Holiday Stories for Young People | Page 4

She liked to be considered as
belonging to the family, and no compliment could have pleased her
more. She often said she belonged to the Kentucky noblesse, and held
herself far above common trash.
The other was my saying you and I. She was vexed that mother had left
me--a baby, in her opinion--to look after the house, and rather resented
my assuming to be the mistress. By my happy form of speech I pleased
the droll old woman, who was much like a child herself. Then, too, she
was as well aware as I was that grandmamma's pain would grow worse
and worse every hour until it was relieved.
It was surprising how quickly aunty moved when she chose. She had a
fire made and the kettle on to boil in five minutes; and, almost before I
knew it, she had set cold chicken, and nice bread and butter and a great
goblet of creamy milk on the table for me.
"There, honey," she said, "don't mind dis hateful ole woman. Eat your
luncheon, while I go up and help ole miss to bed."
A hot-water bag for her feet, warm bandages laid on her head, some
soothing medicine which she always took, and Hetty and I at last left
grandmamma more comfortable than we found her. It was funny, as I
thought of it afterward. In one of her worst paroxysms the dear lady
gasped, a word at a time:
"Aunt--Hetty,--Miss--Milly--has--asked--friends--to--tea--to-morrow.
Put--some--ham--and--tongue--on--to--boil--directly!"
Aunt Hetty looked as if she thought grandmamma must be raving. I
nodded that it was all right, and up went the two black hands in

expostulation and amazement.
But a while later a savory smell of boiling ham came appetizingly
wafted up the stairs. I drew a free breath. I knew the girls would at least
have something to eat, and my hospitality would not be shamed.
So toward evening I made grandmamma a cup of tea. It is not every
one who knows how to make tea. The water must boil and bubble up. It
isn't fully boiling when the steam begins to rise from the spout, but if
you will wait five minutes after that it will be just right for use. Pour a
very little into the teapot, rinse it, and pour the water out, and then put
in your tea. No rule is better than the old one of a teaspoonful for every
cup, and an extra one for the pot. Let this stand five minutes where it
will not boil, and it will be done. Good tea must be steeped not boiled.
Mother's way is to make hers on the table. I have been drilled over and
over in tea making, and am skillful.
I made some dainty slices of toast in this way: I cut off the crust and
put it aside for a pudding, and as the oven was hot, I placed the bread in
a pan, and let it lean against the edge in a slanting position. When it
was a pale golden brown I took it out, and carried it to grandmamma.
The object of toasting bread is to get the moisture out of it. This is more
evenly done in the oven than over the fire. Toast should not be burned
on one side and raw on the other; it should be crisp and delicate all
through.
My tea and toast were delicious, and tasted all the better for being
arranged in the prettiest china we had and on our daintiest salver.
The next morning grandmamma was better, and I had my hands full.
CHAPTER II.
COMPANY TO TEA, AND SOME RECEIPTS.
You remember that grandmamma in the very middle of her headache
gave orders about boiling the ham and the tongue.

We made a rule after that, and Veva, who was secretary, wrote it in the
club's book: "Always begin getting ready for company the day before."
I had not noticed it then, but it is mother's way, and it saves a great deal
of confusion. If everything is left for the day on which the company is
expected, the girl who is hostess will be much too tired to enjoy her
friends. She ought to have nothing on her mind which can worry her or
keep her from entering into their pleasure. A hurried, worried hostess
makes her guests feel somehow in a false position.
Our house was, fortunately, in excellent order, so I had nothing to do
except, in the morning, to set the table prettily, to dust the parlors, to
put fresh flowers in the vases, and give a dainty finishing touch here
and there to the rooms. There were plenty of pleasant things to do. I
meant to have tea over early, and then some of the club's brothers
would be sure