The suburban citizen., 1902-08-02
A MIXED
MENU.
I I was a charming little sitting room

II was a charming little sitting room
In which Mrs, Mason sat sewing
dainty stitches. Before her stood
the servant girl who, with a stolid
stare, announced that she had found
place down town.
"But, Mary, you surely would not
leave me without help" Mrs. Mason
answered.
Il got a place where get tree dol
lar"
Il would give you three dollars, but
you agreed to work for me for two and
a half If l would teach you to talk and
do the work"
II got anoder place down town.
say go next week"
Entreaty and persuasion were alike
in vain. 1t all ended with, II go next
week"
One year from this time Mrs. Mason
was a wiser if not a better, woman,
and when Lena announced, Il got an.
other place down town. she merely an
swered, very we'll" for this was the
third girl that she had trained for the
woman down town.
When Mr.. Mason came home to din
ner that night he saw at once that some
shadow had clouded the domestic heav-
en-, but when his wife had poured out
her tale of woe, she proceeded to lay
before him plans for her future cam
paign. When he had fully caught her
Idea he laughed long and loud.
10 You're a mighty smart little WON.
an, Marie, but if you try that game
you'll fall down." he announced, when
she asked for his opinion of her plans.
"I'll not fall down any harder than
have in my ether plans, and believe l
can do it,"
"All right, I'll back you" he prom.
ised encouraglngly.
Assured of her husbands co-opera-
ton, Mrs. Mason very willingly agreed
to take Lana's cousin, Christina, who
had just arrived from the fatherland
In the week which interviewed before
the advent Of the new domestic one
might have supposed Mrs. Mason to be
a blue-stocking of Gle deepest dye. for
she carried pencil stuck in her hair,
and stopped to jot down burning
thoughts on whatever was most conve-
nient to rest her notebook upon; the
baby's back or the bottom of the dish.
pan were alike available When the
new Christina appeared, fresh and rosy
and clean, she started at her task with
vigor. Her former experience taught
her the best method of instruction,
and taking up one article after another
she told the names distinctly, and en-
couraged Christina to repeat it until
she was sure Of it.
The first performance in the domestic
act was to fry potatoes for luncheon.
"This, Christina" said Mrs. Mason,
as she held up the spider. sis kettle,
and these are eggs" pointing to the po-
tatoes. After this the bread and the
meat, the crackers and the ralsins, the
coffee and the lemons, changed places,
and fifty of the commonest utensils in
the kitchen and the dining room We're
in confusion that had no order except
In the fertile brain of Mrs. Mason, but
she had her list well memorized, and
her mistakes We're few. Mr.. Mason
gave her enthusiastic support, and
though he feared to give an order to
Christina without first consulting his
wife, and his appealing look at the
table when he held up the cracker Jar
to Christina and asked for more rails
ins, was very amusing. He gave his
wife unstinted admiration for the glib
manner in which she could order n
six-pound bread fried rare. or a small
piece of roast beef for the water
pitcher.
Unsuspecting Christina worked hard
at her part Of the game, evidently de.
sirous Of fitting herself as soon as pos.
slble for the 'tree dollar place" down
town. She jabbered in her native
tongue gladly with her friends, and her
English that chance might call into use
never intruded on the ground Will
which Mrs. Mason had tampered. The
excitement of her experiment added
quite a little interest to the usually
mOnotonous work Of training greer
girl and Mrs. Mason taught her many
mysteries in salads and soups that sh,
had heretofore kept as strictly private
knowledge. Christina had reached tina
stage in her development when Mrs
Mason could give an order for dinner
and go out for an afternoon with some
assurance that palatable, well served
dinner would await her return. Sh,
knew that the time was near at hant
Nor the inevitable announcement, anC