The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-09-25


once again, ker face and hands more
sooty than Hettyss even, and her eyes
red with weeping and the escapine
smoke that had hiled the room ia the
first stage of the accident
you precious. dirty c~reatures~ *
claimed Blanche, warmly, as she gave
her astonished hostess a hearty hug and
kissed one sootless spot in the neighbor-
hood Of the right ear.
"What q lot Of trouble we have un-
Intentionally caused youis
at is al Mr.. Petitioners forgetful-
ness, so do not reproach yourself at all,
dear; but, OH what a time ] have had
for the last three hourslr
aIndeed, 1t must have tried Your
nerves sorely," replied Blanche. sootls
ingly. "But cheer up! we shall get III
famously, never fear. Perhaps you ara
ignorant of the fact that May, Ida and
1 have become proficient members of a
cooking club, and can get up a break
fast. dinner or tea in capital style, and
on short notice. Just furnish us a big
apron apiece, and we viii prove u
capabilities in a very short WHILE
@That would be a novel idea indeed
responded Mrs. Pettibone, with a little
incredulous laugh.
81 am really in earnest, said Blanche.
@only get MS the aprons and I win prove
the truth of my words"
"Whati Have my visitors come to the
kitchen and cook their own dinners?
Neveri" emphatically cried the hostess.
"Whatl Have a party of healthy
young people come to spend the day
with a friend and find her minus a cook
and literally with SCOT to her eyes and
yet lend no helping hand? Never!" re-
torted the guest, quite as emphatically.
$50 go at once and wash your face and
hands; they really need it, dear. while
1 bring out Clarence Stewart to assist
your small maid in putting up the stove
pipe"
Don't look so shocked, Laura; he is
sufficiently able-bodied to undertake
the job, 1 assure you; and. besides, l am
a little curious to know how much abil-
ity of this kind hepossesses, she added.
Then, bustling the hostess away to
the sooty insignia of her new
role, and also to hunt up enough large
aprons for the trio, and giving Hetty
some useful hints about taking up the
SCOT carefully, Blanche joined her
friends in the parlor and depicted the
situation in such a humorous way that
the company were almost convulsed
with laughter.
The quartette had come out for a holi-
day, were dressed in washable goods
mostly, and were eager for anything
savoring of novelty, so that when, a
later, Mr.. Pettibone returned with
many misgivings and a very verdant
girl, but little older than Hetty, he was
considerably astonished at the sight OF
four pretty cooks in long aprons and
as busy as bees in the kitchen, while
handsome Clarence Stewart sat at the
door in his shirt sleeves, shelling peas
and casting especially admiring glances
at one of the aforementioned cooks.
When troubles come, they come not
but in battalions," quoted Stew
art, after the host had given a pathetic
ally ludicrous account of his search
i'after the unattainable," as he face
expressed it, "and an hour spent
at the blacksmith shop while a wheel
being mended."
In a brief time both host and hostess
heartily into the humor Of the
situation, and a merrier set had never
before convened under the Pettibone
roof.
There were no idle hands.
Vegetables were gathered and pre-
pared, strawberries picked, salad cons
pounded, a new sort of cake successful-
y baked, chicken temptingly fried. am
Der coffee made, faky biscuit fashioned.
delightful cream frozen until, from abb
,olute misfortune, matters took a high
) satisfactory turn.
Blanche directed and assisted her
corps of willing auxiliaries, as If she
had been to the kettles born" while
Clarence Stewart appeared to relish the
bondage under which he served, though
{ was far from being an easy one, for
he freezer had to be kept in constant
until the perspiration believed
he flushed faces of both himself and
dr. P~ettibone, as they took turns at the
process.
verify, you two shall have your re.
ward, said Blanche, encoufagingly. .for
vhen the ices come to be served 1 shall
ecall to the mind of our hostess the in
Iustry you have displayed, and yours
hall be the lions share"
Indeed, / was seriously thinking OF
ot giving Mr.. Pettibone any dinner at
IL as a punishment for not delivering
our note at the proper Time" said his
wife, shaking her finger reproachfully
{ him.
"As this is the first case on record OF
man carrying around in his pockets
,tters he should have delivered I think
e ought to be pardoned," interposed
tewart. gravely. and everyone laughed.
Finally dinner vas announced, and.
18th faces q good deal roster and appe-
ties certainly heartier, the party sat
to table.
"Not to the Mother Of Invention which
ecessity created, but to her charming
was the toast Stewart of.
red, which was drunk in the most
of fresh. cool buffermilk