Audubon Republican., 1897-09-23

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 un-
Intentionally caused you'll"
'It is all Mr.. Pettibone's forgetful-
ness, SO do not reproach yourself at all,
dear; but, oh! what time 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
1 have become proficient members Of a
cooking club, and can get up break
fast, dinner or tea in capital style, and
on short notice. just furnish us a big
apron apiece, and we will prove our
capabilities in very short WHILE"
''That would be novel idea indeed"
responded Mrs. Pettibone, with little
incredulous laugh.
81 am really in earnest" said Blanche.
"Only get us the aprons, and L will prove
the truth of my words"
what! Have my visitors come to the
kitchen and cook their own dinners?
Never!" emphatically cried the hostess.
what! Have party of healthy
young people come to spend the day
with friend and find her minus cook
and literally with SCOT to her eyes and
yet lend no helping hand? Never!" re-
torted the guest, quite as emphatically.
80 90 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, l assure you; and, besides, am
a little curious to know how much abil-
ity of this kind he possesses" she added.
Then, bustling 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 holi-
day, were dressed in washable goods
mostly, and were eager for anything
savoring of novelty, so that when,
little later, Mr.. Pettibone returned with
many misgiwings and 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
singly, but in battalions," quoted Stew
art, after the host had given pathetic
ally ludicrous account of his search
"after the unattainable," as he face
tiously expressed it, ''and an hour spent
at the blacksmith shop while wheel
was being mended."
In brief time both host and hostess
entered heartily into the humor OF the
situation, and merrier set had never
before convened under the Pettibone
roof.
There were no idle hands.
Vegetables were gathered and pre-
pared, strawberries picked, salad COM
pounded, a new sort of cake successful-
ly baked, chicken temptingly fried, am
Der coffee made, faky biscuit fashioned,
delightful cream frozen until, from abb
solute misfortune, matters took high
ly 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
it was far from being an easy one, for
the freezer had to be kept in constant
motion until the perspiration bedewed
the flushed faces of both himself and
Mr.. Pettibone, as they took turns at the
congealing process.
''Verily, you two shall have your re-
ward" said Blanche, ,encouragingly, "for
when the ices come to be served shall
recall to the mind of our hostess the in
dustry you have displayed, and yours
shall be the lions share"
Indeed, was seriously thinking of
not giving Mr.. Pettibone any dinner at
all as punishment for not delivering
your note at the proper time" said his
wife, shaking her finger reproachfully
at him.
"As this is the first case on record of
man carrying around in his pockets
letters he should have delivered think
he ought to be pardoned," interposed
Stewart, gravely, and everyone laughed.
Finally dinner was announced, and,
with faces good deal roster and appe-
tites certainly heartier, the party sat
down to table.
"Not to the Mother of Invention which
necessity created, but to her charming
daughters" was the toast Stewart Of