The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-10
AN EXCELLENT COOK.

"a letter at last from Uncle Reuben~
cried Cora Goldthwaite bursting into the
third-story back room of the cheap boarding
house on North Sixth street, where her
mother and two younger sisters, Emily and
Della, were sitting.
II thought it would never comeW said
Mrs. Goldthwaite, and her thin, pale face
frightened.
"ODen it at oncew urged Emily, and her
small, gray eyes glittered generously. There
may be money or a check in it. Goodness
knows the old miser ought to open his heart
at once. and do the handsome thing by the
only relatives lie has in the world"
"You ought to be ashamed Of yourself to
talk SO disrespectfuly about your uncle.
poor papa's only brother" interposed Della,
tie youngest. PPM sure don't want his
money. | like to be independent and earn
what | get.
''Fudge!' retorted Emily, with a con-
temptuous curl of her lip 1t sounds very
well for beggar like you TO talk of indie
pendence and work. l hate the very sound
of that word. | was born and raised
lady, and if it hadn't been for papa's i'm
pTudences I'd have been riding in my car
rage to-day"
''Emilyy' cried Della, and her face flushed
with modification at her sisters heartless-
ness.
81 don't care" declared Emily, who was
IN a very bad humor money is essential
TO my happiness and it makes me fiery mad
To think that l haven't penny in the
verdi"
i've just SIS left, girls" said Mrs Gold
thwaite ENORMOUSLY, land our board bill is
due tomorrow: do hope Reul en- has sent
US something,
" His check for s1Oo!' said Co a, who had
opened the letter. and, tossing the missive
and its Enclosure into her mother S lap, she
burst into tears. "A miserable S100!' she
calculated between her sobS; land l thought
he would send us a thousand apiece, at
least, and settle a comfortable income on
mamma for life. He's worth million. And
now must do without that crushed straw
berry dress, and l so wanted i'll"
Emily threw herself back in her chair and
laughed ScUTnfully
IT'S about what [ expected she cried.
" If | were you. mamma, I'd send him back
his old check. Or hold, perha it's just
forecast OF what is to come. Read the let
ter"
"Pln read it. mamma" said Cora. taking
the big blue fOOlscap sheet; and with one
hand resting on her mothers shoulder, she
read as follows:
Mrs. CorHsItG GoldthtUdite-MADAME Your
favor OF the Sd at hand and contents noted. In
reply VIII say that do not feel bound 10 con.
uihute one cent TO support your three healthy
daughters in ldleneSs. l paid all my misguided
brothers funeral expenses and settled several
thousand dollars worth OF bis debts. You say
That you are an invalid and unable 10 work.
Your daughers ought TO be able to keep you in
comfort. and TO assist them in this endeavor l
inclose you my check for 500, and shall regu-
larry hereafter every three mouths, send you
Que for like amount. Respectfully,
REUBEN GOLDTHwAIrE.
?. S-YOu ask me to use my Influence IN So
y
the work is "Such as can be performed by lady
without lowering her dignity" | know of no
such places, but If your girls were brought up as
they should have been can tiud room for one Of
them al The Cliffs. and will pay her reasonable
salary. Nancy BOyes, ms cook died last week
and Her place Is MOI yer filled K. Il.
1.-The misery old brutel How dare he
insult US like that?" cried Emily, and ner
eyes blazed, while Cora, who had stopped
crying long enough to listen to the letter,
burst into another flood of tears Mrs. Gold
thwaite. who held the check IN her trem-
bling flugers, sniveled in sympathy.
Ills cook, f0rsOuthi" continued Emily,
striking up AMI down the room like a trag-
edy actress. LAS though one Of us would be-
come his kitchen drudge"
Della said nothing, but later in the day
wrote a letter to her uncle, which the old
gentleman read with q grim smile on his
"She thinks probably that 1 will relent
and make a fine lady Of her when she pre-
sen's herself at the kitchen door" he soliIo-
quiZed, but If she comes here with that idea
then she don't know Reuben Goldthwaite.
She enters my house as the cook, and the
cook she Will remain As long as she performs
her duties to my satisfaction and dOa't for
get her place"
Della Goldthwaite entered her uncle's
house as the cook, and for several mouths
performed the duties of her position with
out meeting the master Of the house.
One norrUiDr Rpubpn {IOldt hWaitp did nor
come down to breakfast, and the buffers
face was very grave when lie reported that
the rich man was seriously i'll =,
A doctor was Summnnod, ana ne declared
that only .Jr5 best care AID skilHul nursing
,,0lId Save his patients life.
There was little need for Della's services
in the kitchen now, and when she took her
place at the bedside the doctor realized in-
tuitively that Reuben Goidthwaite was in
safe hands, and during the critical period
that followed Della was the sick mans con-
slant attendant.
When at last the crisis in the disease was
passed, and he began to mend, Della pre-
pared delicate little dishes TO tempt his ap-
petite, and he recovered health and strength
rapidly.
One morning. after having an interview
with the DOCTOR he said to her:
." DR.. Jones has ordered sea air for me-
He thinks me strong enough TO move, and l
am going to quiet little place in Jersey that
Very well, sir" said Della.
She had never called aim uncle.
Il m your Uncle Reuben" he said bluntly
Y Ou're to 90 with me. Ii you need fixings.
order them, and don't spare the money, for
Eve got plenty Of it."
"SiT?
"You heard what l said YI'm a rough
old man. but the doctor said that your care
saved my life. Pm not wholly a stranger to
gratitude, and you need an outing anyway,
for imprisonment in this room has made you
pale. l intended when l died to make some
provision for you and your sisters and it's
all down in my will. When | wrote that let
ter to your mother had a purpose. You're
true steel, Dalla, and most excellent cook
Now don't say word, because it worries
me to talk, but get ready at once. Robert
has my orders to hire new cook, and here
after you'll beknown as old Reuben Gold
thwaite's heiress."
When Della's sisters heard of her good
fortune Cora had recourse TO tears and
blamed her "bad luck"
Emily, who was engaged to be married to
clerk of slender salary aud had roseate
antictpatlons for the future, turned up her
small nose contemptuously.
Della always was designing mink"
she said. 1T was very shrewd of her to
get into that old mans good graces through
playing COOK
When. year later. Della became the
wife OF her old schoel-day friend and play
nate, George de Haven, and Uncle Reuben
placed Eer little hand in that of The happy
bridegroom, he whispered:
She's true steel, my boy, and besides
what is nowadays Il rarity among w0men-
most excellent cOok!'-Philadelph
Times.
KENTZEL ILLEGALLY DISRATED,