South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1893-02-10

~ee IA Ais0en Auofes uot ubky Dis
cults would be ready to supply the
empty bread plates.
Instead Of this, the weeks sup
ply of bread was baked in brick
oven, heated with small wood, the
heat tested by throwing in q little
four, the proper browning Of which
showed that the oven was ready for
the raised dough, which was placed
in loaves directly on the brio ks, the
fire having been withdrawn and the
bricks swept clean. The oven was
closed. and in an hour the bread
was ready to be taken out, and the
oven was the proper temperature
for cakes, pies &c. The rest of the
cooking was done in largo open
fireplace with crane, and pot
hooks and hangers from which were
suspended the iron cooking uten-
sils, and the corn bread was baked
in Clutch oven," an iron kettle
with legs and cover, heat supplied
by Goals on the hearth and on the
iron lid.
While Aunt Amy was so busy in
the dining-room, she had complete
ly lost sight of little Patsy, who
was not less busy elsewhere. Her
one thought was to help Aunt Amy
and relieve her face Of that worried
look.
She went to the kitchen and
drawing q goodly quantity of Goals
forward on the hearth, she dragged
the dutch oven, for it was too heavy
for her to lift, over them. Then
to the store-room, and climbing o
chair she reached over into the
meal bin, and dipped up measure
full. That is the way Aunt Amy
always did,-she began talking to
herself so that she would not for
get anything as she hunted up the
other ingredients that went to
make up an cole Virginny pone."
Having mixed them we'll in bowl,
just as she had seen Aunt Amy do
hundreds OF time, she carried it in
to the kitchen, poured the mixture
into the dutch oven, put on the
lid, covered it with plenty Of live
Goals, and stole quietly up stairs to
her room. On her knees by her
bedside, her hands fer7ontly fold
ed, the little maid repeated the
"Lord's Prayer" slowly and reYer-
emily, adding q petition of her own
"Dear Lord, please make my pone
as good as Aunt Amy's." Amen.
Where Patsy got her religious
ideas from it was hard to tell. Not
from Aunt Amy, who had never
been near enough to church nor
preacher to learn much in that
line. May be the spirit mother
was not SO far away from the child,
or the dying words OF blessing may
have borne their fruit-such words
are never wasted, although to our
limited vision, the results may not
always be evident. Patsy lived
very close to nature, and having no
young companions, had many
thoughts Of God and his creations
and when she began to learn to
read, she spelled out and got by
heart ''Tbe Lords Prayer"
Her father died before she could
remember, 80 "Our Father" was
her only father, and he could do
everything-whenevs she had any
special desire, this prayer was her
talisman and il her wish did not
come to pass, it was because her
Father in heaven did not think it
good for her.
And now her prayer said, she
ran down stairs again 10 her charge
lin the dutch oven.
She heard her uncle and the boys
come in, and make their dinner
toilets good wash ct the spring,
combing their hair, and clipping
on their coats.
She heard her aunts voice in the
sitting room:
"Come right on to dinnsr, Broth
er Gregg, please BRING couple Of
chairs. Have not had time to ask
after any Of you" and Uncle
Grsgg's answer: "Eo need to ask
seeing We are all here, healthy and
hearty"
She heard the moving OF the
chairs in the dining room, aud
knew the dinner had begun.
~ LII