Daily Republican., 1883-10-30
KATIE wELIs' DIxHEs PARTY

never have came of. II Mr.. Wells had
brought three gsutleinen TO dine, with
out notice, she would have kept them
waiting till they were ready to faint
with hunger, till q handsome dinner
hail been prepared.
But this day Mr.. Wells had met three
old college friends, and, without think
ing, he had asked them hone to take
/" pot-luck" and have quiet afternoon
and long talk.
Katie was painting very busily on a
pretty vet Of inner cards, when her
father came 10 her door and explained,
in rather an apOlogislic manner,
about his friends, who were at that
moment taking off their coats in the
hall.
Katie rose 10 the occasion.
ooh, papa, dear, I'm glad you
brought them. can't get up an ele.
CANT dinner on this short notice, but III
do my best, and If things go wrong
which they won't-I'll initiate the lady
who conve s'4i so calmly on foreign
fiavors and acquired tastes that her
guests thought the burned soup was a
special dainty"
MIR. Wells was cheered by Katie's
manner mere than he wOu have been
had he known there WAS only salt
boiled codhsh and potatoes for dinner !.
Katie put on a big apron and went to
the kitchen-it was no strange place to
her-tO confer with the new Margaret.
She soon inspired her.
Come, Margaret, let us see how good
dinner We can make out Of nothing.
Have we mi k in the house =" she said.
We've quart and pint and a sup
over, miss"
"Then we'll put dinner off little,
and have potatoes. Mash about eight of
these boiled potatoes, Margaret, and
mix in enough milk to make it like
soup, nearly qua.t think. Beat a
little butter in well, and salt and pep
per it. I've broken two eggs into the
tureen. Just before we SIT down TO
the table, heat the soup and pour it on
the raw eggs and stir thoroughly"
" Now give me IL platter and the boil
ell fish" Katie built wall Of mashed
potato, a tiugsr high, round the platter,
leavin the margin clear. The bones
had ali been picked from the fab. She
now tille,l the space inside the potato
wall withi'
After pls ing thick layer Of potato
over the top, she smOOthed the walls,
and wet the whole lightly with milk.
twill rake that twenty minutes to
brown" said Katie. Now make a
nice drawn butter sauce, with plenty of
nasturtium seeds they are nicer than
capers. Then dish the tomatoes and
beets, and orr dinner is ready"
Katie cut an egg which she had boil
cd when she first came down, into
smooth slices, and left them for Marga-
1T 10 lay around the edge Of the platter,
with alternate slices of IL mon and sp-igs
of parsley.
1t only took moment to lay niae
little ~ quares OF bread in each napkin.
A few geraniunl leaves and bit of
scarlet bl0ssOInslli a glass vase gave
" an air. to everything.
Then, OF a sudden, Katie had a
thought. How it would please her
father If she should give his guests din
ner. cards painted by her own hand
She chose four and called her father
from the parIor TO ask tn names OF his
friends.
She flew up stairs, hurried on pret-
ty dress, ani went, Is composed and
smiling, to be introduced to her guests,
an II she had never seen the inside of a
kitchen.
In few moments Margaret announ.
ced that dinner was Oh the table.
The soup was a success-katie knew
it would be.
Then Margaret, in the large white
apron, brought in the new dish. Mr..
Wells looked sharply at it, Ii it tasted
as it looked it would taste very
good indeed, he thought. Margaret
passed the drawn butter and currant
Jelly, and everyone ate heartily for the
very good reason that the dihner was
delicious.
Little goblets of lemonade were pac
cd by each plate-rather sour lemonade
which is very acceptable with salt
goldfish.
The guests were charmed with the
cards. They said they didn't need
souvenirs of this pleasant dinner, but
they should cherish the pretty tokens.
Margaret had lighted the wood fire
in the library, and after dessert which
was only dish OF nicely cut and sugar
ell orangss-the gentlemen settled
themselves there for another chat and
slipped the coffee and ate the cake
which Katie sent in to them.
After they had gone and Katie had
seated herself by her father, with her
work, Mr.. Wells thanked her for the
pleasure she had given him.
hnt hnt t... pnl lialt
my dear ?" he asked.
"Why, father, 1t was goldfish didn't
you ia tie it?"
"Indeed did, and l ate a hearty
dinner, but | couldn't believe it was
Goldfish. never saw a Goldfish dinner
before that didn't look doleful."
1T was invention did that, father
said Katie, laughing. at has been
left TO me to develop Goldfish into a dish
that experts praise.
:" 1t has been left for you to develop
what might have been a discomfort and
an annoyance to me into a comfort and
IL pleasure. have thoroughly enjoyed
this day. I'll put my card carefully
away, and it shall always remind me
what thoughtful, sensitive and smart
little daughter | have" said Mr..
Wells.
When Mrs. Wells heard of the party
she said she musthurry home, or those
crazy people would be havinga recep-
ton on q Monday morning, and she
and her sister laughed, ard said, "Din-
ner.cards al IA Goldfish dinner y
But the guests went home and told
their daughters v hat very nice home
dinner Katie Wells gave them, without
any apologies, in her mothers absence,
and how tasi'lnlly the table WAS laid
and how gracefully she presided.
One gentleman, whose daughters
hardly knew III. re was kitchen in the |
house, said: 81 should be very proud
If one Of my girls was rs accomplished
~ Katie Wells"
A WISCONSIN ElOpement.