The suburban citizen., 1902-08-02

so when Christina said, a little more
shyly than some of the former girls;
"My cousin she got me place where
see her every day. The woman, she
say she glad to get girl what you make
She have your girl anoder time"
Mrs. Mason answered cheerily:
"All right, Christina, you can go right
along. I'll get along without girl for
while, but Mr.. Mason is going to
bring company home tonight, and
want a very nice dinner"
Christina smiled at so willing an ac
quIescence to her plans and asked;
What 1 get for dinner"
wen have some of that nice oat
meal cream, a cabbage fried cake, some
souped eggs, a chicken omelette, and
you may get some of the best oyster
| cookies from the pickle. Make some
coffee soup, Christina, and make the
freezer full. l think Wen have soda
pie with it,"
"All right; l do it," answered Chris
tina willingly, and Mrs. Mason smiled
as she thought Of the lady down town.
Now Madam, you're welcome to the
fruit of my labor"
If she felt the least bit guilty the
memory of the many hours of care and
thought that she had given to the
training of green girls came to appease
her conscience.
81 only wish 1 could see the other
acts" she said to Mr.. Mason. II ex'
pect to be in the fifth myself, but
fear shall miss the third and fourth"
Christina reported bright and early
at Mrs. Benders, eager to prove herself
worthy of her advance. Circum.
stances compelled Mrs. Bender to leave
her largely to her own devices the first
day but on the morning Of the second
day she came in haste into the kitchen.
christina" she said. get breakfast
as quickly as possible. Mr.. Bender
wants to make that early train. We
generally want toast, but We will get
along without it this morning; and we
like it rare" she added, pointing to the
beef steak.
Rare" Christina exclaimed.
Eyes, rare. You understand what
that is, don't you?"
Yes"
swell, We always take it rare, and
| our coffee strong"
"You take coffee for breakfastW
always; and we would like it as
soon as possible, Christina"
Mrs. Bender sailed out of the kitchen
and confidentially told Mr.. Bender that
the new girl seemed exceedingly stu.
pld, or else she had a very peculiar
manner.
''She is in a constant state of sur.
prise" she added, land declare, l
smell bread toasting. l told her not to
toast it this morning"
In an incredibly short time the break
| fast bell rang, and when the Bender
family sat down to the table, the look
of surprise was transferred from
| Christmas face to theirs, for on the
| platter lay a fine steak, fresh from the
refrigerator, and in place Of the pot Of
steaming coffee, sat a pitcher of ice
| cold lemonade. Mrs. Bender rang the
bell with exceeding energy, and when
astonished Christina appeared, they
each made a frantic effort to convince
the other that she was responsible for
the mistake. Mrs. Bender grew an.
CRY, and Christina resorted to tears,
and while Mr.. Bender listened to their
| confusing explanations he made his
breakfast on toast and lemonade.
Matters grew worse rapidly, and in
spite Of repeated and patient eXplana.
tions, Christmas ideas were in a state
Of hopeless confusion, but neither she
nor Mrs. Bender ever thought of the
little woman on the hill as the author
of all their troubles. At the end OF
two weeks Mrs. Bender took a street
car for Walnut Hill, and seeking out
Mrs. Mason asked her if she would not
be willing to take Christina back. Mrs.
Mason artfully hesitated a moment,
and then consented.
II am so relieved" Mrs. Bender said,
"for 1 keep her in tears half of the
time, and she seems so anxious to
please me. can't understand how
any one can be as stupid as she is"
So Christina came back, and for four
years she did faithful service in Mrs
Mason's kitchen, and for the first time
in her life that ingenious little woman
did not live in constant fear OF IAN
oder place down town."-Charlotte w.
Eastman, in What to Eat.