Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-01-23
MELISSA'S COOKING.

MELISSA'S COOKING.
Mrs. Orena Fales had lost her house
keeper-by death. 1t was a great ca
l. lity--to Aunt Re, For twenty
years old Nabby had taken charge Of
her house, having full control of every
thing but the garden. The garden
was Aunt Res realm; here only she
cared tohold sway. She had a passion
for flowers. She hal neither husband
nor child, and the roses and lilies, the
pinkS and ransies, were her delight,
her darlings, her babies. She tended
them, cares3cd them, held her breath
over them lest they he disturbed,
And richly they repaid her care.
From May to November the flower
garden at The Chestnuts was a blaze of
beauty. Rather close otherwise, Aunt
Re never spared expense to crafty her
passion. A root or bulb, If rare and
beautiful, was never too expensive for
her purse. 1t was said that she had
once given ten dollars for tulip bulb
which could not be obtained for less.
For keeping her house she had not
the least taste Old Nabby had kept
the house swept, garnished, bought
the provisions, and cooked them.
But old Nabby was dead.
Immediately upon this event Aunt
Re shut up the house and went to
Florida for the winter. But in April
the neighbors looked for her return
and wondered where she would look
for housekceper.
"Mebbe she will bring home cullud
woman" said Melissa Ruggles.
"a colored woman, who couldn' t
keep the accounts straight-she'll
never do that" said Mrs. Brown.
"But it's a nice chance for some one.
Pleasant place up there at The Chest
nuts good beds, good food; though
Aunt Res little near. An it's worth
one dollar week to have her posies to
look at all summer
"Posies .--th' last thing I'd set by"
said Melissa.
"It's money you're after--eh? Well,
Aunt Re gives five dollars to them
that'll take all the care an work to suit
her. There's not much to do for them
that has faculty, an it's life.berth, to
say nothing of what might come in the
will. I say, Melissa, you're second
cousin or something to Aunt Re why
don't you try for it!'
"Mebbe l SHALL" said Melissa, mod
estly.
Melissa Ruggles was an "old girr' OF
forty, who had habit of bridling her
head, and believing that "she knew a
thing or two
She had gone out nursing, and had
the reputation of being good cook.
She was alone in the world. but was
known to be "beforehanded," having
quite an account at the bank.
Still, there were those who did not
like Melissa's cold gray eyes, eminently
respectable though she was. Mrs.
Brown had heard Aunt Re remark
something Of this kind.
81 shouldn't wonder, after all, if she
took Sylvia"
Sylvia Fales was Aunt Res niece
her deceased brothers only child. She
was poor, worked at sewing and sup.
ported her mother, and was just seven.
teen.
She was pretty and good, and when
Aunt Re returned she came to the cot,
tage to see them. She had not been
there before for two years.
"You're quite young woman now
amt you, Sylvia? And you look like
your father. Daniel had the same dark
blue eyes, with black lashes; only
you're little too pale. Are you wei
and strong?"
ats the confinement and thesewins
makes Sylvia pale, Aunt Re-" said Mrs
Daniel Fales, an invalid.
Aunt Re looked thoughtfully a
Sylvia; still, she did not ask her to come
to The Chestnuts.
Melissa had already offered her ser
vices
81 am thinking of asking my niece
and her mother to come and live witt
me-" Aunt Re said to her "Sylvia''
young, but with her mothers help"
"Law! Sylvia don't knew II thing
about cooking. and her mother can
make anything but Cruel"
"That settles it. Will you come
Melissa"
"I'll try to-" said Miss Ruggles.
Yet Aunt Re gave up the thought o
Sylvia with secret sigh. She wa
young, fresh, pretty as one of he
tav rite white roses, and she knew sh
might have been kinder to her poo
relations than she hal been.
But Aunt Re, who had good health
and spent nearly all her time in tn
fresh air among her flowers, had n goo,
appetite, and must havean experience,
cook. SO she took Melissa
"Here are the keys" sle saill