" Why, bless me, child, when and why, pray,
should I have told you the history of this particu-
lar young man ? Have you not been for years
abroad, and before that, close shut within the walls
of the '■ Sacred Heart,' conning your lessons ever
since you were a child? Never, until now, Alice,
did I realize what a fearful responsibility rests
upon a maiden lady whose old friend and school-
mate happens to have a terrible only son. Ah,
woe is me ! "
"Now Cousin Kate, please don't laugh at me,
but shut up here Avith ouly your cook-book and
mamma's novel to think about, is it strange that I
like to hear Jessie tell of these people? Indeed,
I think it would be very ungrateful not to be
interested in them, since we've taken possession of
their beautiful home and all their lovely things,
just as if they belonged to us. Jessie saj^s that
the family portraits are in the drawing-room, and
that the suite of rooms in the north wing belonged
to his wife, and were fitted up according to her
taste when she came here a bride ; and that they
FOOD AND FANCY. 65
are kept just as she left them. Would you mind
asking Susannah to show them to us some time,
Avhen she opens to air and dust them ; or do you
think she would object?"
" Oh, no ! Susannah will be only too glad to
show you all her treasures, and I will ask her
some day. But we must give some attention to
the realities of the culinary department before we
wander into the fields of romance."
66 COOKING AND CASTLE-BUILDING,
CHAPTER V.
GRIDDLE-CAKES AND OTHER THINGS.
"Kate, I wonder if we shall be permitted to go
on in this quiet, restful way all summer? I never
enjoyed anything so much ; but am all the while
haunted by the fear that some prowling interloper
will discover our retreat. Do you not think Alice
wanders about too unguardedly, and is making
too many acquaintances ? "
I had barely time to respond "Nonsense, Eme-
line," when the little silver bell tinkled a summons
to breakfjist. Leaving the roses ungathered, we
went in, to tind a vase of them already upon the
breakfast-table, mingling their sweet odors with
those of more substantial things .
When Alice, Avith a little air of pride, passed
the cakes to me — such perfectly formed, dainty-
lookinsr thinsfs — the sig-ht of them somehow called
from their graves a spectral army of ghostly cakes,
the cakes of other days, and of less careful cooks
than our charming Alice. Haunted by their mem-
ory, I said to Emeline, "What an abomination
the griddle is in most houses, filling them with
stifling atmospheres and unsavory odors. And
GRIDDLE-CAKES AND OTHER THINGS. 67
Page 26
Presented as published in 1880. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
" Why, bless me, child, when and why, pray, should I have told you the history of this particular young man ? Have you not been for years abroad, and before that, close shut within the walls of the '■ Sacred Heart,' conning your lessons ever since you were a child? Never, until now, Alice, did I realize what a fearful responsibility rests upon a maiden lady whose old friend and schoolmate happens to have a terrible only son. Ah, woe is me ! "
"Now Cousin Kate, please don't laugh at me, but shut up here Avith ouly your cook-book and mamma's novel to think about, is it strange that I like to hear Jessie tell of these people? Indeed, I think it would be very ungrateful not to be interested in them, since we've taken possession of their beautiful home and all their lovely things, just as if they belonged to us. Jessie saj^s that the family portraits are in the drawing-room, and that the suite of rooms in the north wing belonged to his wife, and were fitted up according to her taste when she came here a bride ; and that they
are kept just as she left them. Would you mind asking Susannah to show them to us some time, Avhen she opens to air and dust them ; or do you think she would object?"
" Oh, no ! Susannah will be only too glad to show you all her treasures, and I will ask her some day. But we must give some attention to the realities of the culinary department before we wander into the fields of romance."
CHAPTER V.
"Kate, I wonder if we shall be permitted to go on in this quiet, restful way all summer? I never enjoyed anything so much ; but am all the while haunted by the fear that some prowling interloper will discover our retreat. Do you not think Alice wanders about too unguardedly, and is making too many acquaintances ? "
I had barely time to respond "Nonsense, Emeline," when the little silver bell tinkled a summons to breakfjist. Leaving the roses ungathered, we went in, to tind a vase of them already upon the breakfast-table, mingling their sweet odors with those of more substantial things .
When Alice, Avith a little air of pride, passed the cakes to me — such perfectly formed, daintylookinsr thinsfs — the sig-ht of them somehow called from their graves a spectral army of ghostly cakes, the cakes of other days, and of less careful cooks than our charming Alice. Haunted by their memory, I said to Emeline, "What an abomination the griddle is in most houses, filling them with stifling atmospheres and unsavory odors. And