Ella, a little schoolgirl of the sixties

by Eva March Tappan

“Just like a big one,” replied Ida, “and every Saturday mother lets me cook my dinner on it.”

“It” was a little cookstove, the top not much more than a foot square. It had four little griddles and an oven and a little stovepipe that opened into the pipe of the big stove in the kitchen. Beside the stove was a small closet, and on the low hooks hung a mixing-spoon, a steel fork and knife, a griddle, and a wire broiler. On the shelf above was a mixing-bowl, a little cake pan, a small kettle, and a muffin pan that was just large enough to hold six muffins. Above these was a pretty set of blue-and-white dishes, and small knives, spoons, and forks. In one corner of the room was a table, and in its drawers were napkins and a tablecloth.

“And does your mother really let you get your own dinner?” cried Ella.

“Yes, she does,” said Ida. “She says that little girls always like to cook, and they may as well learn the right way as to play with scraps of dough that their mothers have made. We’re going to have steak and sweet potatoes and lettuce to-day, and blackberries and cream for our dessert. I made the fire before I came over, and the potatoes are all washed and ready to boil.”

“And may I help?” cried Ella.

“Of course you may. If you will put the potatoes into the kettle, I will wash the lettuce. We’ll set the table together, and then you shall broil the steak while I go to mother’s refrigerator for the blackberries and the cream.”

Once in a while Ida’s mother looked in at the door to make sure that all was going on well, and when the little girls had sat down to the table, she came and looked it over and said,

“Well, children, I think you have done everything as well as I could. I should really like to sit down and eat dinner with you.”

“Oh, do, do!” the girls cried; but Ida’s mother only smiled and shook her head.

“Your father will be here soon,” she said, “and I’m afraid there would not be enough for us all. When you are a little older, you shall cook a dinner for us some day, and if Ella is here, we will ask her to come and help.”