“Well, I like circuses,” said Grandfather
solemnly, “but I must say that right at this
minute I’d rather had a cook lady than a dozen
circuses—so there! Who’s getting
dinner?” he added as he saw Grandmother working
away at her jam.
“Mary Jane is,” answered Grandmother “and
I expected to be through by now to broil the steak—she’s
everything else ready. But,” she added
worriedly, “I simply can’t stop for ten
minutes and I know her potatoes are about done!”
“Is there another handkerchief around here somewhere?”
asked Grandfather suddenly.
“In your drawer there’s lots,” said
Mary Jane, but for the life of her she couldn’t
see what Grandfather meant.
“You get it,” he said, and she dashed
upstairs on the errand.
“There now,” said Grandfather after she
handed it to him, “how’s that?”
Mary Jane laughed and laughed at the funny sight.
He had twisted the handkerchief around his head dusting
cap style and was bowing to her in a grand fashion.
“I guess I can cook too!” he declared,
“bring on the steak!”
Mary Jane got the steak out of the ice box and helped
him salt and pepper it; then, while he broiled it—yes,
he did know how, Mary Jane had thought he was only
fooling—she took up the potatoes and apples
and got the pitcher of water.
“I tell you what,” said Grandfather proudly
as they sat down to dinner a minute later, “it’s
all very well to be a circus lady but personally,
I prefer a good cook, Mary Jane, and if you keep on
as you’ve begun, you’ll be a good one!”
“I’m going to keep on,” said Mary
Jane, proudly, “’cause it’s more
fun than playing.”
“Good for you,” said Grandfather, “and
by the way, Mother, have you told her where she’s
going to-night?”
“Not a word,” said Grandmother, smiling.
“Goody!” cried Mary Jane, clapping her
hands happily, “it’s a surprise.”
“Yes, it is,” laughed Grandmother, “you
never did it before that’s certain. But
you have to finish your dinner and then take a good
nap—a really for sure enough nap, before
you know a single thing about it so it’s no
use to ask questions. I’ll tell you this
much though,” she added as she saw Mary Jane
look a bit disappointed, “you’ll wear
your best dress and your biggest hair ribbon.”
Now what in the world was coming? Mary Jane
couldn’t think and she went to her nap wondering
and wondering and wondering.
It’s awfully hard to go to sleep when you’re
wondering all the time what you’re going to
do when you wake up. But Mary Jane finally did
drop off to sleep—perhaps the fact that
Grandmother pulled down the shades helped. However
it was, Mary Jane slept soundly and had to be called
twice when it was time to get up. She blinked
open her eyes and was just trying to guess if Grandfather
had gone down to his breakfast when Grandmother called,
“do you wear a sash with your best dress, dear?”
