The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-01-06
by ESTHER SERLE KENN ATH.
".There is one thing you mustn't

"Thefe is one thing you mustn't
forget, Brother Tom!'
"What IFS that, Emma?"
Don't tg TO 20 to the help
ofice, aud # ne up cook. The
new Gill Is a' Tor nothing, and the
old one can u3 everything. Young
or old man or woman, don't care,
only send me up competent cook by
10 o'clock this morning"
"Eort look so desperate, sis; III
renem5e il. ! want things in pretty
good style for Maxwe ell; he is used to
its fond of good dinners, and ]
guess I'll send you UP a good, smart
nan cook, Emma"
81 hope Mr.. Maxwell won't expect
things too nice; but I'll do my best
in other matters, Tom, il you'll only
provide some one capable of serving
a good dinner"
Mr.. Thomas Maye disappeared with
a reassuring nod. He had a pro-
verbally bad memory; pretty Emma
Maye knew it very well, yet in this
desperate emergency she trusted him.
Dangerous; but what could she do?
During the two years she had had
charge Of her widowed brothers fam
lily, they had been blessed by the most
skillful of'cooks; but Joan had taken
a fancy to set married, and her place
was hastily supplied by one who
soon proved incapable. At this juno
ture Mr.. Maye received tidings that
his deceased wife's favorite brother,
Arthur Maxwell, Just returned from
Europe, would pay him visit.
The Maxwell family were noted for
their wealth and good breeding, and
Arthur especially was distinguished
for his agreeability.
From the first, Emma had been
nervous over the responsibility of
entertaining this elegant young man
whom she had never seen. She was
lovely and accomplished; but she
could not cook-she had never tried.
Certainly, it seemed task enough for
young lady of twenty to superintend
a family consisting of her brother
and herself, two boys and their tutor,
two little girls and their nurse maid,
with two other servants. But though
arduous, it had been well performed.
The house was the perfection of
neatness and taste, the children well
trained, and Emma was mucn beloved
in her brothers family. To him she
had been devoted, in sickness and
health, and he gratefully intended to
make her tasks as light as possible.
But be had a proverbially bad mem
ory, and, unfortunately, Emma had
been obliged to trust to it.
1t was half-past o'clock when Mr..
Maye went down town He took moth
ing but cup of coffee at Z, and
lunched at his favorite restaurant at
IL. At half-past the Mayes dined,
and Mr.. Maxwell was expected by the
$40 train.
"There!' sighed Emma, when, two
hours after her brothers departure,
the house was in its usual exquisite
~ NOAs fho thC VALUE anu AOWGI5
sent up for dinner; "if Tom doesn't
forget, and if he sends up a good
rook, everything will be nice enough. "
She did not dare consider the pos
Bibility Of Toms having forgotten,
OF that Of the cook not coming for
any. other reason; but when, precisely
at 10 O'Clock, the door bell rang, a
secret weight was lifted from her
heart. She. ran herself to answer the
summons.
A medium-sized, well-dressed, mod
est-looking young man stood at the
entrance, and she frightened at sight
Of him.
II am very glad you are so pune.
tual: ! was afraid ! should be dis.
appointed" leading the way to the
kitchen, without an instant's delay
~Let me see-10 o'clock. l shall
have to set you to work at once tc
prepare first-class dinner. We are
expecting company from New York