The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-08-17

| III some coAt water, Whereupon the bot
tom cracked and I only saved the life of
my fire by jerking off the thing, and
burning my hand to blister with the
red hot handle. It doesn't matter par
tlcie what said. Teddie would have
called tia "wickca swear word,' and
kitzie would have been shocked by it.
across the room, and it made hole biz
enough to hold an egg in the door-cas-
ing: l. 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 a regiment, no cas-
ter, and had forgotten to change the
fancy damasE 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 OH it
now, so boiled some water in a pan
and set it going, then hunted up ham
and cut of fourteen slices. | knew I
was hungry; doubtless kitzie was, and
oeSldes It might shrivel in cooking tcr
al knew. grew less confident when
l found it took four skillets and two 9TH
er irons to cook it. 1t began to look like
a good deal for two people to eat ut one
meal; but still | let it all sizzle away, and
went to find something else, for when
klt2ie didn't have a variety took occa-
sion to grumble.
There were potatoes, eggs and pick
les; yes, that would do, 50 ! took eight
of the first, ten Of the second, and six
of the third, and clambered up stairs
with them, and wondered if l had
enough. kitzie would laugh if hadn't.
ed leaf shaped dish looked promising,
50 l put them proudly on the table
ana 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 I turned it over
and put it back. After that there was
nothing to do for a little while, so sat
down III the window and wished l
hadn't burned the morning paper up;
but had and that was the end OF it.
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 kltzie always had
a bright ire 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 We're still down. and 10,
under the impression that night still
reigned, sat in his swing, with his
head pokeu resiynedly under his wing,
and swung doletu!iy back and forth
Whatever reflections might have been
meh If WIS cut sFeS 5o aHd b NY 2%p s &Si
that sssailed my astonished ears from
the sitting room, and rushed frantically
back to the kitchen to take up my break
fast. When placed on the table it
looked tempting, do assure you.
There. We're four platters Of ham, burned
almost llack; three dishes of potatoes,
hard as brickbats; u wire castle full of
eggs as soft us nature first made them,
for | had cooked them in cold water; a
monstrous coffee pot filed 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 I with terrible
solemnity, and staring fxedly at the pi- |
ano stool SO as not to see the laugh Turk |
ing in her dimples, ''you can go out and |
eat your breakfast if you want it. l |
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 | broke the cats leg. don't know
when you'll see me again. Good by"
! didn't go 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 I MORALLY of |
fendel a late customer. for which |
| didn't care, but left the |
locking up to Michael and departed in |
haste, only stopping long enough at the |
contectioner's to get a chunky bag Of !
caramels, which l knew would make |
peace if it was necessary. The windows |
Of my dainty domicilc 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 tall,
slender vase with graceful fern leaves |
and scarlet sage. l went in-but the
rest is nothing to you.