Part 25 (1/2)
”Only coffee. I can't make fancy things, but my coffee is always good.
They said they wanted it, so I offered.”
”I will have my pills and powders ready, for if you all go on at this rate you will need a dose of some sort after your lunch. Give your orders, Edith, and devote your mind to the task. I wish you good luck and good digestion, my dears.”
With that the mamma left the girls to cheer one another, and lay plans for a daily lesson till the perfect pie was made.
They certainly did their best, for they began on Monday, and each morning through the week went to the mighty task with daily increasing courage and skill. They certainly needed the former, for even good-natured Nancy got tired of having ”the young ladies messing round so much,” and looked cross as the girls appeared in the kitchen.
Edith's brothers laughed at the various failures which appeared at table, and dear mamma was tired of tasting pastry and mince-meat in all stages of progression. But the undaunted damsels kept on till Sat.u.r.day came, and a very superior pie stood ready to be offered for the inspection of the cla.s.s.
”I never want to see another,” said Edith, as the girls dressed together, weary, but well satisfied with their labor; for the pie had been praised by all beholders, and the fragrance of Patty's coffee filled the house, as it stood ready to be poured, hot and clear, into the best silver pot, at the last moment.
”Well, I feel as if I'd lived in a spice mill this week, or a pastry-cook's kitchen; and I am glad we are done. Your brothers won't get any pie for a long while I guess, if it depends on you,” laughed Patty, putting on the new ribbons her cousin had given her.
”When Florence's brothers were here last night, I heard those rascals making all sorts of fun of us, and Alf said we ought to let them come to lunch. I scorned the idea, and made their mouths water telling about the good things we were going to have,” said Edith, exulting over the severe remarks she had made to these gluttonous young men, who adored pie, yet jeered at unfortunate cooks.
Florence, the lunch-giver of the week, had made her table pretty with a posy at each place, put the necessary roll in each artistically folded napkin, and hung the prize from the gas burner,--a large blue satin bag full of the most delicious bonbons money could buy. There was some delay about beginning, as one distracted cook sent word that her potato-puffs _wouldn't_ brown, and begged them to wait for her. So they adjourned to the parlor, and talked till the flushed, but triumphant Ella arrived with the puffs in fine order.
When all was ready, and the covers raised, another surprise awaited them; not a merry one, like the last, but a very serious affair, which produced domestic warfare in two houses at least. On each dish lay a card bearing a new name for these carefully prepared delicacies. The mince-pie was re-christened ”Nightmare,” veal cutlets ”Dyspepsia,”
escalloped lobster ”Fits,” lemon sherbet ”Colic,” coffee ”Palpitation,”
and so on, even to the pretty sack of confectionery which was labelled ”Toothache.”
Great was the indignation of the insulted cooks, and a general cry of ”Who did it?” arose. The poor maid who waited on them declared with tears that not a soul had been in, and she herself only absent five minutes getting the ice-water. Florence felt that her guests had been outraged, and promised to find out the wretch, and punish him or her in the most terrible manner. So the irate young ladies ate their lunch before it cooled, but forgot to criticise the dishes, so full were they of wonder at this daring deed. They were just beginning to calm down, when a loud sneeze caused a general rush toward the sofa that stood in a recess of the dining room. A small boy, nearly suffocated with suppressed laughter, and dust, was dragged forth and put on trial without a moment's delay. Florence was judge, the others jury, and the unhappy youth being penned in a corner, was ordered to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, on penalty of a sound whipping with the big j.a.panese war-fan that hung on the wall over his head.
Vainly trying to suppress his giggles, Phil faced the seven ladies like a man, and told as little as possible, delighting to torment them, like a true boy.
”Do you know who put those cards there?”
”Don't you wish _you_ did?”
”Phil Gordon, answer at once.”
”Yes, I do.”
”Was it Alf? He's at home Sat.u.r.days, and it's just like a horrid Harvard Soph to plague us so.”
”It was--not.”
”Did you see it done?”
”I did.”
”Man, or woman? Mary fibs, and may have been bribed.”
”Man,” with a chuckle of great glee.
”Do I know him?”
”Oh, don't you!”