Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-10-31
HIS MOTHERS COOKING,


silver, the damask upon the board.
The tea-gown, the little cap perched
upon the lovely hair, all the matronly
affections of dress. as well as the we'd
and keeper upon her finger,
were tokens that she had now been
married a year. But as her guests
studied her face they became aware
that it wore worried, puckered look
that they had never seen upon it in
the days of her single blessedness, and
being near relations and very intimate
they did not make any pretense of not
noticing it.
"You don't look we'll, my DEAR"
said her cousin Persis, breaking the
silence.
You don't look comfortable, some-
that look of old"
you look cross" said Fleda plump
ly taking another tea-biscuit from the
plate. "That is the long and short of
it, Penelope"
"Thank you," said Penelope, tossing
her head. But suddenly she set
the plate she was about passing to her
guests down upon the table again,
fished little scrap of lace and linen
cambria from some mysterious recess
OF the tea-gown, and applied it to her
eyes.
"He hasn't taken to beating you, has
heP" asked Persis.
why, what question:! OF course
not!" screamed Penelope.
''At all events" said Persis, II had
as soon be lashed with whip as with
tongue"
Laurence is incapable of scolding."
said Mrs. Chapone.
But is it LaurenceP' said Fannie.
''lt is always the husband when ono
is married." said Persis.
eyes. l confess it is Laurence. He
-he-he is always talking about his
mothers cooking" sobbed Penelope,
fairing breaking down. "He really
did love the things his mother made
for him. Now. l deal with good
baker; l have Vienna bread; vary the
sorts, all light and good, and l think l
know about meat and vegetables, and
like fruit desserts. 1 can buy so much
that is good, but it is that old New
England homemade cookery that
Laurence pines for. The other day
he said in quite tragic way, oh, for
one Of those dear old boiled apple
pumplings."
'Awfully indigestible," said Persis
in her doctors voice.
Invent to visit dear Mrs. Chapone
before was married." said Penelope,
"and you went with me, Fannie"
"How kind she was" said Fannie.
"She was always cooking something
good"
"GoodF said Penelope. 20 Fannie,
| love and respect my mother-in-law.
She is the salt of the earth. But
everything swan in grease"
"The bread came TO the table from
the oven," said Fannie.
"Four kinds each meal" said Pene-
lope. Coffee, tea, chocolate, pies,
waffles, for breakfast. Bacon, fried
potatoes, fried every rything--"
"And she made one taste it ALL"
laughed Fannie.
when we got home," said Pene-
lope, 1--WE went to bed and had
bilious attack apiece. All that time
Laurence lived in the country, out of
doors all the while on horseback, in
the open air for hours, rowing, fishing,
experimenting the farm work, lend
ing hand himself. You know lum-
bermen up in Maine can live on fat
pork and beans. But now he comes
from his Office to the fiat or walks
block or two after tea. If he takes me
anywhere we ride usually. know he
would not like the same things, but it
has gotten to be mania with him.
Just so," said Persis, land you
suffer-"
why don't you tell him all thatP"
asked Fannie.
"Why, if l were to hint that his
mothers cooking might not be the
best known on earth we should
QUARREL" said Penelope. "Already
am so sick of that continual repetition
of homemade bread that l want to
shrek when hear it. tried to make
batch, and Bridget tried to make
another; the result was not encourag-
ing"
II don't know what you are to do,
Penelope" sighed Fannie.
Resist tyranny from the first" said
Perss.
81 know what you ought to do" said
hoh uOWu. L6U
her cook for you mon.h. She'll do
it. She'll just know how her poor boy
suffers from want of proper nourish-
ment. She'll come and you will see."
81 don know but what you are
right" said Penelope. "My sister-in.
law knows all her ways now and is old
enough to be left in charge and Ma
Chapone just adores Laurence. Per.
haps can learn how to do all those
greasy things and make four kinds of
hot bread every day. I'd do anything
to make Laurence happy"
''Remember. put it into your head"
said Fleda. "lf l am rather young vet,
and don't like Mrs. Hateman's lectures,
and do read fairy tales l have an
original idea or two now and them"
And shortly after the three girls tied
on their bonnets and went home and
Mrs Laurence Chapone sat down to
write letter to her mother-in-law.
your mother is here" said Pene-
lope one afternoon as her husband
entered the dining-room. "She is
out in the kitchen getting you up one
OF her dinners. l wrote, dear, and
asked her to come and teach me her
WAYS"
you are an angel" said Laurence.