Oxford Democrat., 1918-09-03
Tho witch Of the Gem Pan.

there but Lillian herself, crumpleo up
IN 4 chair with her apron over her face.
"What's mp, LIZ" whispered Nick,
edgipg in ut tho door and surveying bis
sister with boyish uneasiness. He had
caught the sound Of sob.
Lillian dropped the apron to point
tragically atan array OF objects on the
table. They bore some resemblance to
loaves, but they were the color of lead,
and looked a. heavy - 20 many blocks
of granite. Nioky regarded the array
with puzzled eyes.
"Gee," be said, - goat couldn't eat
that! Is It supposed to be victualsP"
'sIt's breadl" walled bis sister, "aH
there 10 In the house, and can hear the
folks now, prowllng around the dining
room door smiling for their supper.
Mother has been laid mp all day with
one of her dreadful sick headaches, 80
We sent for Cousin Maria Bliss and
thought what q mercy 1t was che was
staying at Aunt Nancy's, because every
body's always said she was such nota-
BILE housekeeper. And everything she
has made this afternoon looks just about
like that bread! She says she isn't used
10 ell the new stuff you have to cook
with these days."
The girl receded into the apron again
% she added: II wouldn't mind 90
much IL 1t Was just common occasion.
But 1t isn't every day We have . famous
lady coming to supper with us from two
thousand miles of. And / don't want
to be accused Of numbering . poet even
II she wasn't relation to usw
us that who you're worrying about,
Cousin Allison Bliss that wrote some
kind of . hot-air book, 'Zephyrs from
the South or something like that?
Well, maybe she won't come"
"Why, you little goose. the party Is
for her, because oil the aunts and uncles
and cousins are wild to see her, and 30
am I. Her book is lovely, Q thing to
dream about. should be 10 the seventh
heaven at the thought Of having her
here II 1t wasn't for thatr' Lillian cast
away her apron to glare at the bread.
"Aw, say, she never can tell the dif-
ference. Don't you know what literary
folks are?" Nicky spoke as from the
depths of . long experience. "They 60
moouing around with their heads In .
fog and they eat whatever you shove to
'em, and don't know whether it's made
of sugar or sawdust."
~ guess they'd find 1t out II twas
made of feldspsr or Jumps Of old ironP'
retorted Lillian. "Go away, Nick; you
arc nothing but . simpleton and you
can't do thing"
Nick got as far as the door and stop
ped. "Take 1t easy, Lil," he advised.
"Here comes the woman that's moved
into the brown house down the lane.
like her eye. Why don't you ask her to
lend you hand?"
"Ob, Nick, she's perfect stranger
but then she is neighbor."
Lillian came to peep out over her
brothers shoulder st the approaching
figure. "She does look pleasant, and
with mother sick In bed and everything
In such mess don't know as It would
be very cheeky to ask her. Only, there
isn't time to do anything"
Lillian was lapsing into despair again
- she heard another peal ct the front
door bell. The lady In the lane, how
ever, was now just opposite the open
door, and she stopped to scan with
friendly eyes the tear-stained face OF the
girl in the doorway.
"What's the matter, yonng peopleP'
she inquired briskly, "and what can an
outsider dop"
"Oh, Mrs. Palmer" burst ont Lillian,
"it's mean to ask you when you've only
Just moved in bot mother is down sick
and daddy's trying to take care of the
company, and he couldn't help, any way
and just you look hsrep
In two minutes their new friend was
In possession of the awful facts. In I've
she had finished mending the kitchen
fire and was lighting the gas oven, while
Lillian and Nick revolved around heI
like devoted satellites.
ut won't hurt them to wait q bit fol
their supper" she averred, "but they
won't have to wait long,"
With marvellous speed and surenesa
she began to measure and beat, all the
while giving directions to Lillian abou,
mixing the salad and garnishing It In su
attractive fashion the girl bad never seen
before.
"Ths looks of dish can add to, OF
subtract from, its value . whole lot, "
observed the new cook. "What are you
going to do with those. my dears"
Lillian was taking from the refriger'
stor two large dishes filled, one with
white, the other with . yellow mixture,
'tCousin Maria Bliss said It was velvet
cream something. Lillian eyed It. do.
biously. "You put 1t together, she said,
Just before you serve It, / don't think
it looks very inviting, myself" The
girl had lost ell faith In Cousin Msris'i
cooking.
"It's all right" the head cook sampled
It expertly. use those pretty glass
dishes and put in, first, . good layer oi
the yellow, then heap the white on top
Have you any jellyp-goodr' % Lillian
produced two glasses Of . clear ruby
red. "Dot the heap OF white ell ovel
With bits Of jelly-so! There, isn't that
prettyP"
"Ips exquisitel Oh, Mrs. Palmer,
you do things just like . oonjurer.
shall be 90 proud OF these glass dishes
Bot the bre, J."
Don't fret, child, I'm making gems
Seep" The pan came from the gas over
with twelve crisp, brown cakelets puffed
light and high above the tin.
"Gorryr' breathed Nick. 81 bel
Cousin Maria Bliss would fall over back.
wards II she should set her eye on q
sight like that! Anyhow, she ought to
after penetrating those hunks of melted
lead there on the table,"
The cheerful neigbbor threw IN
amussd glance at the grim array oi
loaves. "Are those the work of your
O0usin Maris2 Well, ! can tell you. just
what ia the matter with them-she dtdn't
put In any imaginationl The new kinds
OF material need alert handling, and I'll
warrant she's one of those housekeeperi
who run In grooves and cantor think
they can't-adapt Themselves to any new
conditions. Bundle them of the ole
track and they have no more go-ahead
than locomotive In ditch. like tc
try different things myself and every
latest wrinkle In cooking 10 interesting
10 me" a
She began rapidly filling another gem
pan - she added: rnu % sHE e
"You children mustn't miss the sup
per party. You run along nov and helE
your poor father with the mpaDy
while stay here and take care OF the
kitchen end. Have you anybody to helT
wait on tableq" Ha
"Yes, We borrowed two nice little
girls from the minister's honse. They
have been busy answering the doorbell
but they can como out here now"
Hastily Lillian and Niok slipped into
their hesr clothes and went 10 the rescue
OF their father, who wss trying to tall