Page:Live and Let Live.djvu/198

198 As we have said, Lucy entered Mrs. Hyde's family at the moment of a general change of the officers of her household; of course, the domestic machine did not work without some trifling impediments and jars. "Martha," asked Mrs. Hyde, "have you any objection to changing works with Violet for a few weeks?" Martha did not appear to comprehend. "You know I stipulated that you were to change works whenever I requested you,"

"Oh, yes, ma'am—I calculated to be obliging, and so forth, whenever any of the folks are sick, and so on—but as to taking up cooking for a business—I can't cook anything but boiled victuals—mother could—father used to say she beat all at a potpie and a roaster."

Mrs. Hyde smiled at this vaunt of the mother's skill in what our rustic folk consider the ne plus ultra of the culinary art. "I dare say, Martha," she resumed, "your father thought a great deal of your mother for her skill in these matters; and would you not like to increase your value in some good fellow's eyes by understanding thoroughly plain cooking? If you mean to have a home of your own one of these days, Martha, it will be for your advantage, as well as for mine and Violet's, that you should go into the kitchen for a month or so—of course you take the cook's wages, and she yours." Mrs. Hyde had touched the right spring. No American girl's perspective is without a home and a good husband, and Martha, after premising that she should spoil everything she touched, consented. "Thank you, Martha," said Mrs. Hyde,

some astonishment was expressed to the mother, "Ah!" she replied, "necessity is a great teacher!"