The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-07-31
now I LEARNED A LESSON.

years old was very different from most
little girls of that age in thinking my
judgment sometimes better than that
OF my mother. This error was the cause
of great deal of modification to me
once, and through it | learned q lesson
which have never forgotten.
Mother was an excellent cook, and
was very proud of the high reputation
her table had acquired. The food she
prepared was always wholesome; her
cake light, and her pie-crust faky. Her
plainest buildings were pronounced de-
icious. and housekeepers never ate her
mince-pies without asking her for the
recipe. In fact everything that came out
OF her oven was good, and failure
seemed impossible, no matter how hur-
riedly she put the ingredients of her
dishes together. We lived in large
old-fashioned house in the country. and
as my father was very hospitable man
and our house was on the high road be-
tween two large towns, we frequently
had company over night. And no one
ever left without paying mother q
compliment on her cookery.
One evening in May, Just as mother
had lighted the lamp and seated herself
to do some mending, father came in
with q tall. good-looking, elderly man,
whom he introduced as MFR. Styles, a
manufacturer from the neighboring
town of Brockton. OF course, mother
began to busy herself at once in prepar-
ing supper for the stranger, and soon
had the table spread with repast which
was eft for king as the saying goes.
MIR. Styles did ample justice to it. In
fact, he ate so much that he thought it
nessary to make some sort of an apol-
ogy.
Il think have shown my appreeia-
ton of these good things, Mrs. Barr,
he said, as he rose from the table. II
don't know when / have enjoyed meal
more.
Mother looked very much pleased,
and when he went on to say that he
had heard frequently of her skill in
cooking, her face became fairly
radiant.
Il wish you would tell me what
dishes you particularly fancy, Mr..
Styles, that may make them for your
breakfast" she said. II thoroughly
enjoy giving people what they like
best.'
II don't believe you could make any
thing that would not like, Mrs. Barr
said our guest, gallantly, ''but / think
| should particularly enjoy some corn
bread. haven't tasted any that suit
ed me since left home. twenty years
ago.
"You shall have some, = said mother.
Il have always had good luck with my
corn-bread, though | don make it very
often Mr.. Barr and the children pre-
fer four
Thank you,' said Mr. Styles. 81
shall look forward to treat
Just before going to bed I heard
mother tell my eldest brother that he
must get up early the next morning
and make fire in the brick furnace.
knew what that meant; she had evil
IDENTIFY determined that the corn-bread
should be even better than usual; for
the brick oven was used only on rare
occasions when she was anxious that
things should be particularly we'll
baked.
"How much trouble mother is TAX
ing / thought as / went upstairs,
sand nobody but Mr.. Styles to eat the
corn-bread alter it is made. "
The brick oven was in shed which
opened out of the kitchen. and when
came down the next morning / found
mother hard at work in there.
"You should have been up long be,
fore tins, Jenny she said. reprovingly.
Il need your help this morning. Come,
| make haste and set the table now. But
first. run down cellar, and get me foul
| eggs for the corn-bread.''
-Four eggs!'' repeated. ssWhy,
thought you never put in more than
two.
This is an extra occasion, said
mother. run along, and don't worry
me with questions
AS I passed through the kitchen or
my way to the cellar, saw Dash anC
Hero. Joe's two big dogs, standing ii
the open doorway, looking wistfully a
% pile of bones on the Kitchen table
They wagged their tails and barked a,
I spoke to them, and called to mothel
TO know if I couldn't give them th,
bones.
stGracious, nor she answered. :.
want those bones for soup. I've 20
something else for the dogs, but
haven't time.to feed them now. The,
viii have to wait until after breakfast.
When I had set the table, an,
skinned the milk. went to carry il
the breakfast. Mother was on he
knees taking the dishes from the oven
and on the floor by her side were tw,
baking-pans exactly alike containing
loaf of corn-bread.
| Here, she said, pushing one of th
pans toward rae, ''put that on tn
breakfast table, and this pushing for
ward the other, ssin the kitchen.
| As / carried the two pans away !
struck me that the corn bread in the on
/ had been told to put in the kitche
looked much richer and nicer than til
other. Tt had beautiful golden brown
crust on top, which tho other lacked
So decided to make the change, an
on the table went the pan which Tnothe
had said was to 90 in the kitchen.
When we sat down TO breakfast fail
er helped Mr.. Styles TO meat, apd the
banded him The biscuits: but lsa- a