Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-05-22

"What shall we do?' repeated Aunt Fe-
licia.
an make some cream-tartar-- biscuit.
Those last You said were good, proposed
Nancy. And with this the heroine of the
day was forced to content herself
Jo Barker made his appearance about
ten o'clock, his hands full of sweetbrer.
Nancy met him at the door, and the two
stood and gossiped on the flag-stones with
out. 4 great many things seemed to have
happened to discuss since the night before.
Suddenly Jo stopped in the midst of SEN
tence.
"What is that out there in the flower
bed?'' he asked.
Nancy gave start. Guilty Fremont
tions blanched her cheek and quickened
her heart-beats. A little mound had risen
in the centre of the flower bed, and out of
the top poured like lava from an active
volcano, that dreadful dough-
"What is it?' repeated 10, curiously, 60
ing to the spot and poking at the phenom-
enon with a stick.
'Its-it's bread groaned Nancy; cor
at least it ought to be. 1t hadn't risen this
morning, so took it out and buried it,"
JOS red lips opened, and JOS hearty
lungs emitted a genuine whoop of laugh
ter.
"Oh, SSH for mercy's saker' implored
Nancy, laying hold of his sleeve and look
ing toward the house. "She'll hear YOU.
She's in the sittin'-room now, but she'll
come right round to this side of the house
if you make so much noise"
10 endeavored manfully to restrain his
mirth but it broke away and ran its course
in spite of him. "That's the best / ever
heardr' he calculated, wiping his eyes.
"Well, Wen have to bury it over again
This they attempted to do with handfuls
of dirt and many a pat and pressure; but
Enceladus would rise. Nancy was in de-
spair. Eager to remove the enemy to Nan
cy's peace, 10 cast about for an instrument.
His eye fell on a huge oleander planted in
a wash-tub. This he seized, and set it tub
and all, firmly over the ambitious dough.
There he said triumphantly; ''that'll
hold it down. And she'-looking in the
direction of the house-"she can't stir it.
I'll get out before she asks me to put it
back" He vanished over the fence
The neglect of the bread-making ran
killed. in Aunt Felicia's breast. Promise or
no promise, she would not again risk her
dinner.
Not until the chicken, the corned-beef,
and the salt pork were safe in the iron pot
to join them, and the pudding was under
way, did she relax her hold on the helm.
Nancy, meanwhile, was quaking in her
shoes over another discovery of her own
improvidence. There was not a particle of
Indian meal for the pudding. The store
was miles away. Mrs. Barker was the only
near neighbor, and to borrow Of prospec-
tive company was, to say the least, hui
initiating.
There was nothing else to be DONE She
dallied about with spoon and bowl, pre-
tending to put in this and that. At last
Aunt Felicia went TO lie down for an hour
before donnng the best black gown and
the cap with lavender ribbons-regalia
suitable for high feasts. Then, throwing
her apron over her head, Nancy sped like
a fawn over the fields to the Barker place.
She came upon 10 in the back yard split
ting kindlings. He was in his shirt sleeves,
and would have bushed for them, had not
Nancy's bare arms and flying hair put him,
so to speak. in costume.
"Oh, Jo,' she gasped, ''this is one of the
days! What do you think? I've started
my puddin', and there amt a mite of meal
in the house.
"Come right along in, - replied 10, cheer
lily. Wen fix that. Mothers got plenty.
She's gone over to Mis- Briggs's of an err
rand, but | know where she keeps it,"
He led the way to the pantry, and there
the two searched high and low, in bucket
and box, for the missing article. Not a
single golden grain rewarded them. 10
scratched his head, and proposed going
over to Briggs's after the mistress of the
house.
mo, don't" begged Nancy. I'D just as
thara IN l.
essary know about it, Why, what's this
in this bag? That's meal" And she held
up handful "There isn't much more'n
what l want here"
Take it right along insisted 10. "No
need O sayin' an'thing bout it,"
'Ill come over tomorrow and explain"
compromised Nancy, and clasping the
brown paper bag, back she flew across the
fields to her pudding
Promptly at two o'clock the four old la
dies sat down to their dinner. Everything
was done to perfection. The cream of tar
tar biscuit fulfilled the mission of the batch
under the oleander tub, and were miracle
of sweetness and light. The billed dish
brought tears of tender retrospection to the
eyes of the aged participants, who declared
they ''hadn't tasted anything that tasted
so good not in years an years an years.
The pudding emerged from its bag plump
and brown as a healthy farmer and. like
him, it must be confessed somewhat tough
and wiry But, smothered in cream and
powdered with maple sugar it went down
to the last crumb. The guests found moth
ing in their vocabularies, ancient or mod
ern, to equal the occasion, and concluded
''it was no use talkin'." Mrs. Barker. in
particular, with her motherly familiarities,
brought blush to the cheek of the girl
cook. Nancy was not a hardened deceiv-
er. The oleander tub lay heavy on her
conscience. The meal so unhandsomelv
obtained turned to ashes in the cup of fiat
terry the old women poured for her. 1t
was hours before they left, years before she
could do up the work next day and hasten
to the Barker place to do penance by frank
confession. This time she walked demure-
ly by the road, and wore her best bonnet.
She found Mrs. Barker whipping up
syllabub for the minister's wife, who was
ailing. "Have some?" she said proffering
a cupful. "'Tain't nothin' but gasp an
a swaller"
But Nancy had no appetite, even for so
amiable a trihe. 81 told 10 not to say any
thing" she began steadily; SID tell YOU
myself. | came over yesterday when YOU
were out to borrer some meal for that pud-
din. Twas awful careless o. me. / did
MT know we re out till just as was mix
in it. | was ashamed to borrer of YOU,
company so; but l had to do somethin'
quick. I'll bring it over soon's we get
some" Nancy spoke hurriedly in her