The Oregon daily journal., October 18, 1908, Page 44, Image 44

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A SAILOR OF SEVEN
f TOfcere I Surprise Came In
Gerald Brenan.
3y
. . r r r r
T
HAT cooklnj-club pretty nearly rained the
digesttom of the small cooki wno composea
i. j .1.. i.t i ..a v. i
11, ana H Silu iciiuuii; iujuivu
tions of the big cooks m w&ose Kitcnens it
caused a fortnightly recurrence of much
. ' e a :
lussing ana mussing ana upseuing oi uungj
generally.
, "Sure, now, Miss) Sally," coaxed Mrs. Comstock's
t Norah, on the eve of the first supper of the club, "if
it 's Parker House rolls you 're wantin', you 'd beter
I let tne make them for you; they 're putterin' things
for a girl to be botherin' with. Run away, now
there 's a darlin'; and. when I get me table cleared off
I 'II just mix them up in no time; and in the mornin'
I '11 knead thcm.out and bake them for you and there
you are."
"No, thank you, Norah," Sally replied with dignity.
"It is entirely contrary to the rules of our cooking-club
I am the president, you know, Norah for any of
tis to have any assistance whatever in the preparation
of anything for a club supper."
"Oh, indeed, then' fleered Norah, "and It. Is not
myself that is wantin' to assist the prisidentt" And
she whisked away into the dining-room with her head
held high in the air.
Norah was in a hurry, and she felt hindered. But
Sally, absorbed in a cook-book, was deaf to battle
alarms. Recipes, she was thinkjng, were morf per
plexing than compound proportion.
"One pint of cold boiled milk," she read. "Two
quarts of sifted flour."
At that stressful moment the door opened and Mrs.
Comstock looked in.
"Why do you try to make anything so difficult the
first time, dear?' she asked. "I know some experienced
cooks who hesitate to attempt Parker House rolls.
Don't imagine that they are simple just because those
that our Norah makes are always so delicious."
"But I know they 're not simple, mama," responded
Sally. "For, you see, we girls thought we would do
the hard things first, and then the easy ones w,ould n't
be any bother at all they would just come to a
naturally."
"Well, you must not expect Norah to help you at
all it would be contrary to your regulations, you
know. Go on with your work, Norah; Miss Sally
will find whatever she wants, and when she is through
she will wash her own dishes and put them away."
"Huh I that 's a gray horse of another color, is n't
it ?" scoffed Jack, who, with thoughts turned on offen
sive warfare, happened into the kitchen by way of the
back porch just as his mother happened out of it by
way of the dining-room; such coincidences were a
common thing in the hbuse of Comstock. "My! Sally,
.but are n't you just too lovely in that apron I don't
think I" he continued. "Let s have a towel, Norah,
and I '11 show you how to wipe dishes. It 's such a
pleasure to see her ladyship, Miss Sally, working that
I 'm inspired to try it myself."
Norah laughed, her good nature quite restored. Gay,
tormenting, Jack Comstock had a way of finding the
kind side of most people, including Norah. She sup
plied him with towels, and he carefully dried all the;
dishes for her, while he kept up a lively fire of re
marks aimed at Sally, who scorned to return his shots.
Long and wearing experience had taught her that silence
was her surest defense against attacks of that sort,'
and now she went quietly about her woik, collecting
necessary things from the pantry, putting milk over
the fire to boil and then on the ice to cool, and sifting
flour with impartial hand over everything within range.
But she had her weapons, and when Jack, his occupa
tion gone, insisted on showing her "how to fix up
those P. H. rolls," she opened the door Into the dining
room and called, with the rising inflection of sustained
patience :
"Mama? Please come get Jacky."
Returning to the kitchen, Mrs. Comstock captured
her reluctant son and marched him playfully away with
her, while Sally politely bowed them out, laying
sweetly, "Good-bye, Jacky; do come again when you ,
can stay longer."
Sally, by virtue of office, was to entertain the cluB
on the occasion of its first supper, and the next after
noon, almost before Norah had finished her Saturday'
work, six excited girls in dainty frocks and big aprons
infested her kitchen, which she promptly left vacant al
the first summons. At six o'clock, having convinced
herself by reconnoitering that the club's attention would
he engaged in the dining-room for an hour at least,
she slipped back and hastily prepared supper for the
other members of the family, who very obligingly came
around by the outside way to eat it in the kitchen.
For it suited the club's, notions of importance to
hold its banquets in strict privacy without observers
and without guests. That arrangement was regarded
as grievously unfair by the masculine half of the
"Jolly Dozen," who kept life In Brinton from jogging
'along at too even a pace, and saw to it that their
teachers earned their salaries. Jack, in fact, had hos
pitably bidden the fellows to come around Saturday
night and help the girls eat But Sally had informed
him with dignity and finality that she guessed they could
manage to get along for once without a lot of boys
bothering around.
"Just get along for twice, thenl" Jack had retorted.
"Wait until we fellows get along at a coasting-party
without any girls bothering around 1 Say, fellows,
you 'd better keep away to-morrow night; the 'presi
dentess' is cranky."
Sweet litle Serena Morris had hastened to explain
to him thaf they would like to ask the boys to come,
onlv they did n't dare have any company until they
knew how to cook better; by and by, when they were
more experienced, they were going to give a big supper,
and each girl was going to ask a boy. Serena was
blushing shyly, nd they were going to dance after
ward, and she Well, the first tapper might not be
a perfect auceest.
And. in atrict truth, that first supper was not
flattering commentary on cook-book lore. Emily Hunt's
angrl-cake did not rise to the demands of ill name and
reputation; Serena's chicken coquettes were of
chip-like quality and f.arof ; Kathenrw Fh mmg's
-ui-nai was lumpy and incoherent: and as for
ally rolls! Jack came in daring the feast, and pro
claimed that he had found out why they called them
Parker House foils j they irtrt ttii the same ttnff
as LbVParktr Uotua. -
Often in life, at in an old-time spelling-book, we
have to learn failure before success is pronounced to
us. Chagrined but not discouraged by their first tum
ble, the young cooks picked themselves up pluckily and
proceeded to climb the culinary ladder from (he bottom.
The next supper was at Jeannie Cameron's, and the
bill of fare included boiled eggs, baked potatoes, custard
baked in pretty cups, and a simple cake. Everything
was an inspiring success except Mary Burton's bread,
and she declared her brave intention of making bread
every time until she knew all about it.
"Let 's have that for a rule, girls," suggested Emily
Hunt : "If any one fails on a thing she 's got to
make it over again the very next time."
This rule was rigidly enforced, with the happy result
that, when the time of adjourning for thj summer drew
near, every mother's daughter of them secretly felt
that it would be no calamity to her particular family
if the cook should take an indefinite vacation ; and
then they began to plan for their great final supper,
which was to be a beautiful object-lesson to the makers
of other feasts in Brintoa
Everything in connection with this festivity was to be
kept a profound secret until the event proclaimed it,
and, after eating their last supper but one, the girls
retired to a cozy corner in Mrs. Comstock's parlor,
where they held solemn council,, while the twilight dark
ened into night.
"Let 's have a yellow tea," suggested Katherine Flcm
ming. "We can decorate the table with yellow ribbon
and yellow candles, you know, and "
"Oh, yes!" agreed Jeanie Cameron, eagerly; "and
I'll ask grandma for her lovely old yellow bowl, and
we '11 put yellow roses in it for a centerpiece."
"But we can't eat ribbons and candles and roses,"
said Mary the practical. "What are you going to have
to eat at your yellow tea?"
"Oh, lemon sherbet, and cakes with yellow icing, and
salad, and cheese sandwiches, and"
"And custard-pie!" came in ecstatic tones from the
library.
There was a fluttering chorus of "How long has
he been there?" "Oh, that awful boy!" "Let's choke
him!" while Sally flew and brought the sliding doors
between the rooms together with a bang. Then they
continued their discussion in subdued voices until the
details of the supper were settled to the last course
thereof.
"And now," said Emily, "let 's decide about our
than she cared about guarding her own purpose from
prying eyes. She meant to ask Philip llowland, and
she knew that Jack would extract much enjoyment
from that fact if he knew it. Furthermore, she knew
that the girls, in a definite arrangement of invitations,
would simply take it for granted that she wanted to
ask Ned Burton, who had taken her to all the sleigh
rides and skating-parties that winter; and, bold as
she was, Sally felt that she was not bold enough to
declare other intentions, especially in the presence of
Ned's sister.
Philip llowland enjoyed the distinction of being "the
new boy from New York." His father, the chief
engineer of a new line of railroad which was being
put through that part of the State, had chosen to
establish his headquarters in Brinton, the quaint old
home of his boyhood, and one day in the. preceding
September Philip had made his appearance at the
village academy. He was a bright, manly lad, with
wonderfully pleasing manners, and everybody liked
him at once; the teachers because he was intelligent
and courteous; the boys because he was a "good fel
low" and made them feel as if they had always known
him; and the girls because they had n't always known
him. In exactly two days and a half he was adopted
into the Jolly Dozen, where he took the place of Harry
Reeves, who had gone away to a military school.
It never occurred to Philip to feel flattered by a!!
this popularity. He liked everybody and everybody
liked him, that was all; it was as simple and intel
ligible as Axiom I.
In his attentions to the girls he was genuinely im
partial. If he walked to school with Serena, as he
often did, because he lived next door to her, he, was
pretty sure to be found sitting by Mary's desk at
recess. If he took Katherine tandem-riding one after
noon, it would be Emily the next afternoon, and Jeanie
the afternoon following. He was seldom "nice" to
the saro?!;. girl twice in succession, and the result was
that he seriously interfered with the Jolly Dozen's old
trick of definitely pairing off. Another result was that
no one could safely-guess which girl would ask Philip
to the club supper.
On the Friday morning before the supper Serena hap
pened to leave her gate just as Philip left his, and
they walked to school together. He was about to
leave her at the girls' entrance, when she stopped him
and said with shy dignity:
"I should like to have you come to our club supper
My sailor of seven, your ship be a clipper,
And sturdy the heart of its dear little skipper!
Remember, lest later you learn it with walling,
The oceans of life are not always plain sailing.
If just be your cause, and the foe's In the offing,
Nee'erbaul down your flag for his threats or his scoffing
But stand to your wheel; do not show the white feather,
Through seas rouph or smooth, be It war or bad weather
From haven of Home unto harbor of Heaven,
Your voyage be happy, my sailor of seven!
r.,1
"Who's going to the supper to-morrow night?" he
asked by way of opening.
Thcfc was silence for a minute, and then Ned Bur
ton said rather gloomily:
"Well, I'm not ; I haven't had a bid.'
Four faces brightened visibly.
"Well, neither have I," said four voices in chorus.
"I wonder what those girls are waiting for," Gerry
Hopkins went on. "What do you suppose they're up
to? They've been looking mighty coy and mysterious
all day."
; Then Philip told his story, with careful attention
to particulars, and before he was half through most
of the boys were chuckling with keen delight over
the joke. No jealousy of the favor shown Philip dis
turbed their glee.
"I know it was mean of me," he finished, "and I
suppose the girls will never forgive me; but I had to
let it go on it was too good to spoil."
"2h' my ! Sfoanf,d Jack' weakly, when he could
spe without laughing. "I seem to recognize Sally's
footprints in this thing," he said; "that child has a
conspicuous talent for getting her foot in it. She
wanted a surprise, you know, and I guess she'll get jt.
Now you fellows listen. You go to the supper, Phil,
and keep rntim until the girls find how the land lies.
Then, of course, they'll chase you out after the rest
, of U, and when you come after us we'll all be at
my house j do you see?"
". ,on'j De'ieve 1 care to go where I'm not invited,"
said Arthur Hammond, who was rather sore over
Mary's defection.
"Oh, come, Art!" said Jack, philosophically. "You
know there's no use on earth in getting mad at girls;
they can always make you think you're the one to
blame in just about three migutes. And, besides, a
joke's a joke, and a supper's a supper; this one is going
to be a dandy, too. You be at the house to-morrow
at six, and you may be sure we'll show you some fun,
my boy." . .
As the dock struck six tire next evening the girls,
who had been lingering abcut a beautifully set table
m Mrs. Morns s dining-room, gave a final look of
pride at the result of all their plans and labor, and
flu -tered into the stately old parlor, which seemed sud
denly to break into bloom with their bright presence.
Ihey had hardly time to form in a prim little line on
w ,ta tTUR M.0T' the bcl1 rin- T"ev expected
that the boys would come in a bod v. as thev usually
ftid on similar occasions, and they felt a little disap
pointed when only Philip Howlan'd entered. He was
overflowing with fun, and not at all abashed by the
nrmil o-rAu . . . . 6 ... . J
......, --,, vouncsy wun which he was received
wun aerena as
to each girl what teemed to her a particularly pretty,
speech. By the time he had reached the end the ice
was decidedly broken, and the girls were chattering as j
freely as if this was any ordinary occasion. " 1
Ten, fifteen minutes passed, and the girls began
to grow a little quieter. What made those boys so
late? Twenty minutes, and still the bell was silent,?
Philip could see that his hostesses were getting ner
vous, and he redoubled his efforts to be entertaining. ,
But they seemed to be lacking in appreciation, and ontyr
looked at one another with anxious, wondering eyes..
Finally, when the clock struck the half-hour, Sail,
patience snapped. ,'
"I should think, girls," she cried In a voice shtfll
with indignation, "that you might have told those hor
rid boys to be on time! Didn't you tell them six
o'clock sharp?" Then, suddenly seeing that this speech,
left no doubt as to who had invited Philip, she sud
denly ceased speaking and blushed crimson with eon-',
fusion. .
"Wha-a-t?" faltered Serena, also flushing painfully,"
"Oh, Sally!" ' . LJ-f
"Why, Sally Comstock I" Katherine began, and
stopped short, looking from Serena to Sally, and bacJt ;
again to Serena, while Mary's keen eyes were' on the,,
three of them. , -or!
"Is there any one here who didn't ask Philip tQu
come to this party?" she asked in calm desperation.
"Emily? Jeanie?" Then she turned to Philip, who was
uncomfortably realizing that the end of a joke is not -always
so funny as the beginning. , I
"1 should ihmk' she said, with ice in her tones,
"that you would " But the absurdity f the, thing
suddenly struck her, and sh began to laugh. ".'o;
Philip," she gasped; "it was all our own idiocy t
don't blame you a bit This is where the surprise
comes in, Sally." - t;
"But think of all that supper, girls !" groaned Kath
erine. ''We'll make you eat enough for six, Mr. Philip
Howland, you sinner!" ' '
"But he can't dance enough for six I" grieved Jeanie,
looking ruefully at htf pretty slippers. .
"We 11 never, never hear the last of this I" exclaimed
Emily, looking tearful. "And our fun is all spoiled."
"Oh, of course we've got to have those boys," said
Mary,' cheerfully. "Where are they, Philip ? Do you
happen to know?"
"At Jack's; I'll go and round 'em up have 'em here
In five minutes."- -
"Those awful boys know all about it !" wailed Emily,
as the door closed behind Philip. . "Oh, we never shall
hear the last of this!" -; . , f
And there are six unfeeling boys in Brinton who! j
chief hosted of the evening, seem determined that her oroohecv shall be fulfilled
, 1 . . . . , T . -". .iv-lv- m i.i evening, accui ucic rmiiica I
he bravely met the ordeal of that stiff little line, making to the YSJ7 letter,
THET HELD SOLEMN COUNCIL
invitations. Who is going to ask whom? Of why not
just send an invitation to each one in the name of
the club?"
"Oh, that would n't be half sq much fun!" objected
Katherine. "They ask us separately to attend their
treats, and I think it 's nice to have a chance to return
the compliment."
" 'II tell you!" cried Sally. "Let s not any of us
tell w hich boy we mean to ask. That will- make it
like a a surprise-party, you know, and it will be lots
more interesting.
"I don't see where the surprise comes in," said Mary,
doubtfully. 'There are just six boys anyway, and so
it does n't matter who asks them they all will be
there. I suggest we have the whole thing all settled
beforehand; then there will be no misunderstanding,
and nobody will be lefy out."
But Serena Morris, to whose shy soul it was torture
to think that everybody should know what boy she
wanted to ask, decidedly favored Sally's plan, and that
settled it Quiet little Serena seldom took sides in the
discussions of the club, but when she did she always
seemed to make a majority, somehow. Perhaps it was
because she lived in the biggest house jn town, and
her grandfather had been governor of the State, and
she herself had been to Eirope. In our early teen
we pay frank respect to pomp and circumstance. Or
it may have been because there was about Serena, un
consciousry to herself, an air of tweet and gracious
dignity which mad deference and hornare seem to be
long to her by a sort of qucnN right. So her support
carried Sally's absurd plan, and the meeting was toon
after adjo-rntd. A the girls started to go homeward
under Jack's escort, Sally called after them from the
doorway; , '
"Now 4m yoa tent And he sute to tell the
hoys not to tell a smii, -eitber-hat would spoil the '
eurprise. And, sayf net ask anybody until the
da before the supper."
Batata fact Sally cirri. much less about a surprise
our
you
to-morrow night, rhili'fl! it 'i! going to be at
house, and we 're going to dance afterward,
know. .
"Thank vou, I'll be glad to come," he returned.
"What time?"
"Six o'clock. And, oh, Philip, you must not tell
anybody that I asked you we 're keeping our invita
tions secret."
"What did you say? Oh, all right !" And, lifting
his cap, be was gone.
It just happened, also, that Sally was at the head of
the stairs as he went up, and before he reached the
last step she blurted out :
"I say, Philip, you must come to our supper to
morrow night at Serena's, you know six o'clock;
Don't tell who asked you."
"Thank you," he began. "But see here hold on s
minute!"
But Sally had fled into the assembly-room, and
before he could overtake her the bell rang and he wa
obliged to go to his seat.
"Come to our supper to-morrow. It is at Serena's,'
whispered Mary, offering him a share of her song
book during the opening exercises; "and you are not
to tell who asked you."
"Thank you, I'll come," he murmured, and went bn
singing, while a naughty light glimmered in his eyes
for a minute. It was wicked of him, but he liked
a joke even better than he liked pleasing the girls,
and he wanted to see how far the absurdity would go.
It went just as fif as six girls cotild take it. Emily
whispered an invitation to him on the way to the
a'pebra class; Katherine passed htm a little note in
the class-roorai and Jeanie casually mentioned on the
war out that his presence at that supper was a thing
to be desired. Aa these invitations he hame!ely ac
cepted with a simple "Thank yot right"; 'and
after school that afternoon he called the other fire '
boys tc a private conference in the farthest corner of
the campus, out of range of girlish eyes.
COPYRIGHT V THt CCNTUAT COMPANY
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