Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-26
Cupid IN THE KITCHEN.

summer morning, about five miles on thei
return journey when they passed a small
white cottage empowered with trees, which
Rose just glanced at, having not the small
est idea that she would ever either see o.
think of this particular house again. The
white cottage was accordingly forgotten
almost as soon as seen. Rose had not the
faintest idea that she would ever know
what manner of family lived there, much
less did she suppose that they would be
in any way connected with her own des
tiny. Had some fairy whispered to her
that this was to be her home before the
naples turned next year, she would have
observed the place with more interest.
A short turn in the road brought our
friends to a shallow pond, where two
year-old child was houndering up to its
chin in muddy water.
"Oh, unclew cried Rose; "don't you see
that baby in the water? Wait Pll gel
out. You hold the horse" And in less
time than it takes to tell it Rose had
sprung from the buggy and landed the
dripping infant on terra frma.
"What'll / do with it" she asked, rue.
fully.
81 don't know. Can't you take it back
to the house ?" said Uncle John, who had
no patience with troublesome babies, and
but little sympathy for their mishaps.
Rose couldn't, of course, carry it
without running her dress, but by means of
coaxing and leading she got the little
creature back to the gate, and into the
yard in front of the cottage; then, after a
surly and suspicious greeting by the house
dog, she conveyed her charge around the
house to the kitchen door, which stood
open, revealing the presence of a young
man with large Bingham apron tied
around his waist, in the act of taking pie
from the oven. The moment he caught
sight of them he put the pie on the table,
exclaiming, "Well, for PHYS sake" as
though divided between laughter and
anxiety.
"Your little girl fell into the pond"
said Rose, looking down at the little water
rat that still chung to her hand. 81 fshed
her out and brought her to the house, as
was afraid she'd get drowned"
Cali right but the gender. She happens
to be boy" replied the cook, beginning
to rub the child's face and hands with a
towel, and thereby eliciting fresh screams.
'Pm ever SO much obliged to you for
bringing him in. didn't know he could
get the gate open. His mother has the
sick headache to-day, so Pm getting din
ner and watching Teddy-two of the big
gest jobs I've undertaken for many day.
l hate to bother you," he added, apologet-
ically, "but would you please take that
pie out of the oven. while l get some dry
clothes for Teddy? It'll be burnt to a
cinder before | get back"
"Oh, certainly" said Rose, infinitely
amused by the novelty of the situation.
"Well, do hate to bother you, but will
you please watch the cats off the table and
keep the flies out of the custard ? I'll be
back as soon as possible. Come along, old
Paddlefoot," and, catching up the child, he
rushed into an adjoining room, whence he
presently issued forth, bringing back the
blooming infant in smiles and dry cloth
ing.
81 don't know whether I've got him
dressed right or moi" he said, letting him
down on the floor. Fought this dress to
fasten behind or before? 1t looks kind of
funny"
at looks as if it was made to fasten at
the back" said Rose reAectively.
swell, it does, doesn't it? It's either on
wrong or else Ems made an awful boggle
in the fit of it."
"Oh, the dress is all right" said Rose,
suppressing her rising merriment. "Its
been put on wrong"
"Just wait minute and Pll put it on
right. Don't go till 1 come back" and,
catching up the baby again, he few back
into the interior room, while Rose took
out another pie. The crust was rather
peculiar looking-about such crust as a
man would be expected TO make. The
decorations were certainly not very ar
tistic. Rose took up knife and made a
lovely design on piece of crust which he
had rolled out for the top of the last pie
By this time the master of the house had
returned.
"Oh, what a lovely flower you've made p
he said, boyishly. 81 couldn't make a
nice flower, so / just cut few holes in the
crust to let the gas escape. Don't they say
a pie is poisonous if you don't cut some
holes in the top crust? Or what is the
theory"
81 never heard of anything" laughed
Rose, looking at the piecrust which she
was pricking with fork. 81 suppose the
holes keep the pie from bursting around
the edges. 1 must go now
Uncle will get impatient"
"Wait till / get this pie ready and III
90 out to the gate with you" said the
stranger with most engaging frankness
at won't take minute. The apples arr
all ready. Do you sweeten apple pie%
"Sometimes-if they're sour"
81 forgot to sweeten the others, anC
didn't put any water in them. En- sale
they'd burst if they were too juicy, so
thought l wouldn't risk it. lost half ;
nutmeg while ago." he added, glancinI
at the baby. 81 guess it must have go
among the apples in some way, or else the
baby ate it. Nutmegs amt poison, arr
they? 2" ~
"Whew l smell something burning,
he observed, shifting as he put the last pr
into the oven. II wonder if it is tn
beans. Dear 1t is the beans. They'r
as dry as herrings. Just wait until pou
some water in them and I'll go out to tn
gate with you"
So saying, he snatched the bean pot from
the stove, and the pail being burning hot
he dropped it, while the pot, falling witt
tremendous clatter, rolled over, the lii
flew of, and the beans poured forth in
torrent upon the floor.
ooh, cracky p shrieked the cook, plung
ing his hand into bucket of water, an
inadvertently giving the beans kick a
he danced with pain.
Rose was naturally a very heart,
Laughter, and on this occasion her sense c
the unconventionality of her position di
not prevent her from giving vent to pea
after peal of laughter. The youth, mean
while, stood with his hand in the waite
bucket, looking at her sidewise, with
rather abashed air, but laughing, too, in
subdued "I-wish-I-hadn't been so -awk
ward way.
81 really beg your pardon, sir" said Ros