Smyrna times., 1885-12-30
yourself" " cried nucett,, "by turning

yourself, cried Lucett,, "by turning
-cook-fcr any m N liv nyr
" 1 don't see, mged Nelly. "that it
is any more degrading to cook for Cousin
John than it would be to cmbroider
slippers for him or read the newspaper
aloud to him of an evening"
Eleanor never had any proper
PRIDE" said Mrs. Torrance, wringine
her hands.
Never !" echoed Lucetta.
"And," added Nelly, "my cousin
would have every right to believe me
an impostor if told him wanted work
and then refused the first offer he made
1t will be useless for you to remonstrate,
Lucetta, and hope mamma will not
place any obstacles in my way, for am
quite determined TO go to Grandover
Park this afternoon"
And she adhered firmly to her reso-
luton.
1t was six exactly when Mr.. Brown let
himself into his house with his latch
key which always depended from his
watch chain. The gas jet burned softly
behind the rOse-cOlOred shade in the
hall, the fire clicked cheerily in the
CRATE in the parlor beyond.
"Humph " he muttered. "She
hasn't come. Thought so There's no
such thing as a practical woman nowa-
days"
At the same moment a light, white
aprOned little cure came out of the
1ining-room b, 'ond Nelly Torrance's
voice uttered the words
Dinner is ready, Cousin John"
The old man smiled. He had a
pleasant expression on h face when he
smiled, and Nelly wondered that she
had not noticed what a handsome man
he was
"Oh, said he, you did come, then ?"
"O Oh, always keep my engagements, 4"
said Nelly. Punctuaity is the soul
of business, isn't it, Cousin John? At
least that what [ used to write in my
cOpy-books ut school"
Mr. Brown patted her hand as she
helped him off " til his overcoat,
'YOu are n good girl, " he said.
And i'll his secret mind he decided to
put up with any deficiencies in the
cooking of Il 81 II who had such excellent
business principles.
But to his infinite amazement there
were no deficiencies to overlook. The
soup was on the table, as clear as water,
favored like a dream of Soyer's own?
The first course was baked trout, the
second a pigeon on toast. A small and
compact roast of beef-ribs was hanked by
a dainty gibl-t-pie, and the dessert was
fruit, peach tarts and Bavarian cream.
Mr.. Br. .wn ate and relished and
wondered by turns.
My dear, said he at last, when the
cloth was removed, "all is very nice.
I'll concede that you are a tip-top house.
keeper. But, of course, you ordered all
this from MOneratos restaurant" ?"
But, of course, / didn't, Cousin
Brown" sRid Nelly, decidedly. "I
cooked 1t all myself I!
"What. that soup2"
Yes, that soup"
Did you prepare that trout sauce
and broil that pigeon ?"
Yes, Cousin Brown"
And that giblet pie, was that yours ?"
Yes, and the giblet pie Don't look
so astonished, Cousin Brown" she
added, laughing. Il may as well con-
fess that l took II course of cooking
lessons last Summer. And I like it of
all things, especially in a household
like this, where one can command the
very best materials.
Mr.. Brown closed his eyes and made
hasty calculation. His life had been
worried out of him, " to use q mediocre
expression, by capricious housekeepers,
inefficient cooks and unframed servants.
At last was a gateway out of all his
tribulations
my dear, he said, Il should like
to have you come here and live.
AS cook. Cousin Brown"
"No, as my adopted daughter and
housekeeper. 1 need some one to take
the helm of my affairs. By Jupiter ~
he added, as he recollected the flavor of
the iiblet pie. II haven't eaten such a
dinner in ten years"
"But my mother, hesitated Eleanor,
"and my sister Lucetta."
Let them come, too" said Mr..
Brown. "Bless your heart, my dear,
there's pleanty of room in the house.
Can they cook, tOo?"
mo, Cousin Brown" confessed
Nelly.
"Well, perhaps it's just as we'll, "
said Mr.. Brown. "There can't be
more than one head to q household. I
hope you have preserved the recipe OF
that jiblet pie, my dear. 1t was really
something extraordinary.
So the Torrance family found COM
Portable refuge for the soles of their
feet, and Nelly's despised accomplish
mept proved the sword wherewith she
opened the worlds oyster
And Lucetta sighed and wondered
why she, too, had not taken cooking
lessons.
"Nelly is the old mans first favorite,
said she. Hell leave her his money
when he dies. Aud because she ac-
cepted his ridiculous offer of turning
cook for a living"
Mr.. Brown, however, looked at this
matter in q different light.
NELLY is a trump, he said. NELLY
is not like the typical young lady, who
IS too lazy to work and too proud tc
beg. She is one who enobles the hum
blest tas k. and does with all her might
whatever her hands find to do"
So the old proverb came true
"Heaven helps those who help them
selves.
BLACKSMITHS HAMMER SIGNALS.
When the blacksmith gives the anvil
quick, light blows it is a signal to the