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

ferrng any household matter to her.
She made Melissa understand that she
paid her to take care of the house.
LNrler and cellar wele fairly stock
ed. The kitchen was large and pleas
ant, the adjoining sitting-rcom over
looked the beautiful garden, and a 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 a
permanent one.
$40 you like sweet potatoes2" she
asked, rather timilly.
"Yes," responded Aunt Re, briefly.
She did not like to be consulted re-
garding the dishes cooked.
Now. Melissa had discovered among
the arple barrels and potato bins of the
dry, airy cellar a few gray-colorod
tubels. 1t was not the time Of year for
sweet potatoes, and these might con-
scqucntly be considered choice.
She thought she would not cook any
for herself, but she boiled foar for Aunt
Ro--the tubers beingrather 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.
"I'll 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
rale 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 idiosyncrasy of never
remarking upon what she ate; and
Melissa, secretly troubled by these two
failures, yet valiantly resolving never
to give up 50, 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 large, 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 tine
morning. ate with an appetite. Then
Melissa helped her to generous slice
of pie. Aunt Re tasted, and a 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 shall want your help little
while this afternoon, Melissa; | have
so much to do! l am going now to
plant my dahlia bulbs. Will you go
down the cellar and get them? They
are on the swing shelf twelve of them
in a wooden bowl. Ihope they have
{ kept well, for they are very rare and
expensive. only got them rs favor.
No one in town has any like them. BE
as quick as you can, Melissa; I am in
a hurry"
Melissa stumbled down the cellar
stairs and stood looking at the empty
wooden bowl upon the swing shelf like
one in a dream. Then she went
slowly upstairs again.
"Aunt Re, Imay as well tell you first
as last, I--I-boiled them things. ]
thought they was sweet potatoes"
"Boiled my bulbs-my magnificent
Queen Anne dahlia bulbs, that l paid
twelve dollars a dozen fort'
Melissa bowed dismally.
"What a fooll" calculated Aunt Re
and then was speeches. for ter
minutes.
81 don't think your style of cooking
suits me, Melissa she said, at last
Sylvia Fales would never have done
such thing as that. If you will LET
me know what you think l owe YOU
for your services, we will part at once
and I will send for Sylvia this eve.
nicg"
"Oh, you don't owe me nothin'
Only don't lot folks hear--'twould
make make me such laughin' stock. y
"Tcach yon to have more sense" re.
sponded Aunt Re, as she left the
kitchen.
In the shades of evening, wiser
and, let us hope. better woman
Melissa crcpt down the avenue of The
Ches.nuts, followed by a man bearing
, her roods and chaItals unDn n wheel