Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-02-21
mi impostor II I had told him i wan


offer he made me. II will be useless
for YOU to demonstrate, Lucetta, and !
hope mamma will not place any OBJ
stacles in my way. For | am quite
determined 10 30 10 Grandover Park
this afternoon.
And she adhered firmly 10 her reso-
ton.
1t was six exactly when Mr.. Brown
let himself into his house with the
latch-key, which always depended
from his wach-chain. The gas-jet
bnrned softly bahind the rose-colored
shade in the hall, the fire clicked cheer
fully in the CRATE of the parlor beyond.
"Humph!' he muttered. "She
hasn't come. Thought so! There's
no such thing rs n practical woman
nowadays"
At the same moment light, white
nproned little figure came out of the
dining-room beyond, and Nelly Tor
rance's voice uttered the words:
Dinner is ready, Cousin John"
The old man smiled. He had a
pleasant expression of the face when
he smiled, and Nelly wondered that
she had not before noticed what IA
handsome man he was.
''Oh." said be. 'you did come them"
"Oh, always keep my engage
ments," SAID Nelly. ''Punctuality is
the soul of business. isn't it. Cousin
John? At least, that's what-I used TO
write in my copy-bookS ut school"
Mr.. Brown pattcd her hand rs she
helped him of with his overcoat.
You're good GIRL" said he.
And in his secret mind he decided TO
put up with any deficiencies in the
cooking of a girl who had such ex-
cellent business principles.
But, TO his infinite amaZement, there
were no deficiencies to overlook! The
soup was on the table, clear as water,
favored like 4 dream of Soyer's own!
The first course was baked trout,
swimming in wine sauce, the second
pigeon toast. A small and compact
roast of beef-ribs was nanked by n
dainty giblet-pic, and the dessert was
fruit, peach tarts, and Bavarian cream!
Mr.. Brown ate, and reiished, and
wondered, by turns.
my DEAR" said he ut last, when the
cloth was removed and the wine and
walnuts brought on, call this is very
nice. I'll concede that you are tip
top housekeeper. But of course you
ordered all this from MOuerate's res.
taurant?"
''But of course l didn't. Cousin
Brown" said Nelly decidedly. al
cooked it all myself!'
what, that soup!'
Eyes, that soup"'
"Did you prepare that trout sauce,
and broil that pigeon
"Yes. Cousin Brown
And the giblet-piee Was that
yours?"
Eyes, and the giblet-pie! Don't look
SO astonshed. Cousin Brown she
added, laughing. Il may rs well con.
fess that took course of cooking les
sons last summer. And like it of all
things, especially in household like
this, where one can command the very
best materials"
Mr.. Brown closed his eyes and made
a hasty calculation. His life had been
worried out of him." TO use Il medi-
OGRE expression. by capricious house
keepers, inefficient cooks, and un-
trained servants. Here, at. last, was 4
gateway out of all tribulations!
My dear" he said, II should like TO
have you come here and live"
'As cook, Cousin Brown"
"No-as my adopted daughter and
house-keeper. I need someone TO take
the helm of my affairs. BY Jupiterr'
he added rs he recollected the flavor of
the giblet-pie, 81 haven't eaten such a
dinner in ten years.
"But my mother" hcsitated Eleanor
''and my sister Lucetta.'
Let them come. too, said Mr..
Brown. BLESS your heart, my dear,
there's plenty of room in the house.
Can they cook, too"
mo, Cousin Brown confessed
Nelly.
well, perhaps, it's just rs we'll"
said Mr.. Brown. There can't be
more than one head to a household.
hope you have preserved the recipe of
that giblet-pie, my dear. II was really
something extraordinary.
So the Torrance family found COM
Portable refuge Tor the solcs of their
feet, and Nelly's despised accomplish
ment proved the sword wherewith she
opened the world OyStcf.
And Lucetta sighed and wondered
why she, too, had not taken cooking
lessons.
Nelly is the old man ; first favor
ite," said she. He'll leave her his
money VIXEN he dies. And wi because
she accepted his ridiculous offer of
turning cook for Il living
Mr.. Brown, however, looked at this
matter in different light.
Nelly IS a trump, he said. Nelly
is no, ike the typical young lady, who
is too lazy TO work. and too proud to
beg. She j. one vino cnnobles the
humblcst task, and does, with all her
might, whatever her hands find TO do"
So the old proyerb came true:
Heaven helps those who help them
selves