The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-05-27
HIS MOTHERS COOKING.
How Mr. Smith Was Cured Of O
Bad Habit.

| 81 suppose you call these thing
| doughnuts!" said Mr.. Smith, pickin,
| up curly, brown edible on the ex
trcmc end of his fork, and cycling i
with an untranslatable expression o
countenancc.
''Ycs, of course CO." said Mrs
Smith, little timidly. Aren't the,
nice? made them myself"
Mr.. Smith laid the curly, brown cdi
BILE down again, and pushed the plate
back.
"Nice?" he repeated, II don't say
they're not nice. ] presume they're
nice enough in their way. But wish
you coull have eaten my mother,
doughnuts."
'lIow were they different from these
John?' Mrs. Smith venturcd defercn
TALLY to inquire.
Mr.. Smith moved fretfully in his
chair.
''In every way" said he. "IYomer
nowadays don't know how to cook"
Wont you cat one, John?"
THANK you, my dear, one mouthful
is enough" sarcastically answered her
lord and master. '.Ivc lingering re.
spcct left for my digestion. Joanna,
make me piece of toast. Stale bread.
mind, and brown it but very little.
don't care to load my stomach with
charcoal"
It was perhaps good thing for Mr..
Smith that he was too much occupied
with the columns of tho morning paper
to observe the expression of Joanna's
face as she whishcd off into the kitchen
to execute her order.
I'D like to shake some of that nom
sense out of him." muttcrcd Joanna to
herself, as she shut two slices of bread
into the toastcr and held it over the
fire. ''Of all fools. give INC man! And
she Us patient and sweet us now milk
over IT.
Jonnna johnson WAS no ordinary
''hirod help" She was grim, straight.
backed. lantern.jawod New England
won-- who bad taken caro- Of Allie
AlstC. IS child. and who. sooner than
desert hcr nursing whom she married.
Joined her establishment In tho hum.
bic capacity Of general houscwor,scr.
She did twice what any Colt or Tcuton
would have accomplished. and for half
the wages, although no earthly power
would have induced her to call herself
servant" or wear frillcd cap like
the other houscmaids in the block.
Mrs. Aston was very quiet all that
day. Joanna watched her with wistful
eyes, rs deg watches his master.
''Shc amt happy" pondcrcd Joanna,
''and it's because he's pickin' ut her all
the time. Women don't know how to
cook. don't they? We'll. IL was to
write down in book all that men don't
know, I'd have to build a house to keep
the volumes in. guess"
'.Joanna!" said Mrs. Aston. In the
afternoon.
"Ma'amr' responded Joanna
Joanna was particular to accord Mira
Aston oil the honorary attributes of
mistrcsshood, ns a general thing. It
was only when they were quite by
themselves that she indulgcd in the
sweet usagcs of the past and called
her pet" and Sweetheart" and ''her
own little Allie" as if they were nurse
and baby again.
II wish you'd get me Mr.. Smiths
little brown valise. ! want to pack
it."
''Eh?r said Joanna. mr. Smith go
ing away again?"
YES" the young wife answered,
with something of defiance in her man
ner Its nearly three months since
he went away before, and business is
business, you know"
YES" Joanna lacouically answered,
II know"
Mr.. Smith was to take the night
train. He came home to an carly sup
per. but he would not cat much of the |
nice fried oysters and apple fritters
which Alice had prepared for him.
Joanna" sighed the young wife,
when her husband had gone. ''t'm not |
much of a cook"
Them oysters was beautiful, deary,"
said Joanna, IAN the frittcrs was as
light as feather"
''John couldn't cat them"
hbe bAA h2o
dear"
Joanna, you shouldn't speak Of my |
husband in that way!' cried Alice. fir
ing up.
II won't again, DEAR" said the New
covered with confusion.
1T kind o. slipped out But" she per-
sisted. in a low tone to herself, Its
true, all the same"
And" added Alice. John thinks SO
much OF nice things to cat and drink.
All men do"
Joanna muttered a grunt which might
be translated yes" or mo" according
70 pleasure
"fve almost mind to write TO his
observed Alice. land ask her
advice. Don't you think It would DO .
rood plan, Joanua?"
1T mightn't be a bad one." said the
daughter of Cape Ann.