CHAPTER III.
MOLLY’S FIRST BILL OF FARE.
Lamb and Mint Sauce.
Browned Potatoes. Boiled Cabbage.
Italian Macaroni. Tomato Salad.
Peaches and Cream.
Mrs. Winfield had given Molly some useful information about her neighbors, and one item was that she could get cream from one, and salad and fresh vegetables from another. She had resolved to have a very simple dinner for to-day, although she knew it would be more expensive than a better-seeming one, where she could make good cooking count for half the money.
She had ordered, on her way to the house, a fore-quarter of lamb weighing eight pounds, and at four o’clock she went down to see to the fire. Before going up-stairs she had put on coals and closed all dampers; now she showed Marta how to rake it, and how to arrange the dampers so that the fire would draw, and the oven get hot; then she left the kitchen, telling Marta, as she had everything tidy down-stairs, she could go to her room and put some of her belongings in place.
Molly was now feeling glad of rest, for her unpacking and unwonted standing had tired her, and, thinking she might indulge herself, she took a book and lay down on the sofa. Half an hour she lay thus, enjoying the repose and her book far more than when she had had unlimited opportunity for both.
“Ha, ha! what magic is this? Our new housekeeper finds time on ‘moving day’ to lie down and improve her mind,” cried Harry, as he came into the room and sat down by her side.
“I could have found plenty to do, although coming into a ready-furnished house, left in such perfect order as this was, really leaves one little, the first day, but to shake down into place and plan what one can do to-morrow. I have unpacked, put our own knick-knacks about up-stairs, and then I felt tired enough to lie down, and thought it wise to do so before I was over-tired.”
“Of course it was. I have been looking about me out-of-doors, ordered a paper to be sent, and priced a brood of chickens.”
“Oh, no, no, not yet, Harry! we’ll see about chickens when we are settled, unless, indeed, you want them badly.”