Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-01-26
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Taf cROss.EYED COOK

ried only fey months. but already
the time had been without a servant
at all. After each and every departure
of the presiding danes Of the culinary
department of the Brooks household,
Mrs. Brooks declared that she was sick
and tired Of foOling with them, and
that thereafte< she would do all the
cooking with her own fair hands. Mrs.
Brooks was logt on enthusiasm, but a
trifie short on experience and skill.
and after a week or two Of wheat
cak(s with all the taste and juciness
Of asbestos. chops with all dhe endps>
anct and elasticity of rope-ends. and
coffee thaf Tasted like a chill tonic.
~ oOks was wont to declare that
she was simply wearing herself to
FRAGILE; that he wasn't going to have
it any longer. and that cook must be
Immediately signed up.
1t was on the first evening after they
had moved into a new fiat, and Just
Otter Mr.. Brooks had taken a stand of
this sort that Mrs. Brooks announced
that she had that day engaged a new
cook. who had promised to appear on
the following morning.
On his return home from the Office
the following evening. instead Of Mrs.
Brooks, he met at the door of the
fiat an apparition that made him give
a perceptible start before he could
control himself. 1t was a huge, bony,
white-turbaned negress, with a COM
plexion of Stygian blackness and the
cross-eyedest pair of cross-eyes that
Brooks had ever seen In a human be-
ing.
+ He walked back into the fiat won
dering where his wife could be. That
person came bouncing in almost at
that instant, explaining that she had
just run out for some flowers, the oc-
casion being one that seemed to call
for some celebration. "Have you seen
herr" she demanded.
"Oh. it's her, is it?" said Mr..
Brooks. "Tm glad you told me or /
might not have known. Yes, l have
seen her, and l am still trifle weak
from the shock"
"What is the name of this ill-favored
daughter Of HamT
"Gwendolyn," replied Mrs. Brooks.
"Gwendolyn," repeated her husband,
sinking weakly down upon a couch.
1t was a very agreeable odor that
Smoto fr Prool,c poctrfls n O. bo ltfta1
the cover from Gwendolyn's dishes.
And they proved to be no false her
aids. Not many times In his life had
he sat down to so satisfying d meal.
he soon found himself saying. Slipping
cup Of delicious coffee, Mr.. Brooks
lit cigar. pushed his chair back from
the table, and forthwith pronounced
the gargoylian Gwendolyn the original
pearl Of great price. Mr.. Brooks, in
fact. was so pleased and satisfied that
he could not resist the temptation to
tease his young wife little.
Il might have known, though" he
said gloomily, "that there would be
some thorn to the rose. How could
you have deliberately invited bad luck
by bringing a cross-eyed negro into
the fiat just as we have moved into
it?"
Mrs. Brooks looked up in alarm. Her
eyes widened. "Why, really. are they
bad luck" she inquired anxiously.
"Are they bad luck?" he repeated
solemnly. 'Do you mean to tell me
that you've lived almost twenty-five
years and never heard that about
cross-eyed negro. Why. my dear child.
they're almost the worst luck there is"
"How dreadful!" exclaimed Mrs.
Brooks. looking as If some horrible ca
lamity had already befallen. "What
are we going to do about it?"
'Siothing." said Mr.. Brooks. "WeIl
just stand pat. You see it may be
years and years before this bad luck
happens, so there's no use worrying
about It."
Meals at the Brooks fat continued
to be enjoyable. Gwendolyn remained
gloomy and sieent. but she proved her
self born cook. and Brooks wended
his way homeward every evening with
great satisfaction In the thought of the
dinner that was waiting him.
1t was month or two after Gwendo-
lyn's initial triumph that Mr.. Brooks
went home one evening and found his
wife cooking dinner and also herself
In the kitchen. She explained that It
was GwendOlyn's afternoon off.
1t was after her husband had eaten
bravely through the meal that Mrs.
Brooks gathered herself together and
suddenly burst out:
John, just now l told you only a
half truth. 1t is the cooks day off. but
she isn't coming back any more"
What" almost shrieked Mr..
Brooks. "What has happened?"
I've discharged her." said Mrs.
Brooks almost tearfully.
discharged her!" shouted Mr..
Brooks. what does all this mean?"
well. you see. Harry. 1t was like
this" began Mrs. Brooks tremblingly.
Il was feeling lonesome today while
you were gone. and picked up novel
telling about young bride who lost
her husband on their honeymoon. and
1t was so sad | cried and cried. And
then the horrible thought came to me
what If you should die! Then I re-
membered what you said about cross
eyed negroes bringing bad luck. Gwen
dolyn was working in the kitchen and