Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-05-17

the cook TO present herself. Then
she appeared with solcmnity and dig
niH. Mrs. Dc Hammers was n heavy
browed, middlc-aged woman. of a
iorid complexion and Statue Of Lib
erty waist
This Is Miss Cornell, l prcsumePn
she remarked.
"Yes" replied; "and you. l sup
pose. are the cookP"
my name Is De Planners, ma'am.
Mrs. De Hammers am q wildly"
was the impressive reply.
"Whnt is your given nameP' in
quired, carelessly, TO all appearance
untouched by the intended reproof.
The woman's face was aAame
MY name is Margaret. she said;
but II may make so bold, ! should
like to inquire what concern IL is of
any nybody's. ma'amP"
81 am IN the habit OF calling my
servants by their first names" an
swered. coolly. "IIave you your list
made out, Margaret"
"Me listP-me listP What do We
mean by me list? Sure and IL il is the
things made for the day, Henry went
for them immajately after breakfast
"And what is for dinner, Mar
garrett"
"Bless me soul. and the heart of me
mistress dear. who has gone away of
TO Californy. aud who would niver
have asked mo such question IL we
had lived together for twenty years"
And now the cooks tones were exceed
ingly laohrymose "It was always:
just whaty phase, dear Mrs. DE Flam-
mers; you do cook so beautiful that
there's niver any thing left to ask
for. >"
"You haven't answered my ques-
ton, Margaret l persisted. WAat
are we going to have for dinnerP"
eth be the coorses that we gencr-
ally have ON Thursday. with a new
entry of pigeons'-er-hear.s, which
thought as how might be pleasing to
the sick lady" was the reply. in a
somewhat molliiied tone.
"And that reminds me-" re-
marked, with an Indifference which
was far from feeling. "that shall be
down in about half an hour to make
some soup for Mrs Taylor"
"The kitchen is me own vine and
fig-tree, ma am, and none Of me mis-
trcsses is ever allowed TO sile their fin
gers there" Mrs. De Planners re-
piled. "The kitchen is no place for a
lady. Surely ye ought to understand
that"
There Is nothing more TO say at
present." ! remarked, and with
wave Of my hand toward the door by
which this behemoth of flesh and i'm
pertinence had entered, l left the Ii
brary.
Think / can say that the experience
Of the next sixty minutes was the
crowning experience Of my life. Ihad
seen some dirt, and heard of more. but
this kitchen was a den OF iniquity.
How any decently served and favored
food could come from this filthy hole
was a mystery. The most expensive
china and the incest Of porcelain pots
and cooking utensils covered the ta-
bles. the sink and the range all
scorched and gummed with the differ
cnt accumulations Of ages. The cooks
assistant sat in the front basement
the servants sitting-room-reading n
novel A couple Of dozen SQUADS,
nicely picked. lay upon one end of a
side table. and Mrs. De Planners was
beating some eggs at the other end.
There was not n single vessel in this
bountifully-provided kitchen that was
in readiness for my use. The prosid-
ing deity appeared not to be aware Of
my existence. Mary came at my bid
ding. and after a tedious scraping and
securing, a saucepan was made passa-
bly, cleani just as l had got my soup
well under way a wagon-load Of new
pots and kettles arrived.
"You see. miss" Mary explained.
as they were brought in and deposited
anywhere where room could be made
for them, eve was just going TO throw
these things away they was so old.
you see"
"Who ordered these articlesP" l
asked Of the boy.
"Mr Guernsey's Henry, ma'am,"
was tbs reply.
Ifelt that moment like the compound
concentrated essence of dynamite. Il
could have blown up most any thing
"Well," 1 said, "you will please
take these things back to the store. and
say that nothing is to be delivered at
this house unless ordered by Miss Cor
nell. who is manager. mistress and
house-keeper in the bsence Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Guernsey"
"Them things is going to stay"
said the WILDLY" with her arms
akimbo. her face blazing. IL won't
cook In nasty old pots for no
body. I've been used to ladies, born
and bred. and not to scullings for mis-
tresses. You'll leave them pots, Bob
by, jast where they be-"
But Bobby" had caught the fire Of
my eye, and knew better. Assisted by
Mary, he made or the tin aud the iron
beating out march that was very
grateful to my boiling blood.
II took some strength Of nerve to
oversee the cleaning Of all these YES
sells. but Mary obeyed my orders with
intelligence and good-nature. and the
result was gratifying
" She II give warning. or leave with
out warning" said my aunt that morn
ing. "lt would have been better to
have bought the gas stove, because
you know that this can only be
spasmodic reform. When Flora gets
back she won't thank you for IT, "
True as preaching. But / thought
Of dear old Toms pocket-book, and de-
10 nersevnre