Evening journal., 1899-07-15
HER BATTER CAKES.
stD OSE ELLA" said her mother, "Aun,
N Susan has done sont for me to come


yin preachah's'll go plum wiz ef dey don
git der buzzum shuts an collahs 70 Sunday
Some on 'em has to &c to Aneyandra (Alex-
andria) an some wants to 80 to Washin' ton.
Does yooal reclzin you kin git erlong wild
out me while-s:Ss gomez"
I'm o'se, NAV, Rose Ella answered, de-
lighted at the prospect of keeping house all
by herself 81 amt done watch you an hope
(help) you all dis time for nuthin."
"Well, Is done put de bakin on to bile,
an you mus ak yo pap bout a hour by sun
tefo y O'Clock an drap the cabbige in, an
~ kin mex some crackln' scratch-backs fo'
TO go along wild it."
"Al right maw;" and Rose Ella flew
around to ''red up the house before dinner
time.
80 yo' nav had a CALL" remarked her
father, while dining. eve don't keer, tho,
do we, boys, s'lon's she lef' us sech a good
cook" And he smacked his lips over the
cabbage
'By the way, Rose Ella, he asked as he
rose from the table, what you gwine gye
us TO suppah%
q dunno, pap"
"Mizzes James done give me pint Of
losses es / come way FUN dah-sayed they'd
done tiahed Of tan / think 'twould 20
mighty good on batteh cakes. We's done
got de bunghole, now TO de bar'l Yere, TEX
dis five cent an git dat wuth o. -four FUN de
sto'. You got som SOU milk an knows how
to ingregiate 'em, recKin"
"Suttinly, pap"
So when the Glow descending sun admon-
ished Rose Ella it was nearly supper time
she begun to sum up her knowledge of the
materials used in batter cakes.
Les see-one quart Of houah, one big
/ IA i,f Golf and alro 11r.,.stt fine
aig, an milk 'nough for sufficient / amt
done fo'got thing, kase nav tol' me always
'membeh five, cep'en l didn't have no aig to
go in"
When her father and the boys-a hungry
trio-came in the table was set, the coffee
boiling furiously and the eriddle smoking
"Whoopee Hurrayl" shouted the boys,
conveying the cakes to their plates, from
whence they rapidly disappeared. MEX
base, sis, er you KANT keep up" they
warned her. Suddenly their father paused
with half cake suspended on his fork, and
said:
1T seems to me they's quare smell in this
yer house tonight, Rose Ella. Am they
not?"
"Why, that's a fact, pap" she, shifting, an
swered. Il kind o. smelt it a few minutes
ago. but wus too busy TO tex much notice Of
] y
Dunno fo' suttin', but pears to me it's
someh'n lax gunpowdah."
ooh, yes; III bet them little niger boys
has put a firecracker in my stove, said Rose
Ella, accusingly.
"Did your sternly inquired their father.
"No sab, pap" replied the elder. Nary
one, turning to the younger.
Deed, no, sab, pap; I'd be feared
Maybe it's someh'n outdo's," remarked
her father "In 60 out an prospect
awhile" adding, as he swallowed the last
morsel Of his twentieth cake: "Yore bat
eh cakes was rale good, Rose Ella; yore
Jaw hes made lighteh ones dan desc. but dE
am putty fair. / recldn yore milk wasN
title too SOU"
As he stepped outside the kitchen door,
which. in a normal colored mans house is
generally open summer and winter, he
heard his name called, and, turning IN the
direction Of the speaker, saw six or eight
men and women from nearby cabinsl, all
with either handkerchiefs or aprons, shield
iRg their noses.
"Wll you please shet yo' do'? inquired
the spokesman
"What fo'g" in turn questioned Rose
ELIAS father.
"so's we all KANT cotch dot retajus Ccso-
agious) cease"
"Which?"
'T dunno; Is akin you now. Am it small
pox aw vallyloid (vaiioloid)%
"Vally nuthinl We all amt sick ef
rou'lls seed us shublin' down de batch
axes to suppeh you'd think So"
GO way nowl Whut you rumigatin' TO-,
dsn?"
'Well, dat am mysterious. 1t do seem
ak it, I'll remit, but taint we done it, any
way"
'Naybe it we're a ha'nt," suggested one Of
the women. The caildren, who had followed
their father outside, positively grew two
shades lighter at this, and crept close 20
heir father.
At this moment the terrifying situation
was relieved by the return Of his wife.
"What you all havin' in my presence while
rs gomez" she demanded "a s'prise pawty!'
and without waiting for a reply she stepped
into the house, calling back: Come in, all
on you; room fo'-my soul an bodyl what
in de name Of peace am you got in yere, OF
MANI" and she quickly sought the outer
air.
"Ooman. wish't could tell yer" gravely
answered her husband, "but / kain't; ives
holm a commocation on the subiec' now.
Some says maybe" in a lower tone, ct am
a cuniah spell"
But his wife, less supersuuous than many
Of her race, scomed this idea.
Il gwine sif de bottom Nv dis mattah, TO
b'lievs dat, anyhow" she declared, Renter
ing the kitchen, and opening the windows.
"Rose Ella" she called, why fo' am you
bunnin' up my batteh cake griddle" snatch
ing it from the stove.
Deed nav, it got so strong in yere 1
had to rum"
"An' did you hev hoe cakes 70 suppah?"
"No, NAV, batteh cakes"
"Batteh cakesl whah'd you git de flou' an
sallyratus fun to 90 in umy"
"IIe buyed the flour, an I got the sally
ratus outen the box whah you always keeps
it,"
Deed you didn't den, fo' done use up
de las yistday, an fo'got to git mo-. Git de
box you use FUN, an lemme see whut kin o
tomfoolness you done"
Rose Ella timidly obeyed. By this time,
the air being somewhat cleaner, the people
in the yard, to satisfy their curiosity, ven
tured nearer, and crowded the doorway and
windows.
''Well, does think in de sole of my footl"
! q I Al. N. IL I.