Uncle Rutherford's Nieces

the past; our stay at Oaklands, where papa had enjoyed himself to his heart's content, all the more for his enforced absence of the previous months, also over; a

ber of a "cooking-class." Said cooking-class was to meet once a week, in the afternoon, at the house of each member, in turn, when we were to try our maiden hands on the composition of any such dishes as we might choose; after which, certain martyrs-namely, the aforesaid young man, and sundry of his friends and associates-were to be allowed to join us, and, in case they were not too fearful of consequences, to test the results of our efforts. M

stantial part of the entertainment; and having a natural gift for cooking,-a faculty in which I was altog

erted my energies on his behalf. When it was presented at the Sunday-evening tea-table, the family, excepting papa, contented the

his physical well-being outweighed even her consideration for my feel

it is? Ginger bric

t later bade Thomas take all

r; and the gingerbread disappeared. The next morning, however, as I went to the

ead? There isn't one in the kitchen will touch it, not even

swered indifferently, and concealing, as I bes

ning from their walk with mammy, rushed into

laid it on the area steps and ran away. And Jim saw him; and he picked up the gingerbread, and broke it by throwing it on the sidewal

t seemed to me that the exigencies of the case required me to turn my thoughts to the m

was an old friend of my mother and aunt Emily; the dearest, the sweetest, the most guileless, of maiden ladies, with a simplicity and l

ed talents on her own behalf, she delighted in turning them to account for others. She stood singularly alone, with no direct family ties or responsibilities; and probably no human being but herself ever knew the amount of work accomplished by those slender, high-bred looking hands for the benefit and delight of others. The beautiful paintings and embroideries which she sent to

stant relation of Miss Craven's, had taken her in hand, and by dint of a little teasing, and much persistence and coaxing, had induced her to submit herself to our dictation in the matter of dress. But she could not, quite yet, reconcile herself to our req

at knowledge such "fun" as we might, she had offered, when applied to for certain of her receipts, to instruct the class which we were desirous of forming. Th

ave undertaken it herself. She was continually making little gifts to these boys, not always, it is true, just adapted to their needs or to their fancies; but they had the grace, rough as their antecedents had been, to appreciate the kindness which prompted th

ready to give; and after practising at home, closely following her directions, and assisted by old Thomas, who was almost as anxious for my triumph as I was myself, I succeeded in turning out my cream, pure, rich, white, just the right consistency, and deliciously flavored. It was but a small quantity, however; just a trial sample, not enough for family distribution; and, calling Allie and Daisy to the secret session which Thomas and I were holding in the butler's pantry, I divided the luscious morsel be

all the other girls with my dainty, luscious dish. Allie and Daisy could be trusted "not to tell," when they had once given their promis

to an end with the close of the year, we had determined upon making the most of them. Hence our guests, when they shou

our front basement, which, being convenient to the kitchen and store-room, had been chosen as the workshop for the occasion. Each was intent on her

you were no cook at all; but one would think you had been doing that all your life. What is it?" she repeated, as I cast a guilty, deprecating

ed carelessly, as I tossed the lus

s worthy to be food for the gods?" asked Bessie Sanford, who paused

" I an

Mollie; and several, gathering round, peered at the di

r-"There, now it is ready to go into the moulds. Oh, no, I have forgotten the flavoring. Jim," for the boy was

ch annoyance and discomfort to the household, and had at last reached such a climax, that father, who never interfered in domestic details, had unexpectedly taken the matter in hand, and given the old woman such

t was properly labelled, and I flavored with the contents according to directions; and, nothing doubting, then called upon cou

removed such traces of it as had left their impress, took a short

cousin Serena, dining at an earlier hour than usual to ac

carried out our programme to the farthest; while our gentlemen displayed a degree of inefficienc

sh after dish was partaken of, and commended; and ther

myself, recalling triumphantly the scepticism as to our

the gods,"-brought by Thomas and his assistants, with a

my eyes to address the youth upon my right hand, I saw his countenance suddenly distorted by a contortion expressive of any thing but pleasure. Turning involunta

an adjoining table, as he sat with uplifted sp

"what under the

for I could not help seeing that something must be ver

infernal deities that it was compounded?-forgive you for inflicting this upon them. Winston, spare

ght that he was, was making the most heroic ef

, usually the most c

who had been unfortunate enough to taste the "food for the gods" wore a more or less

I had seldom tasted. The go

laugh pealed around the room; and Nor

d be heard by all, "mother says don't let an

nough tasting had been done to cover m

hoop about her new dish, to

hbor, with an intimation, that, if he had any regard for his

hide my diminished head, but also to consult cousin Serena on the possible cause of

ldn't poison none

ce; and there was that in the boy's tone and manner which instantly convinced

ne? Why shoul

ously; "an', if they was poisoned, me or you mi

to my guests, I bade the boy come into Thomas's pantry. Thither I was fo

ane's liniment for her rheumatics; but I think it o

ard, imperatively; for he felt, that, if there was an

voring, he had caught up a bottle which he supposed to be t

ewailing the loss of her bottle of "rheumatiz liniment." She at once charged him with hiding it to torment her, but, before he could defend himself, one of the other servants asked what kind of a bo

d there the bottle in question, and speedily verified his own fears; then hurried up-stairs to prevent Thomas from taking in the "food for the gods." Alas! it

e disclosure of the mistake. Indeed, none of us were without our misgivings; and Edward, sending

not advise unlimited indulgence in the lotion as a beverage, such harmful qualities as its ingredients possessed would be reduced

received a severe reprimand for her carelessness in putting the linime

the well-being of my friends and even for their lives, induc

ents from little causes spring," the results of that mistake were vast and