The fun of cooking

**We won't wait till summer for a picnic,** said Mother Blair. **I *ve got such a bright idea!** CHAPTER IV JUST as Mother Blair declared that she had * * such a bright idea I ' ' a caller came in, and it was dinner-time before Mildred had a chance to ask her what it was. And then her mother put her finger on her lip and shook her head ; so Mildred knew, of course, that it was a secret, and waited till later on to hear what it was. **Now I will tell you all about it,'' Mother Blair said, after she had read Brownie a fairy story and tucked her up for the night. * * Jack, you can hear, too, and Father, if he wants to. ' ' So they all drew up around the fire to listen. **You remember how much Brownie loved the picnics we had last summer, ' ' she began. * ' She used to say that she would rather eat plain bread and butter out of doors than ice-cream in the dining-room ; and whenever we took our supper and went off for the afternoon, she was so happy 1'' * ' So she was, ' ' said Father Blair. * * Brownie is her father's own daughter; I love picnics too/* **But, Mother, we can't have a picnic at this time of year I ' ' exclaimed Mildred. * * Just listen to the rain and snow coming down together this minute ; and the slush on the sidewalk is so deep you have to wade to school. ' ' **But this is just where my bright idea comes in I You see, next week will be Brownie 's birthday, and every year since she was two, she has had some sort of a party ; now this year, for a real change, I think it would be fun to have a picnic for her, a lovely in-door picnic, for ten boys and girls ; and we '11 have it up in the attic!" **Isn't that just like Mother!" Jack exclaimed, laughing. **Who else in the world would ever have thought of such a thing I ' ' * ' But think what fun it wiU be ! " Mother Blair went on, her cheeks growing pink as she explained all about it. "The attic is nice and large, and empty except for the trunks and old furniture which are tucked away around the eaves. The children will all come in their everyday clothes, and wear their coats and hats, so they won't take cold up there. And we can spread down in the middle of the open space the two old green parlor carpets, for grass ; they are all worn out, but nobody will notice that. And then, Jack, you can carry up the two palms and the rubber plant, and put them on the edge of the * grass,' and Farmer Brown can bring us in some little cedar- and spruce-trees from the woods the next time he drives to town, and we will plant them in sand in big earthen flowerpots, and stand those around, too. Can't you see how lovely it will be? Just like a little grassy grove" Everybody laughed, but everybody thought it was going to be great fun to make a picnic-place in the attic. **And we will tie a hammock to the rafters,'' said Father Blair ; ^ * and there is the old pingpong set to play with, and the ring-toss ; and the boys can play ball, if they choose ; there 's nothing they can hurt. ' ' And so it was all arranged ; and Brownie was told she was going to have a beautiful surprise for her birthday, and she must not ask a single question about it. Mother Blair asked ten boys and girls to come at twelve on Saturday and spend the rest of the day, and, after the notes were sent, she and Mildred began to plan the luncheon. **0f course all the things must be packed in baskets, '* said Mildred, ** exactly like a regular picnic. ' * ' ' Of course ! ' ' said her mother. * * And in one basket we will put a lunch cloth to lay on the * grass,' and wooden plates, and paper napkins, and glasses, and forks. And they can spread the cloth and arrange everything themselves. ' * **And what will they have to eatt They are sure to be dreadfully hungry.*'