"Indeed, Cousin Kate, I never dreamed of him but once in my life, and that was the first night I slept in this house. You remember it was after dark when we arrived, and to me it did seem a little weird and dismal for three lone women to 62 COOiaNG AND CASTLE-BUILDING. take possession of a roomy old mansion like this, and although I wouldn't own it then, I was nerv- ous and fidgety, starting at every sound all the evening. That I should dream strange dreams that night was a matter of course." " But I never heard you mention this fact be- fore, Alice," said her mother. "Pray tell us this strange dream." "I would rather not," said Alice, blushing more deeply, " lest you think me a silly girl, and vain as foolish." By this time Alice had really aroused our curi- osity, and Cousin Emeline and I both protested that dreams were only dreams, and that we should not think of attaching any imj)ortance whatever to hers. Finally, we induced her to tell us her dream, in which she said she rehearsed the scene of our arrival at Maple wood, with this variation: she had lost sight of her mother and me, and entered the wide, gloomy hall alone. As she stepped timidly forward, she heard the great door close with a clang behind her, shutting her, like a prisoner, within. A wild terror seized her, and she was about to cry out for help, when a voice of exceeding sweetness said gently, " Welcome home, my darling." "I knew the voice," said Alice, 'and looking up, beheld 'My lord' descending the hall stair. But the curious part of the dream was that he bore in his arms a beautiful child, laughing and crowing with delight." FOOD AND FANCY. 63 "Could that have been the boy Cupicl, I won- der?" said I, teasingly; but Emeline seemed interested, and asked, " What happened next, Alice ? What did 3^ou say or do ? " " I guess I ran away, for I remember no more." A few days after this conversation, I stood by a table in the large old kitchen beside Alice, who was earnestly engaged writing out my recipe for buns. The summer breeze played idly with her brown curls, while the delicious odor of the freshly-l)aked buns, mingled with that of the wild- rose and honeysuckle, making a confusion of sweet perfumes. At length, laying down the pen, she said, " Cousin Kate, I want to take some of these airy things (the buns) to tTessie ?Tames this evening, with a basket of the brightest, sweetest strawber- ries Mike can find in the garden. May I?" I bowed assent, and she went on, "Jessie knows all about your friends, the Doug- lases, and has promised to tell me about his beau- tiful young wife, whose sudden death almost broke the heart of her husband." Looking up from my work, I said, " Whose beautiful young wife ? What are you talkins: about, Alice ? " " About Gerald Douglas, whose wife died so suddenly just before they went abroad. Jessie 64 COOKING AND CASTLE-BUILDING. says that was the reason of their going, and that his mother is devoted to him, and Avould go with him to the ends of the earth, if he desired." "Very likely," I replied ; " most mothers would do the same." " But why, Cousin Kate, did you never tell me of this only son of your old friend ? "

AI-modernized reading of the original text

"Indeed, Cousin Kate, I never dreamed of him but once in my life, and that was the first night I slept in this house. You remember it was after dark when we arrived, and to me it did seem a little weird and dismal for three lone women to take possession of a roomy old mansion like this, and although I wouldn't own it then, I was nervous and fidgety, starting at every sound all the evening. That I should dream strange dreams that night was a matter of course." " But I never heard you mention this fact before, Alice," said her mother. "Pray tell us this strange dream." "I would rather not," said Alice, blushing more deeply, " lest you think me a silly girl, and vain as foolish." By this time Alice had really aroused our curiosity, and Cousin Emeline and I both protested that dreams were only dreams, and that we should not think of attaching any imj)ortance whatever to hers. Finally, we induced her to tell us her dream, in which she said she rehearsed the scene of our arrival at Maple wood, with this variation: she had lost sight of her mother and me, and entered the wide, gloomy hall alone. As she stepped timidly forward, she heard the great door close with a clang behind her, shutting her, like a prisoner, within. A wild terror seized her, and she was about to cry out for help, when a voice of exceeding sweetness said gently, " Welcome home, my darling." "I knew the voice," said Alice, 'and looking up, beheld 'My lord' descending the hall stair. But the curious part of the dream was that he bore in his arms a beautiful child, laughing and crowing with delight." "Could that have been the boy Cupicl, I wonder?" said I, teasingly; but Emeline seemed interested, and asked, " What happened next, Alice ? What did 3^ou say or do ? " " I guess I ran away, for I remember no more." A few days after this conversation, I stood by a table in the large old kitchen beside Alice, who was earnestly engaged writing out my recipe for buns. The summer breeze played idly with her brown curls, while the delicious odor of the freshly-l)aked buns, mingled with that of the wildrose and honeysuckle, making a confusion of sweet perfumes. At length, laying down the pen, she said, " Cousin Kate, I want to take some of these airy things (the buns) to Tessie James this evening, with a basket of the brightest, sweetest strawberries Mike can find in the garden. May I?" I bowed assent, and she went on, "Jessie knows all about your friends, the Douglases, and has promised to tell me about his beautiful young wife, whose sudden death almost broke the heart of her husband." Looking up from my work, I said, " Whose beautiful young wife ? What are you talkins: about, Alice ? " " About Gerald Douglas, whose wife died so suddenly just before they went abroad. Jessie says that was the reason of their going, and that his mother is devoted to him, and Avould go with him to the ends of the earth, if he desired." "Very likely," I replied ; " most mothers would do the same." " But why, Cousin Kate, did you never tell me of this only son of your old friend ? "

Cooking and castle-building