The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-08-22
Nothing for Breakfast.

uel Gallatin we're disturbed by light in
his room; then, as the mental cobwebs
vanished, he became conscious that the
two years partner of his joys and sorrows
ESQ far there had been only joys) was
putting the finishing touches to her toilet
To his bewildered, whats the matter ?"
she replied dolefully, Nothing for break
FAST" Then, remembering her selfim.
posed VOW as bride never to trouble her
husband with domestic cares, she added
cheerfully, " It's Friday-baking day, con-
sequently there's an uncommon dearth in
the pantry of the good things of this life,
and I'm up early so as to fix up something
nice for breakfast in honor of your friend.
That's all, my dear. You can have another
nap" Instantly the blue wrapper and the
lamp vanished, and the next minute, with
a mans serene indifference to the why's
and wherefores of something nice Tor
breakfast" he fell asleep. Mrs. Gallatin
found brisk fire in the kitchen, and the
oatmeal already cooking. Nora greeted
her with, "Shure, mum, it's great pity
he's here this mornin'. Fridays dry
mornin anyhow, mumP The she" to
whom Nora referred was DR.. Kendall
classmate of Mr.. Gallatin's, who had come
Unexpectedly the night before, and was
snugly ensconced in the "blue chamber"
oblivious of the stir he caused in the
kitchen. Her guest was pastor of large
church in Boston, lived in a fashionable
street, and, like so many of the clergy,
was providentially married to rich
wife. Mrs. Gallatin wanted to offer a
choice hospitality for her husbands sake.
Unfortunately, the small manufacturing
village afforded neither the advantage of
city market, nor the resources of farm,
for an emergency. Opening the refrigera-
tor, she found the remains of yesterdays
roast lamb; dish of gravy; a cup of
cold boiled rice; and pint of cream,
rich and yellow, which they had regularly
for oatmeal and coffee, the one extrava-
gance of their cuisine. "Now, Nora,
wash half-dozen of the incest potatoes,
and have them baking at once" The
pantry afforded only some dried apples,
which she stewed, "as relish with the
mullins" When the apples were well
sweetened and quite soft, she beat them
up until smooth like jam, and then added
the Juice of lemon, and the rind grated
fine, to give it bright flavor. She cut
off all the meat from the lamb bones,
careful to save every bit of fat, and told
Nora to chop it, while she prepared cup
of bread crumbs. When this meat was
thoroughly seasoned with pepper and
salt she put layer of it into a deep but
tered dish, then a few spoonfuls of the
jellied gravy, then a layer of crumbs, re-
peating the process till the dish was full,
with thick layer of crumbs on the top.
"Now, Nora, put this into the oven at
twenty-five minutes of eight, for good
bake" The cup of rice had suggested
| the possibilities of mullins to help out the
scanty supply of bread. Into pint of
flour she put one teaspoonful of sugar and
one of cream tartar, with half a-teaspoon
of soda and half-a-teaspoon of salt, and
rubbed it through sieve. Two we'll
beaten eggs were added to cup of milk
and stirred slowly into the flour. When
this made smooth, light paste, the rice
was put in. Nora's strong arms gave it a
thorough beating and put it into the little
muffin pans, allowing half-hour to bake
them. While Nora rolled the butter into
shapely pats, Mrs. Gallatin put on the
yellow damask cloth with red border, and
napkins to match. Her housewifely pride
rejoiced in her silver, mellow with the
vicissitudes of century. Her delicate
china was figured with an antique pattern
in blue. A modern copy of old Wedge
wood held the cream and sagar for the
oatmeal. A small monthly rose bush,
with its brilliant blossoms, made pretty
center-piece. The ugly pot was hidden
with a cover crocheted of cotton yarn,
stiffened and colored prettily by several
coats of shellac. Mrs. Gallatin found she
had only three oranges for her first course
of fruit. These she peeled and divided
into Fights, laid in circle on sauce dish
at each plate, so her necessity really
added a grace to her table. The coffee
was filtered in a biggiD, to keep the
aroma, 80 dear to lovers of the berry
She gave Nora some sprays OF parsley tc
garnish the escalloped meat. This she
raised herself by having rows of large
holes bored in the sides of two good-sized
kegs. She filled them up to the first row
of holes with rich soil, then put in healthy
roots through the holes, leaving the leave,
outside. Then she filled up with soil t.
the second row of holes, and so on til
nearly full, then planted the tops with
roots. This was done in the fall. Nor,
, kept them in a sunny kitchen window
dno tuo supply VI Pnioo1y hoNoi iaicu
At precisely eight O'Clock she sat behinC
the tray, serene and smiling, in daint!
breakfast cap. Oranges, oatmeal an(
cream, escalloped meat and baked pota
toes, rice mullins, with apple sauce ant
cheese, and the richest of coffee. Mr.
Gallatin remembered the remark, "noth
ing for breakfast" The clerical mine
failed to fathom the depth of ingenuit,
, and resolution in his little wife. Tha
night the Rev. DIR. Kendall's wife said t,
, her mother, " John says Mrs. Gallatin ha'
a very elegantly served breakfast thi
morning. One wouldn't expect eleganc
, anywhere in that little factory village
The only thing he remembered that the
: had to eat was red roses, and dried appi
sauce Dried apples indeed l"-Christia
= at Work.