The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-10-30

the r-ose-colored shade in the hall, the fire
clicked ch%cerily in the CRATE i'll the parlor
beyond.
"Ilumphr' he muttered. s'She hasn't
come. Thought so. There's no such
thing as a practical woman nowadays"
At the same moment a light, white
aproned little figure came oat of the din
ing-room beyond. Nelly Torrance's voice
uttered the words
Dinner is ready, cousin John"
The old man smiled. He had a pleasant
expression on his face wheE he smiled. and
Nelly wondered that she had not noticed
what a handsome man he was.
's0l," said he, you did come, then ?"
"Oh, | 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,
Mr.. Brown patted her hand as she helped
him off with his overcoat.
.sYou are a good girl" he said.
And in his secret mind he decided to put
up with any deficiencies in the cooking of a
girl who had such 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 thanked by
a dainty giblet-pie. and the dessert was
fruit, peach tarts and Bavarian cream.
Mr.. Brown ate and relislled and won
dered 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. Bur. of course. you ordered all
this from Monerato's restaurant -
But, of course, | didn't, cousin john, :
said Nelly, decidedly. Il cooked it all
myself"
What, that soup?''
Eyes. that soup"
"Did you prepare that trout sauce and
broil that pigeon y
Yes, cousin Brown
"And that giblet pic, was that y%ours?."
YES. and the giblet pie. Don't look
so astonished, cousin Brown" she added,
laughing. Il may as well confess that |
took ii course of cooking lessons last sum
mer. And | like it of all things, espec-
tally in a 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 a mediocre
expression, by capricious hoasekeepers.
inefficient cooks and unframed servants.
AT last there was = gateway out of all his
trlbulations!
My dear, he said, 81 should like to
have you come here and live
"As cook, cousin Browne
NO, as my adopted daughter and house
keeper. | need some one to take the helm
of my affairs. BY Jupiter :" he added, as
he recolIectcd the flavor of the ,jiblet-pic,
Il 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 yonr 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 as WELL" said
Mr.. Brown. There can't be more than
one head to Il household. | hope you have
preserved the recipe of that jiblet-pie,
my dear. II was really something extra
ordinary"
So the Torrance family found n comfor-
table 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 fayorite, a."
said she. Hell leave her his money when
he dies. And because she accepted his
ridiculous offer of turning cook for a liv-
ing"
Mr.. Brown, however, looked at this mat
ter in a different light.
'rNelly is a trump" 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 enobles the humblest task, and
does with all hermight whatever her hands
find to do"
So the old proverb cane true. Heaven
helps those who help themselves
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