"When the meal came on the table we were compelled to keep the secret with her.
"It looked like Irish stew, tasted like clam chowder, and behaved like a bad boy.
"On the second day it suddenly occurred to Phyllis that she was working, so she handed in her resignation, handed Hank, the gardener, a jolt in his café department, handed out a lot of unnecessary talk, and left us flat.
"The next rebate we had in the kitchen was a colored man named James Buchanan Pendergrast.
"James was all there is and carry four. He was one of the most careful cooks that ever made faces at the roast beef.
"The evening he arrived we intended to have shad roe for dinner and James informed us that that was where he lived.
"Eight o'clock came and no dinner. Then Aunt Martha went in the kitchen to convince him that we were human beings with appetites.
"She found Careful James counting the roe to see if the fish dealer had sent the right number.
"He was up to 2,196,493 and still had a half pound to go.
"James left that night followed by shouts of approval from all present.