Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-03-08
HIS MOTHERS COOKING.
How MIR. Smith Was Cured Of q
Bad Habit.

II suppose you call these things
doughnuts!" said Mr.. Smith, picking
up n curly, brown edible on the eN-
treme end of his fork, and cycling it
with an untranslatable expression of
countenancc.
Eyes, of course 1 do" said Mrs.
Smith, little timidly. Aren't they
nice? made them myself"
Mr.. Smith laid the curly, brown edi-
BILE down again, and pushed the plate
back.
"Nicc?" he repeated, Il don't say
they're not nice. 1 presume they're
nice enough in their way. But l wish
you could have eaten my mothers
doughnuts."
GLOW were they different from these,
John?" Mrs. Smith vcntured deferen-
TALLY to inquire.
MIR. Smith moved fretfully in his
chair.
"In every way" said he. Women
nowadays don't know how to cook"
"Won't you eat one, John?"
"Thank you, my dear, one mouthful
is enough" sarcastically answered her
lord and master. "I'vc lingering re-
spect left for my digestion. Joanna,
make me q piece of toast. Stale bread,
mind, and brown it but very little. l
don't care to load my stomach with
charcoal"
1t 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 rs she whislcd 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 rs patient and sweet as new milk
over it!'
Joanna johnson WAS no ordinary
"hircd help" She was grim, straight
backed, lantern jawcd New England
woman, who had taken care of Allie
Aston as n child, and who, sooner than
dessert her nursing when She married,
Joined her establishment in the hum
BILE capacity of general housewOrHcr.
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
n servant" or wear n frillcd cap like
the other houscmaids in the block.
Mrs. Aston was very quiet all that
day. Joanna watched her with wistful
eyes, as n dog watches his master.
"Shc amt happy" pondered Joanna,
''and it's because he's pickin' at her all
the time. Women don't know how to
cook, don't they? Well, if l was to
write down in n book all that men don't
know, I'd have to build 4 house to keep
the volumes in, l guess"
JOANNA said Mrs Aston, in the
afternoon.
"Ma'amr' responded Joanna
Joanna was particular to accord Mrs.
Aston all the honorary attributes of
mistresShood. as a general thing. 1t
was only when they were quite by
themselves that she INDUCED in the
sweet usages 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 mo Mr. Smiths
little brown Ealise, want to pack
it"
''Eh?" said Joanna. MIR. Smith go
ing away again?"
YES" the young wife answered,
with something of defiance in her man
ncr. Its nearly three months since
he went away before, and business is
business, you know"
Yes" Joanna laconlcally answered,
II know"
Mr.. Smith was to take the night
train. He came home to an early sup
per, but he would not eat 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, I'm not
much of n cook"
Them oysters was beautiful, deary,"
said Joanna, IAN the fritters was as
light rs n feather"
John couldn't eat them"
That's all his cantankcrousness,
dear"
Joanna, you shouldn't speak of my
husband in that wGy!" cried Alice, fir
ing up.
II won't again. dear" said the New
Highlander, covered with confusion.
at kind O. slipped out. But" she per,
sisted, in a low tone to herself, 'its
true, all the same"
and" added Alice, John thinks SC
much Of nice things to eat and drink.
All men do"
Joanna muttered n grunt which might
be translated yes" or mo-" according
20 pleasure.
1--WE almost n mind to write to his
mother" observed Alice, land ask her
advice. Don't you think it would be q
| good plan, Joanna?"
1T mightn't be n bad one" said the
noncommittal daughter of Cape Ann.
She went back to the kitchen anG
stirred up batter for the mornings
huckwheats, her face full of n new re-