Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-08-17

solved the mystery, so I hastily poured
in some cold water, whereupon the bot
tom cracked and only saved the life OF
my fire by jerking off the thing, and
burning my hand to blister with the
red hot handle. 1t doesn't matter par
/ ticle what said. Teddie would have
called it a wicked swear word" and
Kitzie would have been shocked by it,
but it doesn't matter. l threw it clear
across the room, and it made hole bic
enough to hold an egg in the door-cas-
ing. / was discouraged after that;
besides, / discovered on surveying my
table, that had put on three different
styles of milk pitchers, four butter dish
es, enough plates for regiment, no cas-
ter, and had forgotten to change the
fancy damask spread for the one we eat
on. There was only one thing was GER
tain of, and that was coffee. We had
made that too often in camp to fail on it
now, so l boiled some water in pan
and set it going, then hunted up ham
and cut off fourteen slices. I knew l
was hungry; doubtless kitzie was, and
all knew. 1 grew less confident when
found it took four skillets and two 9TH
er irons to cook it. 1t began to look like
good deal for two people to eat at one
meal; but still let tall sizzle away, and
went to find something else, for when
Kitzie didn't have variety l took occa-
sion to grumble.
There were potatoes, eggs and pick
les; yes, that would do, so I took eight
of the first, ten of the second, and six
of the third, and clambered up stairs
with them, and wondered if I had
enough. kitzie would laugh if I hadn't.
Six big pickles in cunningly fashion
ed leaf shaped dish looked promising,
SO l put them proudly on the table
and went back to chuck my potatoes
into the oven, and my eggs into some
cold water.
Then the coffee boiled over, and the
ham began to smoke and smell, pulled
them both off, first taking the precau-
ton to cover my hands, but as the ham
began to cool l remembered it was only
cooked on one side, so l turned it over
nothing to do for little while, so I sat
down in the window and wished 1
hadn't burned the morning paper up;
but l had and that was the end of it.
To console myself, / went in to look at
the table again; not that it was cheerful
looking, because it wasn't; on the con-
trary, it was dismal, but then it was fin
lshed, and that was some consolation.
These chilly mornings KitZie always had
a bright fire sparkling in the CRATE, and
the fresh sunshine playing across the
table; none of that was there now. Last
night ashes adorned the CRATE, the blinds
and curtains were still down. and 10,
under the impression that night still
reigned, sat in his swing, with his
head poked resienedly under his wing,
and swung dolefuiiy back and forth.
Whatever reflections might have been
in. to kitzie's credit and nv own detri-
ment, were cut short by nine strokes
that assailed my astonished ears from
the sitting room, and rushed frantically
fast. When placed on the table it
There were four platters of ham, burned
almost black; three dishes of potatoes,
hard as brickbats; wire castle full of
eggs as soft as nature first made them,
for had cooked them in cold water;
monstrous coffee pot filled with scorched
beverage; no bread, and nothing fit to
eat but the pickles. I surveyed it
solemnly, then solemnly went up the
back stairs, tiptoe to the front room and
exchanged my cooking for downtown
habiliments, then went down to the
parIor, where Kitzie sat at the piano in
the daintiest of white morning gowns;
with squire inch of lace and some blue
bows on her sunny hair.
'Kitzie Treherne," said 1 with terrible
solemnity, and staring fixedly at the pi-
ano stool so as not to see the laugh Turk
ing in her dimples, "you can 20 out and
eat your breakfast if you want it. I
cooked so much that it made me sick.
Patric has left, and the tea kettles brok-
en-, the milk's gone, the pans smashed,
and 1 broke the cats leg. don't know
when you'll see me again. Good by"
didn't 60 home to dinner-her laugh
haunted me all day, but by evening I
grew so desperate to see her and beg al
manner of pardons that MORALLY of
Tended 2 late customer. for WHICH
locking up to Michael and departed in
haste, only stopping long enough at the
confectioner's to get a chunky bag of
caramels. which 1 knew would make
peace if it was necessary. The windows
fmy dainty domicile were all open, and
| couldn't resist stopping to peep in.
kitzie sat reading pensively under the
gas light, with the crippled kitten in her
lap; the piano was open and there were
, flowers on it, and in the room beyond
was the tea table, fresh and sweet in
snowy linen and shining glass, and a tall,
slender vase with graceful fern leaves
and scarlet sage. l went in-but the
rest is nothing to you.