The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-27

popped down on cushion before the nre,
with her feet doubled under her, and be-
gan an energetic course of thinking.
The Kitchen of Uncle Grimbles old
fashioned farmhouse was CHEEKY to see
and fragrant to smell, as preparations for
to- morrow's feast went briskly on under
Aunt Roxy's skillful fingers. And now,
at last, the principal portion of the work
was over, the big turkey sleeping his last
brown savory sleep on the blue platter in
the pantry, beside the great raisin-dotted
plum pudding, two loaves of cake, out
lined temptingly under white-fringed nap
kns, and the biggest tin painful of ium-
bles, COG kies and crullers at the head of a
long procession of mince and pumpkin
pies.
Everything was baked except a half
dozen or so tarts, and some fruit pies
which had not vet received their upper
crusts, for, having got them so far along,
Aunt Roxy had declared herself plum
guy out an not gwine to do nary stitch
mo- tell she had smoke" which she was
now enjoying beside the dining-room fire.
place.
Edna's great achievements wonderful
currant pie, to the manufacture OF which
she had devoted the morning-stood in
the window-sill, alone in its glory, deep
bronze in hue. and neatly scalloped around
the edge.
ut isn't so very fine, as see, that Edna
needed to make such fuss over it, said
lilly to herself. pausing beside it. and
turning her scornful little nose up. II
don't believe it's so awful hard to make a
pie, anyhow, that body has to spend a
whole week learning how to put one to-
beat her, now!'
Here Miss Tilly's gaze fell upon the row
OF uncom pleted pies upon the table, which
started new train of thought.
II suppose Aunt Roxy could beat me or
Edna either one" she went ON. specula-
lively. Her dough looks nice. l won
der. These pies aren't half finished. If
just took and borrowed some of Aunt
Roxy's dough and finished one, it would
be my pie. and would beat Edna, too. Pll
take this nice, red-looking cherry pie.
There's so many more pies Aunt Roxy
won't miss it when she comes out, ard
nobody'li know about it, so itll do just as
we'll as if l made it all. !"
This line of reasoning, YOU perceive, was
not sound. 1t involved, besides the appro-
priatng of Aunt Roxy's work. deceit
toward Uncle Grimbie, and injustice to
Edna, whose pie, good or bad, was the re.
suit of honest industry and study, and
stood fair and square before the world,
just what it pretended to be.
"Ill make mine prettier than Edna's,
too" said lilly, as she whisked the half
finished pie, the rolling pin and piece of
dough borrowed" from Aunt Roxy's pan,
into far corner of the pantry. "I'll
make it scallopier than Edna's, and cMnkle
the edge around with the cake-cutter."
Dress de chile! Whar she git datr'
asked Aunt Roxy. half an hour after
ward. as lilly came forth from the pantry,
gravely bearing her highly ornamented
pie, just ready for the oven.
"Made it," replied lilly triumphantly.
"Is itas nice as yours, Aunt Roxy?"
'Weli, de Iaw-law !" Aunt Roxy dropped
upon a chair. rolling up her eyes in ad-
mlration. "Ef dat amt de beatines
chile! Maxim SIGH a mighty fine-lookin'
pie 'dout no 'sperence Reckon hit'll
beat mine all to no wharf,
"And So" said Uncle Grimb BILE, the next
day, when the anxiously- looked for time
for the Christmas dinner dessert arrived,
my two little cooks have been industrious
and actually made pies for their old
uncle, who hasn't yet lost his taste for
goodies"
"Tilly's is the incest" admitted Edna,
with little indispensable tone of regret !;
"but Aunt Roxy says some are natural