Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-10-09
M'TAYISH'S SOUP.
He paid UP" His Wife for Laugh
ing at 1t.

"Geordie" McTayiSh retired factor
of the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company,
is, by long odds, the most delightful
joker ever known. We are fast friends
and boon companions, having served
many years together in the wilds of the
Northwest. often sharing the same
canoe and tent, yea, even blanket and
pannikin. Little wonder then, at the
expiration of long and arduous service,
that we drfted to the same neighbor-
hood in which to pass our "latter
days. and enjoy the comforts and de-
lights Of civilization; or that every
year we for n brief period were accus-
toned to cast of the restraints of the
latter, and in some measure renew old
associations in the forest and beside
the haunts of the brook-trout and
grayling
"Geordie" enjoyed camp life in all
its phases, and especially loved to dab
bic in the mysteries of the cuisine,
whercat he was something of an adept.
On an unlucky occasion | was
invited to partake of two new
concoctions- -"broilei sausage and
"duck soup which, | regret to say,
We're fiat failures and most horrible
"messes.n A few days laUer and l
was again favored with an invitation
10 dine, and accepted only on condi
tion he would confine himself to plain
dishes, such only as were supposed to
be familiar in preparation to the veriest
tyro. This time it was 'rice soup"
80 yesn' he knew all about it. mo,
he had never made any, but it was,
"only bit of stock, a bone, some hot
water, salt, Il dash of pepper, little
parsley, summer savory, and veg
etables to flavor, and just rice enough
for two, to thicken it! Any fool can
make that!'
AT the proper moment, as supposed,
quantity of dry and unwashed rice
was poured into the pot. He had for
gotten, else never knew, that this
cereal increased in bulk several times in
cooking; and as for me | made no pre-
tentions to knowledge of any kind in
such matters. Having thus gotten
things under way to his satisfaction,
he tipped his char against the kitchen
wall for quiet pipe, while adjourned
to a book and casy-chair in the next
room.
Some little time elapsed, when ! was
recalled by "A great commotion in the
kitchcn-a sizzling and kissing inter
spersed with eXpletives, and an odor
most horrible. Here was Geordie bus
ilv engaged over the stove, brandshing
huge skinner, with which he was
hcaping up dishes with half-cooked
rice, as it poured in fieecy clouds over
the top of the pot, and that, too, much
faster than he could remove it. Al
ready half a dozen pie-tins and
couple of bowls were heaped with the
superiluous cereal, but the bulk of the
obstrepcrous stuff was manifestly in
creasing. Finally, with a muttered
anathcma, be seized the kettle by its
bail and flung the whole affair through
the open window, and sheepishly sug-
gested we dine at the nearest hotel
As luck would have it, Mistress Nc
TavIsh returned week later, and several
DAYS before expected-"as she had no
business to do, so her lord and master
declared. That was the very day he in
tended to clean up Imagine the
scene presented to thrifty, orderly
housewives S visionl The table piled a
yard high with unwashed and broken
crockery-the set ruined of course
not one of which had seen water for
more than a fortnight; table-linen that
had once been white, but would never
come so again; coffee, SCOT and grease
predominating everywhere; the frying
pan in the middle of the floor filled
with cinders, the result of an unsucess-
fnl attempt to Saratoga" potatoes;
dirt swept in little heaps in the corners
and the broom bearing evidence of
having been used to poke tie fire. a
mountain of soiled clothing atop the
cupboard; the sink filled with egg
lhclls and tea and coflee-grounds; to
taeco. tea, salt and sugar in unpleasant
ald dangerous proximity upon the
shelf; and last Of all, her husbands !