The National tribune., 1903-06-04

slouching farm hands, ego and get me
some chips and lot Of dry wood. Now
make haste, for l must get the oven just
the right heat"
''Them's awful fne-looking raisins, Mrs.
| Klegg," said Pete suggestively as he eyed
| the wormy, dried-up little fruit in the box
| that must have come into the United
States before the blockade in 1861.
| Cant me and Sandy pick them over?
used to do it for Mother"
'Now, you boys just clear right out and
sit outside in the sun. If l want your
help I'll let you know" and Mrs. KIegg
pushed them both out the door. 81 amt
got none too many Of them raisins any
how, and l don't want them all ct up.
But I'll give you something to do. want
this spice pounded to a powder. Wait
till l get a rag-no, you go and hunt a
piece of iron to do the pounding on first.
| I'll have it ready in a minute"
Pete fled toward the Commissary, and,
waiting till that functionary's back was
turned, swiped the two-pound weight and
hastened back to the kitchen door. Here
you are, Mrs. Klegg. Spice ready? l can
do it boss; my Ma taught me how to do
such things" Mrs. Klegg put the rag
filed with spices in Pete's hands. and re-
turned to the sugar and eggs, at the table
She had her hand in the big gourd mixing
the butter and sugar-she, like all old
fashioned housewives, believed that to be
the only way to mix cake-when Pete's
head appeared around the dooriamb
please, Mrs. Klegg," he said. me and
Sandy want to come inside. It's awful
hot out here, deed it is.''
| Mrs. klegg's heart melted. and she told
them to come in. They got the spice pound
ed, and then Pete set at her to let him
seed the raisins. "Oh, well, you might as
well get at it; won't have no peace of
mind till you do. Here, now, don't you
you, in the weak condition of your
stomach"
| Il don't know what I'm going to do
without Orleans molasses for this cake"
grumbled Mrs. Klegg. "There amt moth
ing to take the place of them in fruit
cake
"Oh, know where there is some," cried
Pete. ''Tll git EN-" and away he ran
In about minute there was an awful
the others was Pete's shrill voice, howl
ing: "Le'me lone, 1 tell you! Le'me
lone. Mrs. Klegg, she wants this mo-
lasses, and she's got to have itn' And
Pete came dashing into the kitchen with
a gourd of black molasses in his hand, the
sticky stuff stringing along the floor as he
tilted it in his eagerness Here it is. Mrs.
klegg. That nasty little whelp of hos
pital cook wanted to dispute your right to
have it, but l got it away. Git out of
| here, you stingy Son-of-a-sea- cook" yelled
Pete. as the Hospital Steward followed
him into the kitchen. "They's ladies' in
here. Git outv' and he suited the action
to the word and gave a tremendous kick
The Steward caught Pete's foot as it flew
into space, and the yelling youngster fell
sprawling. on the floor. Sandy was quick
ly into the rescue, and grabbing up a
handful of eggs, began to smash them in
quick succession on the unlucky Stewards
anatomy.
Mrs. Klegg was woman of action
when the necessity moved, and in about
three second she had Pete and Sandy by
the bands of their trousers, and was shak-
ing the poor little wretches till their teeth
ratified. They were not much bigger than
l2-year-old boys at most, and were thinner
than usual, from their illness. In Mrs.
klegg's strong hands they were babies
You little limbs of Satan," she said, as
she finally chucked them back into. cor
ner by the fireplace, what you need is
good. sound spankin', and have notion
to give it to you. Don't yoQ either of you
stir ont of that corner till give you leave.
Just look at them wasted eggs!' she
sputtered. as she turned her attention to
the poor Steward, who was all but speech
less III SbTry, SIT, sue SAID apOloSetlc-
ally. "Can | do anything to help you sit
cleaned mp"
The Steward was too mad to be polite.
but. scraping the eggs out of his eyes,
backed out with n muttered threat to kill
half dozen kids and. serve them up
broiled. Here" called Mrs. K1egg, ..if
these is your molasses, take 'em along"
But the Steward was gone, so she turned
her attention to the materials for the cake.
Not an egg was left! She turned on Pete
with wrath in her eyes. Now, young
man, do you get right out of here and
hunt me some good, fresh eggs, and if you
are not back in half an hour l will go
after you with a lath."
Pete was all smiles in minute. 81
know where there is n nest with more
than a dozen eggs in it," he said. I'll have
'em here in a jiffy. I'm sorry I was
mcan." he remarked cheerfully. I'll be
good now. Please, can Sandy go with me.
He will have to pull me out after l crawl
in. The aigs is under the stable floor,
and it's tight place. T. been keepin' 'em
for an-a-eemergency," declared Pete, as