The Somerset reporter., 1891-06-11
SELECTED.
A BATCH OF BREAD AND A
PUDDING

- - - t"S
llarpers Magazine.
Nancy Newton was bluudereT, SAT-
folks who ought to know. If it WASH
laundering, it was worse; land here the
tapped their heads, signifSing there wa
something within those precious sphere
which Naucy's Uranium lacked.
Her aunt Felicia-what a name to X
with sallow cheeks aud frame like
hay-teddpr felt that she could hav
done better by Nancy if she had had a
earlier start. For the child WAS tel
years old when her father left her doubl
orphaned and Felicia Newton, spinster
was called upon to fulhl the duties o
kiAship, and to atone for "such a bring
ing up as men folks give A strligh
diet of femininity, lover aud over seam
bed making, dish-wa, hing. Miss Newto
pres cribed. and administered her Ow
medicine. Nancy took it meekly, bu
grew more retiCent, asked fewer ques
tons, and solved her problems by maxim
reckless dashc' at them, so winning he
reputation for blunderlLg or worse.
II decl IRE | don't know whether yo
are too bright or aiu't bright enough,
cried her aunt, after finding the girl lai,
HAT on the kitchen tl9or, lifting hersel
to an old sack the q ier had given her
But how in the name of goodness
Turn round Lere' Nancy reyolyed
showing her small back with the arg
pnuet cross There We're Sits IN til
cloth, where alterations wee to be made
"tow you ever twisted and turned,
went on Aunt Felicia, taking out the pin
aud slipping the sleeves on the girls uu
willing arms. "lf you wanted it fixed
why didn't you come to meN
Nancy murmured some uninteligihle r.
sponse. She could not tell her aunt tina
any contortion was preferable to such al
appesl for help
Eight years failed To alter the relation
between the TWO. Nancy grow more
capable but not whit more contldeI
tial Aunt Felicia openly cAulted oVei
the results of her Own training, hut eye,
the blank, fair face before her with SUI
picion well nigh become dlstrust. she.
Rib enough outside, makes friends, ha
attentions. | wonder why we two don
get ON better, unused the old lady. Sh'
was sixty eight, or would be ON the nor
row. The nearGess OF the festival, tn
prominence 1t gave her mounting scur
Of years, brought pelsive influence t,
Dear upon her. The old heart yearne,
over The young one.
Mamie she said, gently, "'ve bel
telling Mis- Barker an Mis- Shelton au
Mis- Briggs that's comm to dinner to
murrer, how YOU couid cook. Now In
goin' to lay back an 1t you do it all.
won't raise a finger, SOS to show 'en
what says true How do you lik,
thalY'
1t was delicate compliment, and ten
dered generously, without hint of pos
-ible laundering. Nancy nodded appre
ciatiyely First rate, Aunt + l,cia
Whag are you going to havef"
1--WE promised EN- billed dish, 'caus,
they don't all of EN- get it, nowadays
lesstwise Ms SHELTON an Mis- Brigg:
don't an billed lujin puddln'. lou't
oest set pan q biscuit dom tonight
Come to think OF ii, we need bread; may
rs well make whole batch while your,
about ii
There was a meeting that night and
afterward Nancy loitered through tn,
fragrant ales with her escort, 10 Barker
The whippoorwils were singing as II
their honor depended on getting in a.
many notes as possible before daybIeak
n -
and held its fragile blossoms out to the
moonlight and the soft night breeze.
"M-m-m! Amt that sweet cried DO
rapturously. Il don't know anything
.weeter, less it's"-here the precautior
Of glance at his companion told him to
hedge Il little less ITS roses. BY tn,
way, our sweetbrier's out full. Don't yot
want pitcher of EN- for your dinnel
laOle tonmorrei for JOS mother wa
one of the prospective guests, and Nan
cy's debut as cook had been theme Of
the conversation on the homeward walk
Yes, indeed responded Nancy, cor
dlally. you're just as good as you cal
be to think of it,
Don't know bout that" said 10, witt
proper humility.
Then the two SAID goodnight, aul
Nancy went in to her bread making
Aunt Felicia had retired for the night
rhe kitchen fire was out, ana the LAM
was frugally turned down. The place
seemed emily and dull after the radIanc,
without. X pidly, and As quietly As pos
,ible Nancy pat away her bonnet anC
shawl, and brought tl)lr, milk, and thu
Jar of foamiug yeast. "Wish't aunt ha,
left coal or .wo, enough to warm Tn
milk" she thought "Guess TIL be al
right, though.
1t looked promising, round, smooth
mass, firm and white as the young arm
which wrestled with it. They turned an,
kueaded and turned again, with rhyth
mic motion and then she caught sharl
knife, cleft the mass, gathered the piece
deftly together, and fell again to knead
| ing.
After all, innocent and hopeful as tn
| infant batch looked when tucked into 1t
pan and covered with clean crash tow
el, Nancy somehow distrusted 1t in he
head awoke at intervals during the nigh
20 worry, and stole down into he kitche
With the FIRST CLEAN of daylight to lear
the worst Inert and helpless lay tn
dough, precisely at low water mark.
What ever shall | do?' sighed tn
unfortunate debutante. "Itll never d
to let Mis- Briggs and Mis- SHELTON an
JOS mother put that stuff into thei
mouths" See glanced wildly about hei
The odor of burnt sacrifice wouli no
De plasing to the divinity above-stairs
who was to be heard even now preparing
to descend. There was no time to b
lost. Nancy caught up the dough, Dor
It hastily to the flower bel, where trir
geraniums left the ground open betwee
their stems, dug grave in their midst
Jumped in the of nding dough, and Gov
cred it with earth. When Aunt Felici
appeared few minutes later there wer
no signs of the recent tragedy.
Seems to me you're pretty airly,' sai'
Aunt Felicia, not disapproviusly. "BreaC
riz2 Why, you don't mean to saw yo
forgot it? That's just be you Name
| Newton. Now Whatever shall We do
An all those folks a.comiu'! Ii I'd ha
any idea you'd be so careless I'd set up.
She ran on and on, giving the culprit n
opportunity to tell the truth-at least 5
the culprit assured herself.
what shall we dor repeated Aur
Felicia.
an make some cream tartar biscui
Those last you said were good" propose
Nancy. And with this the heroine Of tn
day was forced to content herself.
10 Barker made his appearance abol
ten O'Clock, his hands full Of sweetbre