The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-06-21

nahs sister to come for q few days.
There won't be the slightest neces.
sity,' said Linden, rather loftily
We're going, for once, to have our
beefsteak properly broiled You
needn't feel the slightest hesitation
about bringing a friend home to din
ner father, if you happen to feel like
it."
This was said with a newborn air
crously upon Linden's sixteen-year-o
shoulders. The patronizing tone of
her voice was too much for Max. who
snickered outright.
You may laugh If you want to-"
said the confident cook; "but you are
to have a good dinner tonight. | mean
to devote the afternoon to cooking it"
Mrs. Braddock, in tie pustle of de-
parture had no time for culinary in
| structions; but it is doubtful if Linden.
in her exalted frame RI mind, would
have profted by anything of the
kind.
The coast was clear at last Linden
with a businesslike air, put on huge
apron and started to inspect her do
main.
There was meat in the ice-box. Lin
den eyed it at first with satisfaction,
but the feeling gradually gave place
to doubt.
ITS either mutton, veal, beef or
/ hut 70 ho
distinguishing feature said Linden,
| touching it gingerly with one finger.
Il should think the butcher would
| label it. However, it doesn't matter
particularly. III just read up the di-
rections for cooking all four and
choose the easiest way. Here's the
| book. Make a dressing it
isn't veal, at any rate, for there isn't
any place in it to put dressing. Basic
well'-Now what does that mean? Oh.
| know; they sew it up in cloth. Put
an apple in the mouth'-Oh. that's for
a whole pig. Pshaw! This cook
book isn't any good. I'll just cook the
thing-whatever it is-in the oven the
way Hannah does"
So Linden slid "the thing" which
happened to be leg of mutton, from
it's plate into a roasting pan, and car
ried it to the oven.
Why" exclaimed the astonished
cook, there isn't any fire in the stove.
It's a good thing there's plenty of
time"
1t was good thing. too, that there
was plenty of kindling, or the fire
might never have started. Some un-
washed sweet and white potatoes fol-
lowed the meat into the oven.
II should have something cooking
on top of the stove," said Linden, look.
ing around with a pexplexed air.
Hannah always does. Oh, coffee, of
course! think I'll make jelly Of
these cranberries."
"There!" she said, some time later.
who says I can't cook? Now I'll
set the table,"
Linden fingered lovingly over the
task of setting the table. 1t really
looked so well that no one-least Of
all Linden-would have suspected that
the salt, tablespoons, carving-knife
and napkins were missing. When she
returned to the kitchen she found that
the fire had taken advantage of her
fire had again gone out.
Linden rebuilt it cheerfully, adding
a solitary stick of hardwood to the
llindling. Then she went to the gar
den, where she gathered some flowers
for the table and bunch of parsley.
When she returned to the kitchen the
fire had again gone out.
The cook gave a gasp of astonish-
ment not unmixed with dismay. Then,
with an anxious glance at the clock,
she rekindled the fire.
"A whole hour" said Linden. with
a sigh of relief. Surely that will be
time enough. I never could see how
Hannah could keep so busy with so
little to do. She gets herself so un-
necessarily mussy, too"
Linden glanced complacently at her
reflection in the little mirror over the
sink, and was surprised to discover
black streak down one side of her
nose. She washed her face and hands,
and then turned to inspect the fire. 1t
was out.
This said Linden, "is an abomin-
able stove!"
She devoted fifteen minutes to the
rolling of a single butter-ball. She
dropped it four times and the grooved
butter-boards became sticky and would
not work. The completed ball was
grimy in appearance and anything
but round. Linden consigned it to the
stove and decided that plain butter
was good enough for the Braddocks.
Even the cutting of the bread present
ed hitherto unsuspected difficulties.
Hello, the cook" cried a hearty
voice from the hallway. nearly al hour
later. "How's the dinner"
Almost ready" said Linden, who
had just emptied her first decidedly
unsuccessful attempt at gravy over the
back fence.
whats happened here?" asked
Max, coming in at the back door. 1T