The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-01-25

Reuben, what would you like for din
ner," for my confidence in my ability
had grown with his expressed thought
of il.
well, my dear, 1 must own that
have, since we have been keeping
house, missed the kind of pie that my
mother made. have sometimes want
ed to ask you to make it, instead of
Sarah, but 1 did not care to have you
begin that kind of work just yet. But
now that it is thrust upon you. L wish
we might have blackberry pie for
dinner"
What could answer but that it
should be as he wished, while my
thoughts flew towards the new cook
book that was still in the box among
my wedding presents Sarah had re-
sented the idea of using it. and. alasi /
had never thought it worth while be-
fore this morning to look into it
you may send up some beef for a
roast" said, in an assured way, and
l could not help seeing that Reuben
felt that we were just beginning to live.
l set about the days work confident
and happy. 1T is just as Reuben
says" | whispered to myself. as L sat
down with my cookbook. and looked
through the chapter on meats and veg
etables first, "a woman with any grace
and an idea of the fitness of things, is
sure of making cooking a success, with
out giving such constant care to it
The meat came. a very large piece;
but then Reuben liked to do things in
grand way, and l was very glad of
it. ! could not endure an over-care-
full man who had even the suspicion
of trying to scrimp about him. The
blaekberries were large, fresh ones
l put my kitchen in order, and de-
cided that / would begin at once my
preparations for dinner. / quickened
the heat of the range, turned 10 the
pastry receipts, and followed down the
column until / came to blackberry
pie. i brought out my -four, lard,
sugar and pastry-board. There was
no rule for the proper quantities for
one pie, and nothing exact as to the
mixing of the crust but l was not
much disturbed by this, indeed
thought the compiler of the book
had shown due respect TO the natural
faculties of the housekee per-" and
put a generous amount of -four
into the pastry bowl, and in the CEN
ter lump of lard.
The rule said rub the lard in, using
the hands as little as possible. III
/ not the hands, what?" / asked. ..Of
course a spoon" my wiser self said To
my first ignorance There must be
water. / brought pitcher. poured in
what thought would be a generous
| quantity, and began TO stir the mix
ture- Stir lightly" stared at me
from the open book. but it was not so
easy to stir lightly as one might
imagine. At last the dough seemed
ready for the molding-board. and /
empted the bowl and began TO roll out
my crust Such a time as l hadi 1t
took all my strength to get it into
shape, but at last 1 had filed the crust
with the berries, put on the pastry
cover, trimmed the edge and placed
my first pie in the oven, with a hope
that amounted almost to triumph. that
1t would be even more worthy OF the
name than a like effort OF Reuben's
/ mother. / sat down to enjoy the feel
ing, and had lived in imagination
through all the praise that would be
given me on account of my great
success, when my reverie was broken
by sound from the oven. / opened
the door; my pie was very brown and
there was pool of juice around it.
l took it hastily out and looked at il
in dismay. WHAT could ! do? Plainly
nothing.
4 i consoled myself for the lost juice
that Reuben had once said he did not
like pale pie-crust. decided that though
4 mine did LOOK shade darker than
his mothers, it was not surely spoiled
The fire was certainly too hot, when
the meat was cooked | needed To make
ii slower. Following this decision the
heat of the oven was reduced. and the
beef put into a pan half filled with
water / meant to have some gravy.
Sarah usually failed in giving US all
we wanted.
The dinner hour came, and / was
dressed in a pretty muslin. and met
my husband in the hall He met me
with those little words of greeting.
that women prize 90 much, that might
seem small and even foolish when
room as TO the place of my crowning.
Reuben began TO carve; he was a
long time about it, and he turned the
meat several times before he cut the
second slice. watched his face eager
~, wished TO discover = sign of his
qualification before it was expressed
But l saw nothing to encourage my
hope that he would speak the words
that / SO longed to hear. We had eaten
for minute in silence. when he re-
marked:
Il ordered a tender piece of beef.
but he has sent me the worst roast
ever had"
Plainly the beef was a great disap-
pointment. and he was trying to make
me believe that he thought the butcher
should have the blame l tried to
hide my bitterness, and began to have
a fear with regard TO the pie; If that
should be failure / should be dis
graced indeed
Ii proved worse than had feared.
Reuben tasted piece, laid down his
fork and SAID IN tones that he tried TO
have me think were those of Jest: "a
man never finds the pie-crust of to-day
what he reads of in novels. and pie
isn't fit for one to eat, any way, unless
unless he feels that his stomach is up
to the greatest effort of digestion. and
mine isn't to-day"
Then / knew that / had utterly
failed-kmew it before / tried TO taste
morsel of the heavy stuff / had so
reckleSsly put together, and had dared
to hope it might be even better than
my husbands mothers pie.
Why do you try TO make fun OF
rne2n hurst ont ..Yn,r af lnast icrht