The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-12-10
SUGAR OR SALT,
BY RYE JOHNSON.

1t was an old-fashioned house, in !
the suburb of an old-fashioned town. |
Nancy Moore stood upon the porch and
watched the carriage until it disap-
peared around the bend near the bridge;
then, turning, danced gleefully into the
pleasant kitchen. Miss Nancy Moore,
'Missus' for the day, if you please" she
said aloud with sweeping courtesy.
though her own bright self was the
only being visible. Then dropping into
an easy chair, placed invitingly near
an open window through which the
sweet morning air came IN delightful
little puffs, she proceeded to plan her
days work.
Mamma and papa are off for the day,
and l may work my own sweet will
while they are away. There's a
rhyme to begin with, you silly thing.
They will be gone until near five, and
Cousin Hal is coming home with them
TO tea. ! am to prepare that tea, or
rather dinner. Let me see, what shall
we have? There's beautiful bread, but
ter and honey for foundation. I'll
make some of those mock mince pies
papa loves SO dearly. Then white
cake and a cream layer, mold of
,ariegated apple jelly to please man.
ma, some lemon jelly to please Hal"
with 4 flush at mention of that name);
''then there's potato salad, crcamed
will do, Nancy. you must remember the
darling old papa is not rich"
Springing up, the happy girl took
down a huge gingham apron from a
convenient nail, and after donning it,
rolled her sleeves above her dimpled
elbows. The fire was rebuilt in the
cooksto,e and the dampers were regu-
lated. Then seizing pan she ran
lightly down the cellar stairs to the
potato bin.
1.-Two cupfuls and half of grated
potato" she said, as she selected tubers,
''and if l have any over shan't put
it in as l did last time. Strange how
easy it is 20 spoil nice dish by not
following the directions implicitly
Nancy sang merrily as she pared.
washed and dried the potatoes. Then
rHC W law eAA>AA NooA ~ y
but unfortunately rubbed her thumb
over the CRATER, thereby interrupting
her song for a minute. But she was too
happy to care for a wounded thumb
and was soon warbling away in rivalry
with the birds who were singing their
October melodies preparatory to fit
ting.
f,,te ho1f 0f GRATED
potato, two cupfuls Of boiling water
poured over them, one cupful of vine
gar, one of molasses, one and half OF
sugar, two teaspoonfuls Of cinnamon
and one of cloves. Butter size OF an
egg and a cupful of raisins," she re
peated aloud, as she added each in
gredient in turn. There, that's all
Now for my crust and papa's mince pies
are made.'
In very short time she had foul
dainty-looking pies in the oven, ano
the savory odor they emitted when
she presently opened the oven door was
wonderful imitation of the origina
to say the least.
While her pies were baking, she pre-
pared her mold of variegated apple jelly
by pceling and cutting up pound o
sour apples and putting them to cool
in a stewpau with three ounces o.
sugar, a cupful of water and the juic'
and grated rind of lemon. WheI
they were cooked to pulp, she pu
them through Il strainer and added al
ounce of gelatine, which she had dis
solved in a gill of water. Half OF tn
apples she colored with teaspoonfu
of cochineaI, and then she filled he
mold with alternate layers of tn
colored and uncolored fruit. When
was cold, she turned it out upon glas
dish, and it was to be served with
pint of whipped cream piled high o.
the center. This done, she made tn
cream for her layer cake. By that tim
the pies were done and the cake makini
followed.
Every body has favorite recipe TO
white cake, but perhaps Nancy's simpl
formula for layer cake may fill tn
need of some one whose papa like her
is mot rich:" Zone cupful OF whit
sugar." said she aloud-someway sh
had talked to herself all day-"one egs
half cupful of saleratus and one
lemon Now just -four enough for
running batter, and into the three tiu
yon CO."
Everything turned out splendidl.
aud Nancy felt thrlll Of paraoHsh'