Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-27
u seful
I. Hints
I he Morning Story
THE QUEEN OF COOKS.
ny Don In Grange.

smiled at the little nursery governess.
who was sitting with Bobby IN the
window seat. II wonder II you and
Bobby wouldn't like to play to-day?
We arc going TO picnic at the pine
grove. and
"Oh, mother honey" Bobby flung his
sturdy self at his parent. will there
he lemonade and chicken sandwiches?
Tucker SUITE"
yes. 10 everything" laughed Mrs.
Bliss, kissing him and moving toward
tho door. Can you be ready in fifteen
minutes. Miss Newton?'
"Of course, we can, Mrs. Bliss, We
wouldn't miss n picnic for the world.
would we, Bobby?" She jumped up
and put away books and toys. Come.
childie"'
They danced down tho corridor to
Bobbys room. where nurse quickly
put him into the much admired suit.
In the meantime. Beth Newton brushed
her ed-brown hair and slipped into
dainty pale blue bingham frock, then
the girl and the little boy went Sc
dately downstairs 10 the front vernnda.
where three motor cars were waiting
for the merry house party that had
filled tho Bliss country home for ten
days.
Some OF tho girls md women came
up and spoke to Bobby and nodded
kindly TO the little Eovcrness. one Of
them, Miss NuEent. tall. graceful and
duced Beth right and left. until pres
emily the girl found herself in timd
conversation with Mr.. Carl Bellew 50
many times n millionaire that no one
troubled TO remember exactly how
many dollars there we're, and only re-
called that he was just g nice as II
he didn't have penny.
At last they were Off Beth and Bobby
tucked away in the tonneau Of the last
car with Mr.. and Mrs. Mitchell. the
q hoc kat irb
overlooked on TO the running boards
and the luggage carriers.
This is jolly cried Bobby enthu-
sastically ns they swept out of the
driveway and turned up the road that
led to Pine Mountain
Beth smiled ahsently. Perhaps she
WAS thinking that II might have been
pleasantcr # she had been In one o.
tho other large cars among that merry
crowd OF girls and young men But she
chided herself sharply for the mo-
nlentary discomfort and was soon her
own accustomed happy self. enjoying
the unexpected holiday 10 the utmost
AT the pine grove the picnic hampers
We're unloaded James, the footman,
built fire, and WAS then allowed TO
return home with the machines. They
were to come for the picniciiers at sun
down. one can't have a jolly picnic
with servants around" Mrs Bliss had
decided.
the party trooped through the pines
TO the glade where waterfall tu,nb!ed
among the brown rocks An acrid
smell OF burning brought them run
ming 20 the campfire.
The fire had overcrept the boundaries
of its cncircling stones and had licked
its way among the pine needles until
&c reached the four large hampers
There was nothing left OF the food
save blackened remnants. and of tho
hampers there remained only cnarred
splinters AS the picnickcrs reached
exploded with sickening report
Seven miles from anywhcrc"'
groaned Mrs. Bliss.
And not thing to eat" added Mrs.
Mitchell blankly
"Or to drink" mourncd Mr.. Mitchell
as he grubhcd among the ruins OF the
hampers.
There was n rnurmur OF d,scontent
among the "oung people Some OF the
men Volunteered to walk back to the
house and bring something TO cat but
the question was quickly decided when
a few heavy drops of rain fell
Where is the ncarcs; shelter" asked
Carl Rellew.
II: mus, be old Ned Blake's shan,y."
replied Mrs. Bliss AT least IL viii
keep us dry for awhile come. every
BODY" i.
some ono laughed p Split OF adyen-
cure into the party ard so they FASTENED
down tho slope until under the shout
der Of The mountain they reached a
long, weather beaten shanty built
against q great rock that formed Its
y rear wall
Ned Blake was hermi, who gained
n living by gathering herbs and ber-
ries in season.
brought no response The latch
string IS out" suggested Both Newton
Carl Beliew pulled the latch
string and pushed open the weather
beaten door The poor furnishings
were spotlessly clean and neat, but the
hermit wRs absent.
we must md something to eat
and we can pay Ned when he re.
turns" said Mrs Bliss rs she sank
down In a cushioned Boston rocker.
while the young people found seats
on the rag carpeted Goor Before the
open fireplace
Soon Carl RcNew had Nrc of
hickory logs blazing on the hearth
while Lillian Nugent and Beth New
ton explored the pantry Miss NJ
gent returned TO the living-roon
There Isn't biz o. cooked food IN
the place--not even bread" she an.
nounced. There ara -four and sugar
and eggs and potatoes and some
canned things--what can We do? DO
any of you girls know how to cook
@eggs?"
=, Miss Tyler confessed that she had
made crearned egGs IN chaiing dish
at homc-but-shc shrugged her
shoulders.
The other women were silent Beth
Newton stood IN the Kitchen doorway.
her face pink With shyness she looked
distractingly pretty At that moment
'If you don't mind waiting "A half
hour I believe ! could prepare some
thing 1T TO eat" she announced tim
idly.
They applauded her enthusiastically
and offered TO help. She accepted Miss
Tyler for an assistant in the kitchen
md Lillian Nugcnt opened the tiny
cupbosrc and prepared 20 Sc. the
table for dozen people from the
hermit's scan.y store OF crookery
Beth lighted FIRE III the cracked
old cookstove. Carl Bellcw and Andy
Smith carried hrewood and opened TN
cans Of vegetabieg.
Bobby danced in and out reporting
progress Baked potatoes! Hot bis.