Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-12-16
The New Cook.

oh, no ! worse than that waile
our pretty little Mrs. Jessup, as sh
raised flushed face from among th
cushions on the lounge.
Worse than the toothache Z ez
claimed her sister, Miss Julia Paxo
by name. why, you poor, dea
child, what can it be-is the kite
dead, or have you and Tom bee
quarreling?'
Neither replied Mrs. Jessup, sit
ting up on the lounge and lookin,
quite indignant at the last idea
You know, julie, Toms most init
mate tliend, Fred Hastings, whc
went abroad because be was SO pu
out at Toms getting married (the,
| had agreed to remain bachelors al
their lives); well, be has come hons
and Tom has gone to meet him ano
bring him here to dinner, and th,
last thing he said was to be sure t.
have q stunning dinner and get my
self up in style
We'll. my dear,' laughed Julia, iii
that all ? | don't see anything t.
worry about; your Bridget is {
splendid cook and, as to dressing
you always had the knack for that.
But that isn't ALL hastily inter,
rupted the other. you see, after
breakfast this morning, Bridget al
saucy, and reproved her; then she
got angry, aud we had some words
and then, whether she gave warning
or | dismissed her, / don't know
but, anyhow, she's gone, and | dent
know what to do
Julia Paxon sat thinking mo-
ment, and then, looking up, said
I've thought of the very thing, Nan.
You lend me big apron and tell
me what you want, and | will do
your cooking, and Tom nor his guest
need not know anything about il.
You best Of sistersp exclaimed
Mrs. Jessup, running over to kiss
her. That is jost splendid But,
oh dearl | forgot-Tom said to be
sure and ask you to dinner, as he
wanted Fred to meet you as well as
me-
ooh. never you mind, Mamie you
tell brother Tom that have a par
tieular engagement (you needn'. say
WHAT; and mind you don't let him
come into the kitchen, or don't
know what the consequences will
be-
So saying, Julia took off her bat.
muffled herself up in a big apron,
rolled mp her sleeves, tucked her
hair behind her ears, and was ready
for action.
'fhe fist thing to be done, Nan, is
to see what you have in the house.
Not very much, | am afraid re
piled the other, following her sister
into the kitchen we had leg of
mutton yesterday-but there isn't
much of that Ieft-and we were to
= SD fuiuaGe, IVAN. lts,, mrs r,,.,,,,.l
Yes, that VIII do-ov.t - i '''N,
mutton ] viii make lovely French
stew, and the chickens will do to
boil ; as for dessert, | viii make one
of my famous apple buildings, and
before dinner | will run over home
for custaFd pie Eve baked early
this morning). If you can find some
geatiue, / think | will have time to
make some jelly, and to top off with
you shall have some delicious Wen
na coffee. So, sister mine, all you
will have to do will be to set out the
table with your best china and silver
and dress yourself. Wear your blue
silk and white roses, it suits your
style best
A few hours later, Mr.. and Mrs.
Jessup answered the summons to
the dinner table, which looked as
dainty as possible, with its spotless
napery, bright silver and pretty chi.
ma, while a few flowers exquisitely
arranged by the little hostess herself,
greatly added to the effect. Mr..
Hastings inwardly commented that
if the dinner tasted as good as it
looked, everything was perfect; and
looking at his friends pretty wife
seated at the head Of the table, and
doing the honors so gracefully, be
concluded that Tom had done a wise
thing after all
Mrs Jessup apologized for her
sisters non appearance by saying
that she had a particular engagement
that could not be broken.
Too bad,' interrupted her husband,
4 tell you what, Fred, you would
like Julie Paxon-she is just the OPP
posite of my wife here. Why, what
are you two laughing about? Oh. l
see, one of my blunders-but Nan
knows what / mean" with a bright
look at his wife. She's dark, you
know (Jule, / mean), and tall, and
rather stately. | really wish you
could see her.
Nan almost laughed out at the
idea OF their seeing her at the pres
ent moment; but she only very de-
murely apologized for their having to
wait IN themselves.
You see, Mr.. Hastings turning to
that gentleman, 'our family is so
small that we keep bat the one ser
want, who is cook and waiter girl
combined; but today she has un-
| fortunately burned her hand, and is
| incapable of waiting Julia had
indeed burned one of her fngers.)
Mr.. Jessup saw the sparkle in lis
wife's eyes and the arch expression
around her mouth, and knew some.
thing was up, but what it was he
couldn't imagine. Their guest saw
or guessed nothing, only that it gave
him a good chance to praise the ex
cellent cooking, saying that he had
never tasted better even in Paris.
You have a treasure, Mrs. Jessup
and I should think you would b
afraid Of losing her.
/ Yes replied that little lady, 8
an always afraid some one else vii
want her; for, besides being an ex
! cellent cook, sae is thoroughly hon
est; / never have to keep anythin:
under lock and key-to speak til
truth, / would trust her as quickly a
I woald my own sister
Dir. Jessup looked rather aston
ished at these words, but he 500
found out what they meant. tor, afte