Middletown transcript., 1906-11-17
NEVER TOO OLD TO EARN
BIZ JOSEPHINE i. VAN rAssEL BRUoRroN

1 ly went about her work to pre-
pare for the first luncheon. Mrs.
Thompson's letter evidently both
cred her a trife, for once .she
/ said halfsaloud
Oh, well, I must expect some
disagreeable things, and her
money is Just as good as dear
| Mrs. Rossmore's S.
When the girls arrived they
looked curiously at the table,
which was daintily set in the old
fashioned way with the entire
meal placed on it at once. Granny
looked the ideal hostess of Colon.
ial days as she sat at the head Of
1.-THE table-her fine, soft wayy
hair drawn back over a cushion,
and her slender, erect figure look
ling more youthful than ever IN
an old fashioned short gown.
j There was a small bowl half
filed with rich creamy milk set
at each plate, and Granny smil-
ingly helped each Of her guests
to a generous tablespoonful of
hasty pudding. Then Matte re-
moved the bowls, and a pea-soup
was served, followed by roast
chicken and brown bread and
butter. These in their turn were
superseded by pudding, whose
principal ingredient must have
been eggs-and eggs and more
| eggs, il one judged by It's rich
golden color. Every plate was
empted and no one refused a sec
ond helping.
j Eleanor said smilingly as she
passed her plate You are more
than good to US, Mrs. Benton! I
feared we should have but Lent
en- fare, and ! really dreaded to
come for fear our luncheon would
be all cereals and not even a sus-
i picion of a dessert.
/, After that a glass Of foamy,
acid drink was passed to each.
The flavor was peculiar but pleas
ant.
Then Granny said deprecating.
ly: Now I must ask you to eat as
little candy, cake and rich pastry
as you can possibly content your
selves with.
They laughingly promised to
abstain and made readyto depart.
As they went out Granny gave
each one a jelly tumbler filed
with beautifully clear, amber
jelly.
The girls looked at one another
, knowingly.
Mother said she was sure she
would give us a cosmetic of some
kind, whispered Tessy Thomp.
, son.
Mrs. Benton must have over.
! heard her, for the delicate old
face flushed family.
!, Please eat that just before go.
! ing to bed, she said emphati.
i cally.
, The girl stared.
Must we eat itall /? asked one
!, at last.
i Will it be very bad to take,
Mrs. Benton cried another.
Granny smiled.
Il You shall Judge for your.
! selves, she said, taking up the
! tumbler meant for Matte; open.
! ing it, she passed it around.
There were murmnrs Of ap-
proval from every one.
i My, / shall not mind eating
that.
Isn't that delicious
And Tessy. Thompson said
, That's perfectly lovely. Mrs.
Benton. May ] not have two
!, glasses
Every day the menu was
! varied a little, but still it was sub.
stantially the same. Sometimes
a delicate fish or choice game.was
substituted for the chicken; but
! there was never any meat. HoW.
/ ever, there was always a pudding
, or entree Of that peculiarly
. favored yellow stuff, and there
was always glass of acid drink
at the close of the meal, nor was
, 1.-The pretty tumbler of delicious
jelly to be taken home ever
omitted. But the latter, though
always of the clear amber color,
, never tasked twice alike, il
: seemed to the girls, and they
never tired of it.
At the end of six months the
Improvement in the general
health and appetite Of Granny's s
patients was wonderful, and as
to the compilations; even Tessy
J Thompson's muddy. bilious skin
was beginning to turn to q clear