Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-12-17
MAUD's COOKING.

My wife's learning to cook ob. served the youngish.lookins man from the suburbs.
 My condolences" said the old friend. sympathetically.
 "Oh, you needn't said the victim. Its not 70 bad as it might be-"
 Tn all the ills of life we can always take that sweet consolation to heart" commented the friend.
 And we can always fall back upon the can opener and the sanitary pack age of crackers. That's the way look at 1t. but there's no occasion for you to mention it. There are some men who are good deal given to suggest ing things of that sort and when they get polite assent repeating them as the other fellows original declaration. I think I've noticed that in you once or twice. Forgive me if do you an injustice"
 I'll forgive you then said the old friend.
 There's no telling how the thing may not come out continued the youngish-looking man. hopefully. A year or two from now I may be dis satisfied if I cant get her cooking. may even beg to have lunch put up for me to take to the office with me. You never can tell. Say, did you ever watch anybody who was try ing to cook?"
 ''I used to take keen interest in the manufacture of ginger cookies and doughnuts in the happy days of my youth said the friend.
 T know. used to when I was a kid, but my mother didn't go the same way about it that Maud does. She slapped some four and things into a bowl and put in pinch of this and handful of that and dipper of water and a cup of milk, stirred her up and rolled her out and showed her into the oven and that's all there was to it. It's different with Maud"
 "Yes?"
 You bet you. When Maud starts to cook it puts me in mind of my old chemistry lessons. The trouble with the old style of cooking is that it isn't scientific When Maud concocts come thing, there isn't any guess work about it. Everything goes according 10 immu- table laws and prescribed formulae. To begin with. she takes preliminary course of study on the subject on hand. You don't want to speak to her. either. when she's doing that. It calls for concentration of mind and wrinkles between the eyes.
 When she's got her authorities pretty we'll mastered she isn't quite satisfied. She brings half of the cul- mary library into the kitchen and re- fers to it at intervals through the composition. She loads the table with dishes next--measuring glasses with ounces and kilometers and things etched on them. Then there's pair of scales. No handful business. Moth ing haphazard. you understand. She weighs her eggs. even. Flour into one dish. lard into another. water measured and ready to pour. Then there's a reference to authorities again. Muttering under her breath, in case she might forget them. she proceeds to mix, with one eye on the clock. You don't want to mix too long or not long enough when you're making pie crust. You've got to have it just 90. Then there's no chance for bad luck. You put sulphureted hydrogen and dioxide of manganese together and you must know exactly what chemical changes are going to take place"
 No. don't" said the friend. Does it explode?"
 T couldn't say myself replied the youngish.looking man. I've forgot ten . good deal of my chemistry. but . chemist could tell you if he knows his business. Anyway. something hap pens, and it happens the same way every time. Same way with Mauds pie dough. It's too bad. too"
 How do you explain it?' asked the friend.
 "She says it's because talk 10 her. But she's tried it by herself with the same general results. so I know it can't be that It isn't the oven. be- cause there's a thermometer on the oven door. and Maud sees that it is registering right before she puts any thing in
 Perhaps the authorities are mis- lesdiug?"
 Maybe that's it. still. the girl feels a good deal encouraged. and really I didn't have half so had a spell of indigestion after the last pie that she made as some 'em have given me-
 Do you actually eat the output?'
 Great goodness.r exclaimed the youngish-looking man You don't suppose I'd turn anything down after she went to all that trouble. do you. Of course. eat it. and enjoy it. l cry for more of it. But I'm praying that the cook xho promised to come next week. if she didn't change her mind. will nli the bill. Not on my account. you know. but hate 10 see Maud work 70 hard. d."-Chiesgo Daily News.
 u.. ;. gS.~ss;a,.I M.-x