Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1921-12-30
MIGHT Be WORSE
BY BELLE HALL.


The cook was "peeved" The mayor
nalse had separated and 1t took the
whole white Of the egg, added drop
by drop, to bring it back. to Its cor
rect creamy thickness.
The kitchen registered 80 degrees
at the carving table, Its coolest corner,
and cook surveyed her pulled and ach-
ing ankles with eyes that blurred.
Getting absolutely flat-footed in
this COMPOUNDED place." she raved In
wardly, as she gave the luncheon card
a vicious thrust back on It's nail and
took down the dinner menu.
Fathers and mothers twenty-tifth
anniversary" the daughter Of the
house, bride of month, had written
facetiously over the line: DINNER for
II at $780,"
twenty-five years-isn't 1t thrill
ingw she had smiled at cook, tapping
her tiny teeth with her pencil as she
calculated just how many oddly deli
cious things she could manage to crowd
onto one slip Of paper, for daughter
was practicing the menu part Of house
keeping just now in mothers house be-
fore she went into her own home ON
her return from abroad.
twenty-five years Thrilling
Humph |" AS she chilled and glazed
and meringued the dinner for II, back
along the years the cooks mind trav-
eled to another seething summer day
another home not so very much more
simple after all, but yet her own, where
she had waited with mother and
laughing bridesmaids by her side, tear
full but happy, for the one man to lead
her down to the waiting minister, the
relatives and friends.
Over them all, her thoughts raced
back-the struggling years, the full
years, the lean years, the lonely years.
the well-worn years-her self pity
growing stronger and stronger, and
through it all the thermometer mount
ed and the dinner for IL progressed,
until at $50 cook dropped into the
chair with final growl at the little
kitchen maid: Nov, let them rave
on, kid; we'll be ready"
"Finel" ventured little Maggie,
Frightening vlslbly at the first nearly
pleasant word that had emanated from
her top boss that day. .
Listen, cook, let's joy ride over
with John when he takes Bridget home
will yer2"
"Joy ride-do look like Joy rider
snarled the cook. "And what are
those pansT
Them are the clean pans for the
milk. Come on will yerT
"Yes, I'll 60"
"We1l make him drive us home by
the crazy folks house, the longest
way round" whispered Maggie to
cook, and then-"Will yer2" she
called to John when he came out from
the tiny grocery, where he had gone
for yeast cakes, after leaving the
laundress at her door.
"Will yerT
"All she can say is VIII YER"
shouted cook, above the cranking of
the servants e-mobile-"Have
you timer"
yes" said good-natured John, COM
fortably, II guess so. The boys will
start the milking"
Down the shady country road they
chugged along the gardens Of the
state inflrmary.
Just now work for the day was
over In groups under the shade trees
the old men waited the call for sup
per. The boys played a random game
of ball. The women, sullen and indif-
ferent, trooped down the walk from
the laundry.
John guided the car through the
gates and drove slowly round the
driveways, past the big stone build
ings
Cook, growing cooler in the soft
haze OF the June afternoon, forget
ting for the moment to look inward
J and backward, gazed out thoughtful
ly at the blue denim clad figures.
Cooks kitchen with its diversity
Of daily troubles, began by contrast
to take on roseate hue.
Don't they never go out, John7
Are the doors all locked on emf
What's the bars forT' piped Maggie,
bouncing from side to side trying to
look everywhere at once.
Behind the bars are the very worst
cases." John told her, "the hopeless
ones and the violent ones. And that's
the hospital"
How much she had to be thankful
for, cooks thoughts ran on-her
health and earning capacity, her
strength and active mentality. Even
memory became sweet, as, one by one,
the blank faces passed in review.
Look at all the children7 Where
do they all come from2 Can't they
ever get outf Gee, they all look like
you do when you're awful mad, cook.
Are we going out this CATER Gee, I'm
glad we're going out an we amt lame
nor blind nor sick nor nuthin'; amt
you, coOkT
With every tired nerve relaxed and
every scowling frown erased, bearing
proudly a new lease Of life, breath
less, laughing cook raced with
skipping kitchen girl through the
woodhouse into the steamlng kitchen,
tipped up the linen to test the Parker
House rolls raising by the side Of the
range; basted the chickens and turned
them over, and as she frightened the
belt of her apron and started to gar
nlsh the cooling ham, she said softly
TO herself:
"Always--lt might be worsep