Part 24 (1/2)
”That's all very well, Irene,” said Alora, ”but I'm sure we are all as careful as possible to conserve food.”
”Don't ask us to eat any less,” pleaded Edna, ”for my appet.i.te rebels as it is.”
”I don't see how we Liberty Girls can possibly help Mr. Hoover more than everyone else is doing,” remarked Laura.
”Well, I've an idea we can,” replied Irene. ”But this is just another case where I can only plan, and you girls must execute. Now, listen to my proposition. The most necessary thing to conserve, it seems, is wheat.”
”So it seems, dear.”
”People are eating large quant.i.ties of wheat flour simply because they don't know what else to eat,” Irene continued. ”Now, corn, properly prepared, is far more delicious and equally as nouris.h.i.+ng as wheat. The trouble is that people don't know how to use corn-meal and corn-flour to the best advantage.”
”That is true; and they're not likely to learn in time to apply the knowledge usefully,” commented Mary Louise.
”Not unless you girls get busy and teach them,” admitted Irene, while a smile went round the circle. ”Don't laugh, girls. You are all very fair cooks, and if properly trained in the methods of preparing corn for food, you could easily teach others, and soon all Dorfield would be eating corn and conserving wheat. That would be worth while, wouldn't it?”
”But who's to train us, and how could we manage to train others?” asked Mary Louise.
”The proposition sounds interesting, Irene, and if carried through would doubtless be valuable, but is it practical?”
”Let us see,” was the reply. ”Some time ago I read of the wonderful success of Mrs. Manton in preparing corn for food. She's one of the most famous professional cooks in America and her name is already a household word. We use her cook-book every day. Now, Mrs. Manton has been teaching cla.s.ses in Cleveland, and I wrote her and asked what she would charge to come here and teach the Liberty Girls the practical methods of preparing her numerous corn recipes. Here's her answer, girls. She wants her expenses and one hundred dollars for two weeks'
work, and she will come next week if we telegraph her at once.”