The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-01-25

relations than she had been.
But Aunt Re, who had good health,
and spent nearly all her time in the
fresh air among her flowers, had good
appetite, and must have an experienced
cook. So she took Melissa.
"Here are the keys" she said.
"Now, don't bother me about anything.
My garden is dreadfully behindhand
this year."
She hustled away to her flower-beds.
ntwenty-four hours Melissa learned
that nothing annoyed Aunt Re like re-
ferring any household matter to her.
She made Melissa understand that she
paid her to take care Of the house.
Larder and cellar were fairly stock
ed. The kitchen was large and pleas
ant, the adjoining sitting-room over
looked the beautiful garden, and nice
bedroom for the "help" at The Chest
nuts opened from the kitchen hall.
Melissa found her domain pleasant,
and resolved to make her situation 4
permanent one.
"Do you like sweet potatoes?" she
asked, rather timidly.
"Yes," responded Aunt Re, briefly.
She did not like to be consulted re-
garding the dishes cooked.
Now. Melissa had discovered among
the apple barrels and potato bins of the
dry, airy cellar few gray-colored
tubels. 1t was not the time of year for
sweet potatoes, and these might con-
sequently DO considered choice.
She thought she would not cook any
for herself, but she boiled four for Aunt
Re-the tubers being rather small-and
thought they would go nicely with the
chicken she stuffed and roasted.
But in her anxiety to boil the sweet
potatoes to turn she forgot to baste
the chicken, and it was dry and un-
savory. AS for the sweet potatoes,
Aunt Re cut open one after the other,
and left them uneaten upon her plate.
"pn bake some for breakfast"
thought Melissa. "Baked sweet
potatoes are always good"
So, the next morning, she baked four
more. But Aunt Re seemed to relish
these still less, and they did look very
pale and watery, Melissa thought, as
she surveyed the broken fragments
which Aunt Re had failed to partake
of. But if the latter liked a good din
ner, she had the idiosyagrasy of never
remarking upon what she ate; and
Melissa, secretly troubled by these two
failures, yet valiantly resolving never
to give up so, decided to make pie of
the remaining four sweet potatoes. So
she consulted her cook book, and care
fully read the receipt:
"Boil four medium-sized sweet
potatoes and sift. Beat the yelks Of
three eggs light. Stir, with pint Of
sweet milk, into the potato. Add small
teacup of sugar and pinch of salt.
Flavor with lemon and bake as you do
pumpkin pies"
Melissa got the directions well into
her head, and proceeded to make the
pie.
1t was baked in a laAge, deep, tin
plate, and looked very nice when
baked delicate brown.
There, she'll like that can't help
it." said Melissa, when the pie had
cooled, and she placed it upon the din
ner-table.
The lamb stew was very nice, and
Aunt Re, who had been sorting cut
pansy-roots and tying up tulips all the
morning. ate with an appetite. Then
Melissa helped her to generous slice
of pie. Aunt Re tasted, and shudder
stole over her countenance. She tasted
again, and pushed aside her plate
"The pie" stammered Melissa
"Is execrable!" pronounced Aunt Re,
with emphasis. "Such very peculiar
flavor! But am through with dinner.
Perhaps 1 shall want your help little
while this afternoon, Melissa; have
so much to dol 1 am going now to
plant my dahlia bulbs. Will you &C
down the cellar and get them? They
are on the swing shelf twelve Of them
in wooden bowl. Ihope they have
kept well, for they are very rare and
! expensive. Ionly got them as favor
No one in town has any like them. Bt
as quick as you can, Melissa; I am il
hurry"
Melissa stumbled down the cellar
stairs and stood looking at the empty
wooden bowl upon the swing shelf lik,
one in a dream. Then she weni
slowly upstairs again.
"Aunt Re, Imay as well tell you frs
as last, I-I-boiled them things.
thought they was sweet potatoes"
"Boiled my bulbs-my magnifcen
| Queen Anne dahlia bulbs, that l pait
twelve dollars dozen for? ?"
Melissa bowed dismally.
"What fool!" calculated Aunt Re