The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-01-14
A FOUR O'CLOCK DINNER.

story. Well, think so If you like, only
l found very good cure for . very
common evil. . Perhaps you may even
think it worth resorting to yourself.
We have six boys in our household
six great, strong, hearty boys, though
somewhat more hearty in eating than
in working. only suppose all boys are
the same. l was left to keep house last
summer for month, and had
charge Of those boys. 1 can tell you,
itwould have required q sweeter, more
sanity disposition than mine to have
been patient all those weeks.
My trouble was in the woodpile. The
boys called for their meals three times
a day promptly, but If l wanted
wood to cook them (the meals, I mean, }
l had to nag, nag. about cutting it from
dawn till dark, and I never had q Big
ger supply than just tided me over. 1
fed them as we'll as l could. yet they
growled because I wouldn't get fresh
meat every day. A mile from the vii.
lage, and those the hottest weeks in
last summer! 1 told them l would
cook it if they brought it home, but
like boys they would only agree to do
the eating part oft.
One morning l had to get a bright
and early breakfast, as those boys were
going a-tishing. 1t was ready before
7, and when Harry lifted the meat COW
er' up went his already uppish nose ten
degrees: while he quoted over the poor,
despised bacon:
bacon hot and bacon cold,
Baco1 young and bacon old,
Bacon tender, becon tough,
Thank you, ma'am, we've had enough -
Harry vouched for that as original,
but it was too original for him. They
rebelled utterly against salt meat any
longer. and threatened to report me to
headquarters. We had an amiable little
squabble over breakfast, which ended
in an agreement that was to get beef
steak for dinner, and allow them to
bring some friends home at 8 to help to
eat it. They in return were to leave me
big pile of wood and some beautiful,
crisp findings.
Both sides came to terms, so off
went down town to do my marketing
before the heat became so oppressive
that walking was out of the question.
On my way home I thought my eyes
were playing mo false, for there, away
out on the lake. the boys white-sailed
boat was scudding merrily along in the
warm breeze. "Well, that beats all, {"
l said to myself; "they must have
pitched in and had = regular wood-bee
to have gone as far as that already"
Well! Would you believe me, when
peeped out at the back door, there stood
that great woodpile in tho stately
serenity, the yard neat and chiplcss, the
saw hung where the boys never had
hung it, and the wood for my O'CLOCK
dinner in the dim futurity. Would you
have cried, or sighed, or got madf
was the latter, so hitched up great
log on the sawhorse and vented
my evil temper on that stick and
the saw. It was a radiant day in
August, only q hundred degrees
or 80 in the shade. That stick was
bona-fide iron wood; the saw made no
impression upon it, neither did the
sweat drops which foil from my FORE
head soften it; it was hard-obdurate
as an editors heart! Evidently our
fair Canadian contributor has no
acquaintance with New England
editors.
Well, succumbcd, and began to
cast about in my mind what 1 should
do. could 60 a-borrowing, but our
neighbors were quite bit away, and
should hate to meet any old friends
with a great load of stovewood in my
arms. / might swing a gypsy kettle
in the yard and cook with cordwood!
l might 20 to the wood for chips!
l might fill tho stove with paper. and
saturato it with kerosene, but then
might follow the stove baloenwards!
I might put the steak and potatoes and
pies out to simmer gently in the sun
shine! I might experiment with q
burning glass! might try if the
nearest brook had any geyser- like
qualities! might chop up q few OF
the kitchen chairs and . cupboard or
l nightly Jove! I had hit the nail
on the head this time. l might treat
those worthy brothers of mine to q
dinner . IL Fiji. Ny brains had
concooted . plan, far more original
than Harry's poetry, a brilliant idea
it seemed to me, and perfect cure for
future carelessness.
Igot ready a nice dinner. pared pc.
tatoes, washed cabbage, made apple
pies, picked green peas, beat and Gu,
the steak. Then laid the table, max.
ing it very pretty with flowers and
fruit. I spread my snowiest cloth and
incest silver: set four covers and put
my pies on the sideboard. -
1t was only II o'clock when I finished,
% l had four hours under the old
locust trees In my hammock. Between
the company Of delightful novsl and
my own pleasant thoughts, I soon 70.
turned to my usual good temper. and