The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-05-19
A CONQUERED KITCHEN.
BY ELEANOR KIRK.

"DO exactly as II IL were your own
house." That sounded well, and was very
gratifying to my amour propre. Ii there
was one thing 1 could do, and do it well,
it was to keep house. Irevelled in house
keeping, and in my pride and confidence
1 said to myself, the larger the house the
better. But my answer was conservative
enough.
'If it were three weeks instead of three
months" 1 said. "And then it your es-
tablishment were not SO large"
''That'll do, Hannah" said my cousin
Flora, with more energy than she had
manifested for week. Her doctor bad
ordered her to California: reason, nervous
prostitution; cause of that, society.
"Tom and l know that you can do il"
she went on; sand if you can give us the
time, and feel strong enough to under
take it"
"But what will there be to do ?" Tom
broke in, WITH the usual masculine ig
norsnce of domestic machinery. There's
Henry, you know; he does all the buying;
and really We have never had better
cook. Don't you think so, Floral"
ayes, she's perfection; and that reminds
me, Hannah; mother was saying this
morning that when we went away she was
going to ask you to cook some of your
nice things. But tell you not to enter
the kitchen if you desire to pursue your
daily avocations with head on your
shoulders. Mrs. De Planners comes to
the library every morning for her orders,
and after that, is invisible to everybody
except her assistant. She will expect
you to say, as have always done; 1t is
quite immaterial, Mrs. De Planners. II
you will give your orders to Henry, that
will be quite satisfactory"
"Yes, that IL be the safest way" said
Tom. "Flors really seems to be inspired
in her management of servants"
"But how about accounts ?" 1 in
quired.
"Oh, we don't have any accounts" my
cousin replied, languidly. The trades
men make out their bills, and Tom pays
them"
"Yes, that's the size of it, said Tom;
and I thought 1 detected look of care
upon the honest, kindly face, that l had
never seen before.
"Well, always keep accounts" L an
swered, tentatively. Flora had left the
room now, too exhausted for another
word.
at can't be done here" Tom replied,
with dubious shake of the head. "The
cook orders, Henry buys, and I pay the
bills"
"No matter what they are ?"
"Why, of course not. A bills bill"
"What about auntie's soups and jel-
lies ?" asked.
"Poor old soul, she ought to have what
she wants." was the puzzled response.
"You might get gas stove, and smuggle
some things upstairs, couldn't you ?"
eyes, could" 1 replied, and longed
to add, off I'm a coward will" But l
let the matter drop. Flora must be got
away without excitement; but my blood
DOllou III my foAuS ~ ehO phOuBue VI DAAO
lamentable figure was expected to cut,
and decided then and there not to cut it.
And 1 was the more thoroughly rooted
and grounded in this determination when
Tom, about five minutes before starting,
drew me one side, and said confidentially:
"Pve been thinking about accounts,
Hannah, and I'd like to have you try and
keep 'em. This house is costing a mint
of money-father says three times more
than it ought to; and if you think you can
stand it"
"I couldn't stand it not to-" 1 inter
rupted.
"Of course feel sure the servants are
honest" Tom resumed, "snd you know
how devoted they all are to Flo-still-
we'll"
understood The situation was by
no means novel. Tom was enough of
business man to know that something
was wrong, but doubt if q score OF bay
onets could have prodded him into ex-
pressing his suspicious or anxieties to his
wife.
And 30 l was left in charge Of family