The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-08-29

It vas six exactly when Mr. Browh lst 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 cheeifAlly in the arate in the parlor beyond.
 come. Thought so. There's no such thing as practical woman nowadays"
 At the same moment a light white aprsned htte 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 pleas ant expression of the face when he smiled, and Nelly wondered that she had not be- fore noticed what a handsome man he was.
 70" said he. "you did come then 2"
 70, always keep my engagements" said Nelly. Punctuality is the soul of business, isn't it, Cousin John? At least that's what used to write in my copy books at school"
 MT. Brown patted her hand as she helped him of with his overcoat.
 iOu arc koOu BuA, Salo ne.
 And in his secret mind he decided to put up with any de6ciences in the cook ing of girl who had such excellent busi- ness principles.
 But, to his infinite amszement, there were no deficiencies to overlook. The soup was on the table clear as water, favored like dream of Soyer's own!
 The first course was baked trout, swim ming in wine sauce the second a pigeon on toast. A small and compact roast of beei-ribs was fianked by dainty giblet pie, and the dessert was fruit, peach tarts, and Bavarian cream.
 Mir Brown ate and relished and won- dered by turns.
 "My dear," he said, at last, when the cloth was removed and the wine and wal nuts brought on, "all is very nice. I'll concede that you are tip-top house keeper. But, of course, you ordered all this from Monerato's restaurant
 "But, of course, didn't, Cousin Brown" said Nelly, decidedly. "I cooked it ali myself"
 What, that soup?"
 "Yes, that soup."
 Did you prepare that trout sauce and broil that pigeen2"
 "Yes, Cousin Brown"
 "And that giblet pie-was that yours 5''
 "Yes, and the giblet-pie! Don't look so astonished, Cousin Brown" she added, laughing. may as we'll confess that took course of cooking lessons last sum- mer. And like it of all things, espe- cially in household like this, where one ~A kA le v
 Mir. Brown closed his eyes and made a hasty calculation. His life had been |" worried out of him." to use a mediocre expression, by capricious housekeepers, inefficient cooks and untrained servants. At last here was gateway out of all his tribuiations!
 "My dear," he said, !" l should like to have you come here and live"
 "As cook, Cous sin Brown ?"
 "No-as my adopted daughter and housekeeper. need some one to take the helm of my affairs. By Jupiter he added, as he remembered the favor of the giblet-pie "i haven't eaten such a dinner in ten years"
 But my mother" hesitated Eleanor, and my sister LucettaI"
 Let them come, too," said Mir. Brown. Bless your heart, my dear, there's plenty of room in the house. Can they cook, too?"
 No, Cousin Brown" confessed Nelly
 "Well, perhaps it's just as well," said MT. Brown. There can't be more than one head to household. hope you have preserved the receipt of that giblet pie, my dear. 1t was really something extraordinary"
 So the Torrance family found a com. fortable refuge for the soles of their feet, and Nelly's despised accomplishment 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. And all because she ac- cepted his ridiculous offer of turning cook for living"
 MT Brown, however, looked at this matter in a different light.
 "Nelly is truup," he said. Nelly is not like the typical young lady who is too lazy to work and too proud to beg. She is one who ennobles the humblest task, and does with all her might what ever her hands find to do."
 So the old proverb came true: Heaven helps those who help themselves" ."-Ex- eAGnge.