The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-04-15

on Moon run. He had seen her many
times; he had even been very near her.
for he had suddenly become most reg
ular in his church attendance, but with
Karl Keichline at the door and he old
squire at the front, there had been
no hope for him. Now, however, they
Were far away: the thought exhil-
arated him. lie plunged into the work
with all his soul. Perchance she was
looking. And If she were, h saw a
goodly sight: the great, square Shout
dered fellow tugging away at the big
boxes n bureaus, n holding his end
against two men on the other.
Once he ventured into the kitchen
for q drink Of water, and found the
! room fairly quivering with energy; il
seemed full of women
Come, no men folks allowed here.
We're working in here" Rose was In
| command. There was snap in her
voice, and there was fun and mischief.
1t set the room into a merry burst
which somehow confused him nightly.
But I want some water"
"Oh, you do. All right, here you are"
She scooped q cup into the water
bucket and like a flash showered him
There, you've got 1t: now skip. Run
where you belong, or well take hot
water to you" He hesitated, but there
was nothing else to do.
Here" she called, as he was turn
ing toward the door. Here's q dipper.
Catchl" She threw 1t with a deft
swing, and he caught II in one hand.
where we get our water. Goodby."
Goodbye he echoed in puzzled
tone; then he retreated awkwardly
amid much laughter from around the
sizzling stove.
At eleven exactly the bell on tho
kitchen roof began to jangle wildly.
Dinner was on time, and the men,
dropping everything on the instant,
swarmed into the house a motley
crowd with coats off and shirt sleeves
rolled high. Just inside they encount-
cred Mrs. Tressler, who, nervous and
excited, was running hither and thither
as IL demented. ~. ,
Here, Uncle Jake" she was calling
jerkily, you take this here chair
wunst; Abe and Lem. you set right
down here. And, oh, here, Amos, here's
a place for you still. Thar! And the
rest Of yeh, Lord! set anywhere you
get a chance wunst. Thar" She made
q side plunge for the stove where three
nervou women were scooping up vari-
Gus things out of pot m kettle, re-
bounded like a rubber ball to the sink,
where Rose and another were peeling
potatoes, then spur about and delivered
q sweeping order:
Hurry up, quick, now" she gasped.
"Quick-they're down!" Then she
swirled In a siding fiutter around the
table like q June bug about a lamp.
The great rafting and scraping OF
chairs and feet as the men o their
places was succeeded by a sepulchral
hush.
"Uncle Jacob, will you invoke the d.
vine b~lessing?" Dams voice sounded
and in ~quavering tones went through
with the formula. Then the meal was
on, o."
Fall right to, boys, and do your
darndest. I can't wait on yeh; I've
gut my hands full right here. Let 'er
CO." .....
"All right, Dan," joined in Amos.
this good stuff phaze We. You hain't
no idee what o can do jest by takin'
mouthful at a time"
Amos was in his element. Good cook
ing was his chief theme at a dinner
like this. and he was at his best.
Say, now" he began in a high
drawing voice. You Dutch have your
comes to vittles. Why, take 1t on
spreads, you beat the whole world and
Center county. / never set down to a
Dutch dinner yet where there want at
least five spreads. And they're all good
too, and SOS your scrapple, and liver
urst, and ponhoss, and schnitts-and-
knepff-say, Mary Ann, this is the best
schnitts-and-k nepff l ever put into my
old head. Pass her UP again, Dan"
IT reckon we can o schnitts-and-
knepff still" Uttered the mistress with
pardonable pride.
There, now, there's another thing
I like about you Dutch" he went on
garrulously. when you set down to
q meal of Vittles in a Dutch kitchen the
wimmen folks all pitch right in and tell
you how plaguey good everything Is.
1t fairly makes yorr mouth water
whether you're, hungry or not, and you
eat like sin before you fairly know 1t.
Take a Yankee woman now, she'll say
nine times out of ten, even IL her din
ner is right III perfect: There now,
I'm ashamed to death over this here
dinner. I've he'd terrible bad luck, and
there amt a thing At to eat" He
initiated in high falsetto voice a COM
planning After she's done
runnin' her stuff down you hain't got
no more appetite han a mouse"
"Oh, chimminy; that's easy" Jill
was chuckling nightly. Reason why
Yankee women runs down their vittles
still is cause they don't know how
to cook anything that's decent. Helm?
Yar-r-r! e-e-e-e-e! Oh, my! say, Amos,
give us somesing hard already" A
great laugh rolled about the tables. The
man Strengthened instantly.
Continued Next WeekJ