Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1893-03-23

the kind OF a woman to conide in, and
in less than twenty -four hours she and
Alice had talked the whole matter over,
and Alice had prepared snndry test
dishes in the kitchen.
My DEAR" said the Old lady, ''you
are better cook than ever I was"
but, mother, John doesn't think
So"
John must be made to appreciate
his blessings, my dear" said Mrs.
Smith, the elder.
Of course Mr.. Smith was pleased to
find Alice there when he stopped for
flying visit on the way home. 1t was
just at dinner time when he arrived,
and he ate like starved wolf.
"Ah-h-h!' said he, helping himself a
second time to the falsy chicken pie
and sending his coffee cup for re-
punishment. This is something like!
The people ont west don't know what
cooking means. l see, mother, you
haven't forgotten your old skill. An
other croquette, please. And pass the
doughnuts. Now, look here, Allie
eat these, if you want to know what
doughuuts really are. Why, used to
take these to school in my lunch box
when l was ten years old l haven't
eaten such a dinner as this since was
at home before. I do wish mother,
you could give Allie {. few points in
these matters"
Mrs. John Smith, the elder, looked
across the table to where Alice's fair
head dropped over her plate.
Don't mind him, Allie,' she said,
encoura gingly. "You may show him
tomorrow what you can do
At breakfast the fshballs were pro-
nounced too dry.
Don't you like them?" futtered
Allie. with an apprehensive glance at
her mother-in-law.
do I like sawdust? What's that
you've got there? Broiled chickens!
How came you to scorcl them so? And
half raw in the middle! Call these
rolls? Why, they're heavy as lead!
Boil me an egg, can't you? Luckily no.
body can spoil a boiled egg"
Dinner was no better The roast
grouse was overdope, the oyster pie
was pronounced "soggy," the pudding
like lead.
mo wonder" groaned Mr.. Smith,
that dyspepsia is the great American
diseased"
"Why, John,' chirped the CHEEKY old
lady, what ails you? You never used
to grumble SO at what you ate and
drank"
Its Allies vile cooking" groaned
the young man.
NO, it isn't said Mrs. John Smith,
the elder. 'lt's mine.''
''What!" shouted her son, dropping
his knife.
1--we done all the cooking to-day
said Mrs. John Smith, the elder. "Ex-
actlv as 1 used to do it when you lived
at home, and suited you to IT,
"And-and who cooked the dinner
yesterd ay" stammered John.
Alice! Everything on the table! I
always told her that she was better
cook than was. And you will believe
it now"
John sat for a moment or two in
silence; then he whistled Il low, long
whistle.
II give up beat" said he. "Alice, we
shall have to hand over the first prize
to you. Come around here, my girl,
and kiss me-"
And Alice obeyed, stopping on the
way to give her mother-in-law a Low.
ing little hug.
Joanna johnson was on the alert to
catch every word and look when the
young couple returned home, and APP
parently the result of her obser-
vations was satisfactory.
II kind O. thought it would work.
said she to herself. with grim SMILE
'"Them doughnuts she fried last night,
he said he had never tasted no better
They was like thistiedowns
Just then Alice came in all radiant
joanna" said she, ''did you hear
what Mr.. Smith said about my cook
ing?"
"Yes, dear, did," smiled Joanna.
"He likes my cooking now.''
He'd be a strange person if he
didn't, DEAR" observed the help
But Alice kept the story of the little
stratagem to herself She was too
loyal a wife to hetray Johns discomfit-
ure even to faithful Joanna: and on
her side the lank New Highlander never
let Alice know of the letter she had
surreptitiously written to Mrs. John
Smith, the elder, suggesting this very
plan.
sit takes good deal of machinery to
herself, ''but 1 guess we did it this