Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-31
A CONQUERED KITCHEN.
The Invasion, the Encounter and
the Final Victory.

The Invasion, the Encounter and
the Final Victory.
..Do exactly as if it were your own
house"
That sounded well, and was very
gratifying to my amour propre. If
there was one thing could do. and do
it well, it was to keep house. Irev-
elled in housekeeping, and in my
pride and confidence l said to myself:
The larger the house, the better. But
my answer was conservative enough.
eff it were three weeks instead of
three MONTHS" said. land then if
your establishment were not SO large. /"
That II do. Hannah said my cousin
Flora, with more energy than she
had manifested in week. Her doc
tor had ordered her to CALIFORNIA;: rea-
son. nervous prostration; cause of
that. society.
tom and know that you can do
it, she went on; "and if YOU can
give us the time. and feel strong
enough 10 unuerl1kC IL
but what will there be to do?'
Tom broke in, with the usual masculine
ignorance of domestic machinery.
There's Henry, you know; he does
all the buying; and really we never
had a better cook. Don't you think so.
FlOra?"
''Yes; she's pcrfection; and that re-
minds me. Hannah: Mother was say
ing this morning that when we went
away she was going to ask you to
cook some of your nice things. But l
tell you not to enter the kitchen if you
desire to pursue your daily vOcations
with lead on your shoulders. Mrs.
De Hammers comes to the library
every morning for her orders. and
after that. is Invisible to every body
except her assistant. She will expect
You to say. rs have always done: 1t
is quite immaterial. Mrs. De Flan,-
mers. If you will give your orders to
Henry. that will be quite satisfac-
tory"
Yes. that ill he the safest way"
said Tom Flora really seems to be
inspired in her management of serv-
ants"
But how about accounts?' l in
quired.
"Oh. we don't have any accounts"
my cousin replied. languidly. 1.-The
tradesmen make out their bills, and
Ton, po,-s than, ~
"Yes, that's the size of it" said
Tom: and thought detected look
of care upon the honest, kindly face
that had never seen before.
well. always keep accounts" l
answered. tentatively. Flora had left
the room now, too exhausted for
another word
lit can't be done here" Tom re-
piled. with dubious shake of the
head. 1.-The cook orders, Henry
buys. and pay the bill"
mo matter what they are?''
"Why, of course not. A bills a
bill"
What about auntic's soups and
.jellies?" l asked.
Poor old soul. she ought to have
what she wants." was the puzzled re-
Spouse. You might get gas stove,
and smuggle some things upstairs.
couldn't you?"
..Yes. could" replied. and Ions ed
to add. If Tn coward will :"
But let the matter drop. Flora must
be got away without excitement; but
my blood boiled in my veins at the
thought of the lamentable figure 1 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. conf
dentially: 1--we 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"
IT couldn't stand it not to-" inter-
rupted.
..Of course I feel sure tie serv-
ants are honest Tom resumed. land
you know how devoted they all are to
Flo-still-wel ~
understood. The situation was by
no means novel. Tom was enough Of
a Business man to know that some.