larger tables than this, and did the honors with an air of innocent
satisfaction, which we do not often see elsewhere.
The steak was so tough that the little carving-knife would not cut
it; the potato did not go round, and the squash was very lumpy; but
the guests appeared politely unconscious of these trifles; and the
master and mistress of the house cleared the table with appetites
that anyone might envy them. The joy of skimming a jug-full of
cream mitigated the anguish felt for the loss of the pies, and Asia’s
despised cake proved a treasure in the way of dessert.
“That is the nicest lunch I ever had; can’t I do it every day?” asked
Daisy as she scraped up and ate the leavings all round.
“You can cook things every day after lessons, but I prefer that you
should eat your dishes at your regular meals, and only have a bit of
gingerbread for lunch. To-day, being the first time, I don’t mind,
but we must keep our rules. This afternoon you can make
something for tea if you like,” said Mrs. Jo, who had enjoyed the
dinner-party very much, though no one had invited her to partake.
“Do let me make flapjacks for Demi, he loves them so, and it’s
such fun to turn them and put sugar in between,” cried Daisy,
tenderly wiping a yellow stain off Annabella’s broken nose, for
Bella had refused to eat squash when it was pressed upon her as
good for “lumatism,” a complaint which it is no wonder she
suffered from, considering the lightness of her attire.
“But if you give Demi goodies, all the others will expect some
also, and then you will have your hands full.”
“Couldn’t I have Demi come up to tea alone just this one time?
And after that I could cook things for the others if they were
good,” proposed Daisy, with a sudden inspiration.
“That is a capital idea, Posy! We will make your little messes
rewards for the good boys, and I don’t know one among them who
would not like something nice to eat more than almost anything
else. If little men are like big ones, good cooking will touch their
hearts and soothe their tempers delightfully,” added Aunt Jo, with
a merry nod toward the door, where stood Papa Bhaer, surveying
the scene with a face full of amusement.
“That last hit was for me, sharp woman. I accept it, for it is true;
but if I had married thee for thy cooking, heart’s dearest, I should
have fared badly all these years,” answered the professor, laughing
as he tossed Teddy, who became quite apoplectic in his endeavors
to describe the feast he had just enjoyed.
Daisy proudly showed her kitchen, and rashly promised Uncle
Fritz as many flapjacks as he could eat. She was just telling about
the new rewards when the boys, headed by Demi, burst into the
room snuffing the air like a pack of hungry hounds, for school was
out, dinner was not ready, and the fragrance of Daisy’s steak led
them straight to the spot.
A prouder little damsel was never seen than Sally as she displayed
her treasures and told the lads what was in store for them. Several
rather scoffed at the idea of her cooking anything fit to eat, but
Stuffy’s heart was won at once. Nat and Demi had firm faith in her
skill, and the others said they would wait and see. All admired the
kitchen, however, and examined the stove with deep interest.
Demi offered to buy the boiler on the spot, to be used in a
steam-engine which he was constructing; and Ned declared that
the best and biggest saucepan was just the thing to melt his lead in
when he ran bullets, hatchets, and such trifles.
Daisy looked so alarmed at these proposals, that Mrs. Jo then and
there made and proclaimed a law that no boy should touch, use, or
even approach the sacred stove without a special permit from the
owner thereof. This increased its value immensely in the eyes of
the gentlemen, especially as any infringement of the law would be
punished by forfeiture of all right to partake of the delicacies