The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-06-23
SISTER MARTHA.

"I'1l hev no underhand contrivin. Miss
Whitcunb. Them rooms are her part,
and II she says you may hev 'em you
may. that's all. I'll do what | can to
oblige. but she's got to be consulted first.
II You locked her up in the attic you
couldn't keep it from her. for her ears
are like one Of them telephones that
ketches every whisper. Y0u may take
back your piece Of linsey woOlsey ef
you're mad at my plain speakin."
81 amt mad, Ann. only thought to
save her fret and worry. But | want
you to let her know there won't be any
expense on her, rllpay for all the sugar
and butter and eggs that's used"
Ann flashed out on her: "You won't
do no such thing. guess we ain'tcome
to that pinch. There's plenty Of every
thing In the house, for lay in supplies
once . month regular"
"But you must let me add some little
extrys, Ann. II l do the thing at all
want to DO it up In style. A real first
class high tea leaves wake Of light be-
hind 1t, 30 to speak. And it does beat
all how folks will eat when they get SIT
down to loaded table. I'll buy the
chickens for salad, Ann. for know how
to make 1t extry well, with mayonazy
dressing, and ! guess l shall order ice
cream from Holden & White. best Phila-
delphy. We will have real loaf at one
end Of the table and the salad ct the
other, and celery glass Of flowers in
the middle and smoked tongue and
picked oysters In between, and when
the cream comes on it will be surprise"
lyon can hev everything in the house,
everything II she consents, and what's
extry you can suit yourself about that"
Ann was wiping her lean, brown arms
on the roller towel preparatory to going
up to her mistress, and while she was
away Sister Martha counted the viands
on the fingers Of her two hands-pound
cake and plum cake and angel cake and
jumbles. not less than four kinds. She
would make two pans Of her feather
light biscuit and have hot gems besides.
Then for sauce. three kinds-plum and
ounce and crab apple Jelly. and float
ing island into the bargain. The table
was all set out in her imagination before
Ann came dumping down stairs.
''She says you may hev 1t and wei.
come" was the message. land she told
me to bring out all Miss Mayhew's best
chany and to rub the silver and see to
the fine tableclUths and napkins. She
thought you'd want the two tables put
together Just as they used TO hev them
In Mother Mayhews time at Thanks
givin. and she says you amt to buy
nothin as we hev store Of In the house.
didn't mention them extrys-ice cream
and chicking-for I knew 1t would
worry her. She looked real pleased
when spoke about the tea; q tiutterin
red come into her cheek, and her eyes
were bright and she seemed trembly
and excited. guess she's got real hos
pitable feelins, as much az anybody
ever knowed. She'd hev been glad to
ask folks to the house all these years since
her mother died. only when she come to
plan about company she sunk right
down weak as water"
Mrs. Whitcumb was paying but slight
attention to AIMS remarks, mumhled,
too. as they were, in her throat, a. she
put away the dishes on the pantry
shelves.
"rll tell you, Ann she said. coming
out Of her calculations about floating
island and plum cake, I'm going to
send out cards Us they do in cities-NUw
York and Boston and other big places:
Mrs. Josiah Whitcumb. at home at the
Mayhem house. on Thursday. Tea at
six o'clock in one corner. you know. l
don't know as they've got that style yet in
Littlefeld. shall mail the cards today,
and the tea party on q Thursday will
come In handy. The washin and irODin
will be out Of the way, AMI sweepin not
till Friday. shall try not to do much
underfoot, Ann; Tm pretty good cake
and biscuit baker, and II you can man.
age TO let me have the kitchen stowe
Ann cut her short with a character
istic speech. II shall do all that COM
ports with my part Of the house, Mrs.
Whitcumb, and you, can hev full swing"
Sister Martha loved the hustle Of prep
aration. She was now in her element as
she tied on her bonnet. and stepped
away down town to procure visiting
cards. She smiled visibly as she thought
Of the ease with which the kitchen GER
berus had swallowed her sop. The re-
mainder Of the day she occupied her
sister-in-law's deserted sitting room.
busy writing cards Of invitation. She
had made out 4 list like any other fash
ionable lady who means to be very ex.
elusive and select. The cards were to
be severely limited to those among her
Littlefeld acquaintance who, in her
own phrase. ''had paid her attentions
There were the minister and his wis.
On a previous visit she had been asked
to a sewing circle at the parsonage; and
Deacon Folsom and lady, and the Stoves,
three maiden sisters, and Miss Hattie
Warren and her old bachelor brother.
At last she came to the name Of Bligh
on the list She hardly knew why she
had put It there. A kind VI dare devil
impulse. she surnlised. had impslled her
to write 1t down. The captain was an
old acquaintance and q uear neighbor.
and why should she not ask him 70 her
tear Yes; she would. He might swear
some when he got the invitation, She
thought she could see him gl0wering at
1t before he chucked Il into the fire.
The card was written and lay before
her; in the left hand lower corner. Tea
at six o'clock" in the opposite corner,
Or. y v. p" Mrs. Nhitcumb did not
know rightly what those magic letters
stood for. but she had seen them on
fashionable Invitations and she was de-
termined to have the very latest
Esvyrinklar nj har taa marty RIovIift, .l,a