Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-05-04
MY LITERARY COOK.

me. All know is that, from first to last
of her reign in my kitchen, she scored at
our every encounter. She was pleasant
looking young person; although far from
obsequious her manner of receiving my
frank confession of ineXperience seemed
full Of serviceable sympathy. An intelli-
gent woman this, made no doubt; but
it was not long before | could have
wished that she did not show quite so in
teligent a relish of my ignorance-it left
me so defenseless against her blithe ex-
actions.
# hardly think" she remarked, soon
after our arrival that you can have
noticed the sculery sink when you went
over the house"
We inspected the said sink, and she
explained its deficiencies.
Il see said j though in truth it
seemed to me very much like other
sinks "And how could it be i'm
proved 2"
Only by being abolished" she replied
with a smile.
The smile and the neat turn of phrase
together left me no choice but TO have
the offending ink replaced with all
speed by Il new one of the latest and
most costly make.
"Of course, we shall require a good
many cooking utensils she observed. /
had thought the kitchen pretty well fur
nished forth, but | asked hopefully what
else WAS wanted
Il can tell you better in a day or two"
said Florence And accordingly she pre-
scented me before long with a well writ
ten list, covering several pages. of arti-
cles, some of whose very names | did not
k4rGsA~4-p.pp'rr'usu'es~e
These" said she, "are just the imme-
date necessaries."
Surely" | began to eXpostulate.
IF | am to do Justice to myself and
credit to you" she added benignly, with
her usual manner of intelligence and re-
finement, ard more than touch of pro.
fessional pride.
Every day impressed me more with the
sensc of her knowledge and my ignorance
of kitchen affairs | felt positively so
humbled that / had to keep up my pride
by the reflection that, at any rate, there
were affairs in life where the tables
would he completely turned. But even
;his consolation was not long-lived
Florence informed me that she was
devoted to reading, so | told her that
hoped she and Louisa (my other serv
ant would borrow books from the draw
ing loom.
Thank you" said Florence. but
hardly think Louisa cares for the same
sort of books that you and ] care to
read"
wondered little o. what sort those
books were. and offered her The Scarlet
Pmperncl." She replied that she had
read it, adding Il see it has been staged
! dare say it might make a good play
of the sIialower sort"
After tins perhaps. | ought not to
have heen surprised that on my taking
our new Persian kitten down to the
kitchen and introducing him as "Shak
pat she should remark; "Shagpat, is
he! Wen, we must take care how we
shave him then, if we don't want a
thwacking" T.
Have YOU read The Shaving of Shag-
pat =" | asked.
"Oh, yes" said she, Il am a great ad
mirer of Meredith"
rs Il democrat | suppose one ought
to welcome the tast for reading wher-
ever it appears, but it certainly has its
Inconvenience
Dinner was very late last night"
said one morning, How was that ?"
TO tell the truth" said Florence. with
engaging humility, Il was so taken up
with Mrs. Ilumphry Wards latest that /
could hardly tear myself away from it.
And you know what it is to be taken up
with Il book"
You have no business to I've reading
when you ought to be preparing dinner, s.
| said, feeling that here at any rate it
was my duty to assert myself.
Florence after pause in which she
managed that it should be | rather than
/ thou4htully: No. OF course it
would suit mistresses better If we were
all automatic machines"
was not prepared to discuss our ex-
iSting domestic system with her; in fact,
she was 50 terribly well educated, al
ways so demure. reasonable even in her
/ ImPertinence. that / could never feel sure
/ OF my right to command her subserv-
/ fence. So, taking her observation in 81
| lence. | ANONYMOUSLY changed the sub
1 iect. aud said:
want yuu to make a raisin cake to
day"
Il don't know" said Florence. that /
reckon TO have time to make your
cakes
But do reckon that You have time. -
How can YOU reckon" she asked
! here is Il great deal of work for a
slneIe-handed cook that you know moth
ing about, But / suppose You would
wish Your basement to be kept up to ting
mark" <
II wish You TO make the cake. And ii
You wish To- stay with me You must
make it, said, hope more boldly than
! felt. and wrote down. "Raisin cake in
/ the order book undermining it heavily
/ t.,o or three times.
On The morrow Florence was gracious
ness itself. I glanced at The order book
and regretted the black lines under Raj
-F l. .FH