Oxford Democrat., 1915-06-08
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
Correspondence on topics Of interest 70 The ladie!
Ia solicited. Address: Editor H0nIA1kAAHS ~
CoIUHH. oxford Democrat. South Paris. Ne
Her Fireless Cooker.

bbOt SsSOC OSS-
"Oh rubbish, all our women folks
cooked in stove or on top of 1t, and II
that was good enough for them, guess
it's good enough for us. 'Fireless cook
ers.' who ever heard of cooking without
a fire? Pretty tssteless kind OF food i
reckon" and John Grey wiped the
sweat from his scowling face and pick.
ing up q couple Of pals left the hos
kitchen to his wife.
Mrs. Grey also left the kitchen where
fifty different duties seemed calling her,
and sat down by cool window In her
room, her cheeks flaming hot with re-
sentiment against her husband. In MS
own work on the farm he never failed to
investigate any new implement on the
market to make labor more efficient and
easier, and II he was satisfied, bought It
but he saw no reason why the domestic
work should not be performed In the
time ,honored way of his grandmother
day, without considering the difference
In physique OF that estimable lady and
his wife. Mrs. Grey knew her physical
Limitations, and felt how rapidly the
burden of cooking for ten mon, added to
her other household work, was sapping
the vigor and freshness out Of her life
S,methiug that would eliminate. II only
occasionally, the constant attention to
things over the hot stove, and give her
few hours in the fresh air would be q
boon to her.
Down the valley, her tired eyes could
see the simmer Of pond, along whose
banks the overhanging trees formed
grateful shade. How she would enjoy
the wild dissipation of sitting there and
watching a red bob on the shining water
and as 1t disappeared, deftly swing IL
he line laden with Hopping bass! Mrs
Grey mentally deposited that bass in {
basket, and jumped to her feet, The
,iredness gone from her face, and in 1t.
place something which made her hole
her head little higher, her lips little
iirmer. The worm was turning.
1t was high noon about week afte1
this that John Grey, returning from hi
work in distant field, met his wife en-
teriug the yard from the pond road. Sb'
carried a fishing rod and basket. Hel
syes seemed to have drawn deeper
blue from the sky, her cheeks sun kissed
to rosy flush, gave joyous promise o
renewed health.
"Oh, John, see what luck I've had
en-, all big ones, too," and his wife helC
out The basket for his inspection.
Him, and who's getting dinner" Th'
animal in him was getting hungry ant
ready to growl at anything.
"Dinner's all ready, dear"
"Ain't much Of dinner, l reckon, u
you've been fishin' all morning."
"Yes, your favorite, boiled dinner
now hurry and wash, here come tn
men,"
"Boiled dinner, don't smell any cab
bage, and I always do long fore get Il
the house."
Mrs. Grey had hurried into the house
where her husband followed.
"Well, I'll be jiggered, amt even 60
fire, and what's this old trunk hauiet
down out of the attic for" he gr7 wled
looking around in surprise at the un
usually cool, Immaculate kitchen.
"Please sit down to dinner now ant
I'll tell you afterwards. I'm actuall.
hungry"
John Grey ate his third plate of "boil
ed dinner" The scowl had left bis fac
entirely as he remarked:
"That's the best cabbage I ever ate
Some OF that new kind out Of the ives
corner, ain'titP I'll plant that entirel.
next year. And that corned beef
sweeter'n usual Bet you didn't get tha
down to Hacker's?"
"Yes, dear, and this is the same oil
kind OF cabbage we've been using righ
along. I'm glad everything tasted 90
good to you because you see. 1t was al
cooked in the fireless cooker"
"Gosh all hemlock! You don't say
Where is the dumb thing?"
Mrs. Gray led him to the kitchen ant
point ed to the old trunk.
"Here's the dumb thing, my ow
make, from directions l read in til
Post"
The big farmer opened the trunk, sav
buried In deep nests OF hay the cooking
pals from which the toothsome Dime
had been taken, and listened open
mouthed to his wife's enthusiastic ex
planation of the process.
"And I'm not 80 tired out, the hous
is cool and not fly in the neighborhoot
knew was cooking cabbage. OF cours
there's another kind you can buy tba
will alsO roast things"
Her husband thoughtfully rubbed hi
we l-filled stomach, then took the littl
woman in his arms and said, "Well, littl
girl, if that has done you so much good
and can cook dinner like that, I'll b.
fingered, II / don't hitch up to-morro'
and we'll go to town and get one Of tb
other kind to 60 with it, and we'll hl
'em up and then 60 fishing to celebrate
both of u.s."