Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-07-19

"but I'm not really alone, you llnow-I
have my flowers and pigeons, and Miss
Nancy'-nodaing toward the window.
looked around for this lady, and at
last discovered her in the shape OF a
very stout guinea-pig punched up In
corner of the window-seat.
went to look over the roofs, at the
glorious view of the harbor, and saw
that q broad shelf had been fastened to
the window which held box of gera-
NUNS, in full flower, and at another
window was another box filed with
mignonette, growing as sweetly and
luxuriantly as that in my own bright
country garden.
A flock of pigeons flew away from
the roof at the sight of my strange bon
net, but soon came back for their gen
ger-bread crumbs which Teddy threw
to them.
The guinea pig unbunched herself
and trotted over for her share. and to my
amusement, little mouce slipped fear
lessly out from a corner and picked up
q crumb here and there, as if he knew
himself and his host too we'll for alarm.
Teddy nodded gravely as he saw my
amazed look, and said:
"Thats Tiptoe. He isn't afraid.
There's another that has just begun to
come with him, but he won't put his
nose out if there's any one in the room
with me-"
"Who takes care of you two chill
dren?' 1 asked. "You do not live up
here all alone, surely?"
why, yes, we do, said Nora. "But
everybody takes care of us since father
died last year. Mother died two years
ago. Before that we had two rooms up
here and father was ianitor of the build
ing. He got hurt in the machinery
and could not go up and down stairs,
but they let him stay and give him
work on settee cushions. The boss
down stairs is real kind. He let's us
stay here because the new janitor only
wants one room. He gave us some
chairs and that box" pointing toward
the blue packing case, land Teddy
sleeps there"
1 looked over the edge, and sure
enough there was a comfortable little
bed out OF which Teddy could not
possibly fall.
"Now,' said Nora, "you must see my
Kitchen" and she opened the door of a
closet where saw tins and "ironclad"
pans and small kerosene stove. Above
stood bag of -four and a Jug of mo-
lasses, and below was a large tub of
butter. This last she told me was
bought for her by one of the men, who
had Il brother in the market. and got it
cheap, because it was winter butter and
very salt. ct is sweet said the child,
with a capable aim. Il should lose my
business if did not use the best"
1 asked her if she could really support
herself by this one piece of cookery, and
she said:
II can almost, for I begin now to bake
| for the men down stairs. must have
six dozen made before 6 o'clock for
them to take home. The inger-breads
are Is cents a dozen. That makes 80
cents every night. Then 1 make from
six to ten dozen every morning, almost
always two dollars a day. / soon pay
for my butter and other things. The
kerosene costs very little. I could dc
more if 1 had coal stove, for I can only
bake two dozen at time in my little
ovens. But I suppose that the coal
would cost good deal. I have two
pans ready to put in as I take the Others
out, so 1 can be pretty sure to be at the
corner by the time that the 10 o'clock
train comes in. Teddy wheels one o!
my baskets down for me on his barrow
and then he brings the basket home.
"Why," said I, when do you eat?"
"Oh," said Teddy, "we have oatmeal
at six o'clock every morning, and
sometimes we have baked apples. The
men bring us lots of apples. Then
put some oatmeal out of the window te
eat cold at - o'clock. I most always
have milk with that. Sometimes fathers
friend, the boss, comes up with his din
ner, and give him some oatmeal ani
he gives me some pie. Then I set the
table, added Teddy, and wash the
potatoes, and get everything ready fol
Nora, and we have big supper at hal
past four o'clock"
| began to wonder where Nora learned
to cook ginger-breads and big suppers
when she answered my thoughts by
saying:
Mother was cook at a big hotel be
fore she was married, and she Away.
went out cooking for dinner parties
and she took me with her when I wa.
big enough to help. She taught me
great deal, so that [ have cooked oul
dinners ever since was 10 years old