronin,
wearily through the rules for multiplied
tion and division of fractions all tn,
long afternoon study-hour. 1t was ius
the dreariest part of the whole book
Case First-To multiply fraction by
whole number. Case Second-T0
multiply whole number by fraction. ;
These were the very worst. scarcel,
exceeded by the correspo ding rules foI
division, and Katy had just about worn
out her brown eyes crying over the cases
in which you multiplied by the numera-
tor and DIVIDED by the denominator. OF
multiplied by the denomiuator and di.
vlded by the numerator.
. 1t is just the hatefulest old study in
school,, mamma" said Katy to her
mother, who passed through the room
and looked askance at Katy's red ewes
he very hardest one to see any use in.
l don't suppose I'll ever in al, nv life
have to multiply or divide whole num-
Der by fraction; hope not, any way. |
desplSe halves and quarters of things SO
awfully."
Mamma didn't reply, but YEARLY
threw herself down on the little bed that
was kept in the nursery, with very dark
circles about her eyes, and pale, tired
face.
" Do you believe, Katy, you could 90
down and stir up some ginger-cakes 1or
teaF Christine is hurrying with her
ironing, and Mary must take baby while
go and sleep off, if possible, this miser-
abe headache" said Mrs Richards. only
half opening her weary eyelids.
oh, yes, mamma, ANYTHING is better
than these hateful rudiments. looked
thai up just now in Webster. First
beginnings it says; only l think it's
hard enough to be the last endiugs -
but seeing no frightening in her mothers
eye, she fastened to help her down into
her own room. Then with gentle hand
she settled the pillows comfortably.
saturated handkerchief with camphor,
closed the shutters, and ran softly down
st:ll another flight of steps into the base
ment kitchen.
Christine, I'm to make ginger-cakes
Tor tea, all my own self. Mamma said
so, and she's gone to lie down and sleep
off her headache, and mustn't be dis.
turbed," said Katy, half afraid that
Christine might hunt up confirmation of
the gingerbread business. 1t was some
thing new, certainly, to turn this harum-
scarum little creature loose in the pan
try to rummage the spice boxes, and
break up the cream in the cellar in her
search for sour milk. But, with large
families there are times when rhe work
crowds fearfully, and the only way is to
press more hands into the service. not
minding always if they are unskilled
ones.
Veil, Mees Katy, please keep te muss
ober dare in te sink so mooch as YOU
can said Christine, evidently not iubi-
liant at the prospect of cleaning up after
little girls baking; "an don't leaf tie
we, SDOOn in q COpa nor d,.;p 10 eo -,
milk roun' te Gle n cellar. It's dare in
te big jar unter tie window"
Kay got down the gem irons for the
inst thing, creased them with Mary's
patent .griddle-g,easer Ga pine sick
pleltiully supplied with cotton rags at
one end); then climbed up TO the shelf
where the hook of recipes was kept.
'Meeses Vite's soft ginger-cake' is vat
you wants, Mees Katy, an we takes
double of the receipt said Christine,
quoting an expression familiar to Yankee
cooks.
That's Just two of everything, I
E!1oU, and Katy tossed her curls with an
air o. conscious greatness.
" Two Zines one cup of molasses-here
goes that. Two times Two spoonfuls of
soda-that's four spoons. Ny buG doesn't
1t foam up 5edUuifully! Two spoons
ginger in two-thirds of cup of not
watec-no- oh, dear! 1t is the soda that
ought to go in the hot water, and-oh.
horrors it's t1OO times tlUO-lhirdS OF n
cup of hot water. Well, now! If chose
hateful fractions aren't right here in
this gingerbread! Christine, oh, Chris
tine!" cried Katy in despair. Come
and tell me how much is two times two
thirds of a cup?" But Christine, alas
had already gone upstairs, with her
basket of whi e, freshly-ironed clothes
poised on her head.
Two times two-thirds of a cup.
Why, it must be mOre'n one cup, and vet
it says of cup If'Cwasn't for that,
I'd go and get two cuDs and fill them each
two-thirds full; but 1t can't be only two
times two-thirds of cup-that's one
cup" And the poor little girl found
herself in worse "deeps," even, than ever
she bad fathOmed in the Rudiments." ."
Ned came into the kitchen ut that mo-
ment, his books flung over his shoulder
and Katy's face lighted up, She could |
appeal to him. But when she asked him !
how much two times two-thirds of cup !
could be, Ned, with all a boys wisdom,
gave answer like this
Two times two-thirdsP Case of mul |
nplying a fraction by whole number. |
Rule: Multiply the numerator of the |
fraction by the whole number and Place |
the result over the denominator.
Two times two-thirds are four-thirds. |
Improper fraction. Reduce to a whole |
or mixed number Rule: Divide the |
numerator by the denominator.' Three
is in four once and one-third over. One
cup and one-third of cup"
- But it says of cup Ned. Who'd
ever think that of cup meant part of
two cups" argued Katy, in a despairing
tone.
Well, l didn't write the recipe
book, Kit, and besides, that's grammar,
not arithmetic and I'm not up i'm gram.
mar" And Ned wisely refraining from
venturing beyond his attainments, went
upstairs to put away his books.