Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-10-02

lor, for she felt confident that some
thing was amiss, by the tone of things
in general, coupled with the sooty dec
orations on Hetty's face.
''She amt feelin' very well right
now" answered the truthful hand
maiden, who had not been cautioned to
preserve discreet silence.
what is the matter?" questioned
Blanche, whose curiosity was by no
means satisfied by Hetty's answer.
''Why, the stovepipe fell down awhile
ago, and just mashed an ruined all the
nice pies Mis- Laura had made, an scat
tered SCOT over all the other things, an
cooks gone away, an Mr.. Pettibone is
out now tryin' to find somebody to help
get dinner"
Good gracious!" exclaimed Blanch.
aghast at this formidable array of mis-
fortunes. rs that all?"
"Yes'm, 1 think it isl responded
Hetty, thoughtfully, not quite sure that
she had enumerated the entire cata-
logue-
Poor, dear woman! Where is she?"
Blanche exclaimed, impulsiveIy, and
followed her guide straightway to the
| kitchen, where she discovered her
friend bravely trying to restore order
once again, her face and hands more
sooty than Hetty's even, and her eyes
red with weeping and the escaping
smoke that had filled the room in the
first stage of the accident.
.'You precious, dirty creature!" eX-
! claimed Blanche, warmly, as she gave
her astonished hostess hearty hug and
kissed one sootless spot in the neighbor-
hood of the right ear.
what lot of trouble we have I'M
| Intentionally caused you'll"
| 1T is all Mr.. Petitioners forgetfu1-
ness, so do not reproach yourself al all,
dear; but, oh! what a time 1 have had
| for the last three hours!"
| Indeed, it must have tried your
nerves sorely," replied Blanche, sooth-
ingly. But cheer up! we shall get on
| famously, never fear. Perhaps you are
| ignorant of the fact that May, Ida and
| have become proficient members of
cooking club, and can get up break
| fast, dinner or tea in capital style, and
! on short notice. Just furnish US bi
| apron apiece, and we will prove our
capabilities very short while"
THAT would be a novel idea indeed, -
| responded Mrs. Pettibone, with a little
incredulous laugh.
| Il am really in earnest" said Blanche.
only get us the aprons, and will prove
the truth of my words"
| w nat! have my VlS1UOTS come 10 the
kitchen and cook their own dinners?
Never!" emphatically cried the hostess.
| What! 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 emphatically.
$50 go at once and wash your face and
hands; they really need it, dear, while
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, assure you; and, besides, a m
a little curious to know how much abil-
Z, ity of this kind he possesses" she added.
/ Then, busting the hostess away to
remove 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 humorous way that
| the company were almost convulsed
with laughter.
! The quartette had come out for a holt
day, were dressed in washable goods
mostly, and were eager for anything
| savoring of novelty, so that when, a
little later, Mr.. Pettibone returned with
many misgivings and very verdant
girl, but little older than Hetty. he was
| considerab bly, astonished a 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
singly, but in battalions," quoted Stew
art, after the host had given a pathetic
ally ludicrous account of his search
| latter the unattainabie," as he face
tiously expressed it. land an hour spent
| at the blacksmith shop while a wheel
was being mended."
In brief time both host and hostess
entered heartily into the humor of the
situation, and a merrier set had never
before convened under the Pettibone
roof.
There were no idle hands.
fberad and nre-