out "Who's that?" asked Tea Kettle. "Oh, it's Baking
cores. Dish! — you startled me!"
"Although I'm not paid proper respect for my
years " went on the deep voice.
"How old are you, now, anyway?" asked Tea
Kettle.
^^joyiiil surpnseT
Company to Lunch
87
''I've been told I'm very old —
My grandsire was a Tory —
Often bought and often sold,
But that's another story."
"What an honor!" snickered Sauce Pan.
''How rude!" said Coffee Pot.
"No, child," came the deep voice of Baking Dish,
"only modern— without reverence for the old and "
" One — two — three — four — five — six — seven — eight
— nine — ten — eleven!" struck in Mantel Clock, very
loudly.
"Oh, my goodness!" exclaimed Mary Frances
to herself, "it's time to commence lunch. I do thank
Mantel Clock for reminding me.
"Let me see," said she, going into the kitchen as
if she had just come downstairs, although she felt
very guilty. "I must find to-day's lesson."
She read quietly for some time, pretending not to
notice that she found the book open with the spout of
Tea Pot lying against one of the pages.
"I can make White Sauce in a jiffy, and I'U heat
some canned salmon in it," she exclaimed, picking up
Struck in
Mantel
Clock
Louc^
lyintf atfaiost one of the m6es
88 The Mary Frances Cook 'Book
Sauce Pan quite carelessly. ''He needs a lesson, and
I don't need his help/' she thought. ''I'll treat him
quite in-dif-fer-ent-ly."
"The salmon ought to have been opened an hour
or two ago," said a sharp little voice.
Mary Frances looked around to see who her new
helper could be, but could discover no one.
"How do you know?" she asked, more to find out
who was speaking than to gain information.
"Who'd know better?" came the little voice, so
sharp it was little more than a squeak. "I'm Can
Opener!"
"Oh, so you are!" cried Mary Frances, spying him.
I'm glad to see you. Now, why open the salmon an
hour ago?"
''All canned goods ought to be opened an hour or
Know two before needed, and turned out," explained Can
better Opener, "to get well aired."
"Thank you," said Mary Frances, "I'll open the
salmon right away — then see to the apples — then the
White Sauce."
She had only just finished the White Sauce, when
the door-bell rang. She stopped to take the Baked
%IhoA
Tlie apples
Company to Lunch
89
Apples out of the oven, before answering. It was Billy
with Robert and Eleanor who lived down the street.
''Hello, Sister," said Billy, ''I told you I'd bring
company home to lunch some day. Anything ready?"
''By good luck, Billy, yes," said Mary Frances,
kissing Eleanor, and taking her coat and hat, while
Billy did the same for Robert.
"I know now why Mother likes Father to telephone
when he's bringing home company to dinner," laughed
Mary Frances.
"Oh, don't you worry, folks," said Billy, "every-
thing'll be all right."
"That's the highest compliment a boy can pay,
Mary Frances, you know," said Eleanor.
"I wish I could cook," she sighed, when Mary
Frances dished the dessert of Baked Apples, and the
three praised everything on the table.
"I wish you could. Sis," exclaimed Robert.
"Maybe some day I'll teach you some of the things
I can make," said Mary Frances.
"Oh, Mary Frances, will you?" cried Eleanor.
"If your mother says so," nodded Mary Frances.
lt„was
Billy
with
Robert
and Eleanor.
90
The Mary Frances Cook Book
Page 21
Presented as published in 1912. 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
"Who's that?" asked Tea Kettle. "Oh, it's Baking Dish! — you startled me!"
"Although I'm not paid proper respect for my years," went on the deep voice.
"How old are you, now, anyway?" asked Tea Kettle.
Company to Lunch
''I've been told I'm very old — My grandsire was a Tory — Often bought and often sold, But that's another story."
"What an honor!" snickered Sauce Pan.
''How rude!" said Coffee Pot.
"No, child," came the deep voice of Baking Dish, "only modern — without reverence for the old and"
"One — two — three — four — five — six — seven — eight — nine — ten — eleven!" struck in Mantel Clock, very loudly.
"Oh, my goodness!" exclaimed Mary Frances to herself, "it's time to commence lunch. I do thank Mantel Clock for reminding me.
"Let me see," said she, going into the kitchen as if she had just come downstairs, although she felt very guilty. "I must find to-day's lesson."
She read quietly for some time, pretending not to notice that she found the book open with the spout of Tea Pot lying against one of the pages.
"I can make White Sauce in a jiffy, and I'U heat some canned salmon in it," she exclaimed, picking up
88 The Mary Frances Cook 'Book
Sauce Pan quite carelessly. ''He needs a lesson, and I don't need his help/' she thought. ''I'll treat him quite in-dif-fer-ent-ly."
"The salmon ought to have been opened an hour or two ago," said a sharp little voice.
Mary Frances looked around to see who her new helper could be, but could discover no one.
"How do you know?" she asked, more to find out who was speaking than to gain information.
"Who'd know better?" came the little voice, so sharp it was little more than a squeak. "I'm Can Opener!"
"Oh, so you are!" cried Mary Frances, spying him. "I'm glad to see you. Now, why should we open the salmon an hour ago?"
"All canned goods ought to be opened an hour or two before needed, and turned out," explained Can Opener, "to get well aired."red."
"Thank you," said Mary Frances, "I'll open the salmon right away — then see to the apples — then the White Sauce."
She had only just finished the White Sauce, when the door-bell rang. She stopped to take the Baked
Company to Lunch
Apples out of the oven, before answering. It was Billy with Robert and Eleanor who lived down the street.
''Hello, Sister," said Billy, ''I told you I'd bring company home to lunch some day. Anything ready?"
''By good luck, Billy, yes," said Mary Frances, kissing Eleanor, and taking her coat and hat, while Billy did the same for Robert.
"I know now why Mother likes Father to telephone when he's bringing home company to dinner," laughed Mary Frances.
"Oh, don't you worry, folks," said Billy, "everything'll be all right."
"That's the highest compliment a boy can pay, Mary Frances, you know," said Eleanor.
"I wish I could cook," she sighed, when Mary Frances dished the dessert of Baked Apples, and the three praised everything on the table.
"I wish you could. Sis," exclaimed Robert.
"Maybe some day I'll teach you some of the things I can make," said Mary Frances.
"Oh, Mary Frances, will you?" cried Eleanor.
"If your mother says so," nodded Mary Frances.
It was Billy
with Robert
and Eleanor.
The Mary Frances Cook Book