The National tribune., 1901-04-04

learned that much in his frequent forced
labor in his mothers kitchen.
Then came the additional perpiexity of
Keeping the segments together, while
plastering the paste around them. The
Adjutant added much to his wheaton coat
ing in his efforts. The -four on his face
mingled with the sweat into thin paste.
His hands were thickly clogged.
Il declare, | never did see such a sticky
stuff as this Georgia -four" he grumbled.
Sticks to everything but the apples.
Mothers dough didn't used to act that
way. You could handle it like wax"
The negroes, male and female, became
interested in this unusual exhibition of
Yankee cookery, and gathered around,
watching the proceedings with open eyes,
and wondering what great results would
come. This did not improve the Adju-
tant's temper.
He heard the bugle sound the dinner
call as he finally got round ball OF the
paste formed, with the four quarters of
the apple somewhere inside of it, and
scraped it off his hands into the kettle.
1.-The blasted things will boil all right"
he muttered, IF they won't do anything
else. They can't help boiling, and that
won't matter if they do look a little ragged
when they come out. The milk will cover
that up"
He toisomely elaborated another swad
of the paste and apple-quarters, but be-
fore he dropped it into the kettle looked
there for the other. The water had dis
solved the paste into thin cruel, and the
four quarters of the apple were lying at
the bottom Of the kettle.
Hello, Adjutant," said Col. McGilli-
cuddy, coming up with the General. How
are you getting along with those apple
dumplings?"
That the General should see him in
this hmm lin ting rrndina wrecipd tha
last dixie against the Adjutant's boiling
temper. He stood in the greatest awe of
the General thorough, punctilious sol
dier, q stickler for etiquet and routine, for
trim uniforms, and department becoming
an officer and gentleman. To be seen
by him now, in this plight, consorting with
negro cooks, was ruinouS TO the young
mans self-esteem.
Damn the apple-dumplings," exploded
the Adjutant, giving the kettle kick
which sent it over, and finging away the
knife and a wad of the paste. Colonel.
to get some one else to make them. The
United States Government did not COM
mission me as pastry cook"
'.Well, it did me-" said the General,
with genial laugh Illuminating his strong
bronzed face. To eyerybody's surprise he
began taking off his ccat and rolling up
his sleeves. "It commissioned me to know
and be able to do everything necessary for
health and comfort in the field. I'm not
going to miss so good an opportunity to
get some nice apple-dumplings, for which
my mouths been watering, ever since the
Colonel mentioned them. Come back, Ad-
jutant, sulky cook spoils the meat. Come
back, and get very important lesson in
the great trade of soldering. Come back
and get something to make you appreciate
better your mothers accomplishments"
Throwing the paste out of the bread
bowl, the General gave Aunt Minerva Ann
an object lesson in the proper preparation
of dough, sending to the hospital for some
seidlitz powders, TO use in lieu of baking
powder. He kneaded the dough thorough
ly, and then taking little wad, placed the
four segments of the apple on it, and
easily worked the dough up into a smooth
ball around it.
.I.aw, bress me, how easy hit is, when
you knows how" exclaimed Aunt Minerva
Ann, deftly initiating her teacher.
MY boy" said the General kindly, to
the Adjutant, as they started back to the
tent to wash up, while the dumplings
were boiling. "Fm glad to have had the
opportunity to give You that lesson. You
are n bright, promising soldier, and l want
to see you succeed. There's nothing that
real soldier oughtnt to know, and es-
pecially about the properties and man.
agement of wheat flour. On that frequent
ly depends the health and lives of his men.
Ii had my way I'd make every West
Point Cadet serve an apprenticeship IN
bakery. After I'd been on the frontier
awhile / saw the need of going to work
and learning the trade thoroughly, 1T
I'd done it before l would possibly have
saved some of my mems lives. l cer-
tainly would have added much to their
comfort and my own. After we have
washed up I'll show you how to make a
boss dip for the dumplings. Old Maj.