Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-06-13
"If cooking will do, I'll make jelly of it

"Ifcooking will do, I'll make jelly of it
before Hannah gets here" she said.
But instead Of boiling to jelly, the cur
rant juice boiled over in great foamy, red
waves.
The fire hissed, and a dense smoke and
pungent scent of burning sweets filled
the kitchen.
Spattered from head to foot with the
hot liquid, one hand scalded, her pretty
face besmeared, Nell .retreated to the door
in utter despair. ..
ooh, wish I had never'-
The sentence was never finished.
She stood dumb with horror, for coming
leisurely along the sunny path she saw her
Warburton.
"He has invited him home to dinner!"
she gasped, darting back into the smoky
kitchen. "Oh, what shall I do?"
Two or three narrowing minutes of sus-
pense and her husband entered.
"Nell, are you here? And what is the
matter? Is the kitchen on fire? The
whole place is in fog.p
Nell came forward looking more like a
tattooed Indian than tle pretty woman she
was.
"I'm making currantjelly and I thought
you wouldn't be home till late, Ned"
"Does it require such q mess as this to
make currant jelly? And what a fright
you are, Nell! I've brought Warburton
home to dine"
"There's not mouthful of dinner, Ned"
"What! Didn't I send ham and a pair
ofchickens?"
"I had NO time to cook; I've been max
ing jelly all day"
"Confound the jelly! Come, Nell, you
must get some show Of dinner"
II can't, Ned! Pm tired to death, and
my hands burned. You shouldn't have
invited Mr.. Warburton without letting
me know"
"Now Just hear that" cried the pro-
voked husband, latter telling me so often
to bring friend whenever l liked! Pm
surprised at you, Nell"
Nell sank into seat, and, covering her
face with sticky apron, burst into tears,
while the jelly began to steam over again.
Her husband, half beside himself with the
Kissing noise and his own vexation, made
dive at the kettle, and, in his efforts to
get it off the stove, upset it, deluging the
floor.
"I'm glad of it! You've no business at
tempting to make the confounded stutf
when you don't know how" he cried,
founcing out of the kitchen, and leaving
his wife to have her cry out "I'll go and
send Warburton away"
Poor Nellie sobbed, convulsively, un-
mindful of the meandering red river at
her feet, until Hannah entered.
"Why, dearie, what trouble you're in,
to be sure and all your jelly wasted
But never mind ; We'll have the next ket-
tie all right"
Nell sprang and threw herself into the
old woman's arms.
"Oh, Hannah and Ned's gone to send
Mr.. Warburton away without his dinner,
and he'll never forgive me-" she sobbed.
Eyes he will dearie, yes he will-don't
you fret. I've sent them over to your
mothers for lunch. And now let me
tell you what to do. Put all this jelly
making by till to-morrow-we'll begin
bright and early in the morning, and"-
"But, Hannah, it won't come to jelly"
"Oh yes it will when we add little
gelatine."
"Didn't tell you, ma'am?" muttered
Jane, mopping up the red river.
"Never mind the jelly now," continued
Hannah, "you and Jane set to work and
get up nice supper, hrl take down your
curls and put on your prettiest gown, and
I'll hurry over and send the master and
his guest back about sunset; that'll make
everything right"
Nell demurred little.
"Ned was cruel to get in such passion ;
he knew I couldn't help it," she sobbed.
Old Hannah gave her look.
"Hush my dearie ; put that foolish pride
in your pocket; you can't afford to spoil
your happiness. Mind what old Hannah
says"
And Nell obeyed.
She and Jane worked as they never
did before in all of their lives.
Sunset found the kitchen as clean as q
new pin-the unfortunate jelly banished
and the daintiest of supper tables set.
And as the sun went down, Nell herself
walked down the garden path to meet her
husband, robed in crisp, white muslin, a
scarlet ribbon zoning her waist, a rose in
her hair.
"I'm glad to see you, Mr.. Warburton," !"
she said smilingly. "You have found me
in great tribulation to-day. I attempted
what I did not understand and got into
trouble. Ned, dear, forgive, me, and
bring your friend in to supper"
ooh, Nell, what a brute [ was!" whis-
pered her husband, OBTAINING her min
ute at the kitchen door. "Can you forgive
me? And your poor hand burned too. III
dig up every currant bush in the garden
Tomorrow"
"No, Ned" she replied, ~ shall learn
to make currant jelly tomorrow. Let
them alone" ."-Ne,O York Evening Wortd.