BETTINA ENTERTAINS ALICE AND MR. HARRISON
"BY the way, Bettina," said Bob, over the phone, "I saw Harrison and
asked him out to dinner tonight. He said he was to call on Alice later,
so I suggest that you invite her, too."
Bettina smiled to herself at Bob's casual tone. Ought she to ask him not
to invite company without consulting her?
"No!" she decided emphatically. "Company or no company, our meals shall
be simple, but good enough for anybody. I'll not change my menu for
Alice and Mr. Harrison. I'm sure they'll like it just as it is."
"To tell the truth, Bettina," said Alice's vivacious voice over the
telephone, "I'd love to come, if it weren't for that--that man!"
"But, Alice, you're going to see him later."
"I know; worse luck! He's the most insufferable person I know! You see,
last night we had a little argument, and he was very rude."
"Maybe he's coming to apologize."
"Don't you imagine it! He couldn't. He dislikes society girls above all
other people."
"Oh, Alice!"
"Well, he does! He told me so evening before last, out at the park."
"Seems to me you're seeing a good deal of him for a man you feel that
way about."
"Well, you started it. You told me that he was a woman-hater, and I
thought it would be fun to reform him. At first he thought me fine and
sensible, but lately I've been showing him how frivolous I really am. I
suppose I hoped that by this time he'd approve of everything I said and
did. But he won't. He seems actually to be trying to reform me! And I
won't be reformed! I could never be anything but frivolous Alice if I
wanted to! I hate those big, slow, serious men, without any fun in
them!"
"Cheer up, my dear!" laughed Bettina. "Come tonight, anyhow. I like the
frivolous kind, whether he does or not."
That evening, much to Bettina's secret amusement, Mr. Harrison and Alice
met on the doorstep.
"Don't think we came together," explained Alice, flippantly. "A dinner
and an evening of me are about all Mr. Harrison can endure!"
"I couldn't have spared the time, anyhow, Miss Alice. You see, I'm a
busy man, and the people who are doing worth-while things in this world
are obliged to overlook some of the amenities."
It was on Bettina's tongue to inquire how a busy man found time to make
so many calls as he was making now. But she refrained, knowing well that
lively Alice could hold her own with any man in the universe, even
though she might not be doing the things that Mr. Harrison considered
worth while.
"A fine dinner," said he to Bettina, as they sat down at the table. "I
admire a woman who knows how to prepare and serve food. She is paying
her way in the most dignified and worth-while profession of all--that of
a home-maker."
"Mr. Harrison," asked Alice severely, "may I inquire whether or not you
know how to drive insects out of cabbage before serving it?"
"I'm afraid I don't."
"Well, I'm surprised, for even I know that. Bettina just told me. You
place the cabbage, head downward, in cold water, to each quart of which
has been added a tablespoonful of vinegar."
"Silly Alice!" said Bettina. "Don't tease! Look at my lovely pansies.
Alice, I believe you gave me that flower-holder when I announced my
engagement."
"When I announce my engagement----" said Alice.
Bettina saw a strange and startled look come over Mr. Harrison's face,
which immediately departed when Alice added:
"Which will be years hence, no doubt--I hope my friends will give me
nothing useful. I love to come here, Bettina, but I'm not a natural-born
housekeeper like you. I shall marry an idle millionaire, and we will do
nothing but travel aimlessly about from one end of the world to the
other. That is my idea of perfect happiness!"
That night for dinner Bettina served:
Pork Chops Potatoes Maitre d'Hotel Butter
Bread Butter
Cabbage Salad Served in Lemon Halves
Cocoanut Blanc Mange Custard Sauce
Iced Tea
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Pork Chops= (Four portions)
4 chops
1/4 C-water
1/2 t-salt
1/4 t-pepper
Wipe the chops, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a hot frying-pan
(no fat added), brown on one side and then turn on the other side,
cooking over a moderate fire. Add the water and immediately place the
cover on the frying-pan. The steam cooks the pork more quickly and
prevents over-browning. Cook twenty-five minutes.
=Maitre d'Hotel Butter Sauce= (Four portions)
3 T-butter
1 T-lemon juice
1/2 t-salt
1/8 t-pepper
1/2 t-parsley
Cream the butter, add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and finely chopped
parsley. Pour this over new potatoes which have been boiled. Garnish
with parsley.
=Cocoanut Blanc Mange= (Four portions)
1/4 C-cornstarch
1/4 C-sugar
1/2 t-salt
2 T-cold water
2 C-milk
2/3 C-cocoanut
2 egg whites
1/2 t-vanilla
Mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt with the cold water. Add the milk
slowly, stirring well. Cook twenty minutes in a double boiler, stirring
occasionally, or ten minutes over the flame, stirring constantly. Cool
slightly and add the shredded cocoanut and the stiffly beaten whites of
the eggs. Add the vanilla. One-fourth of a cup of nuts, candied cherries
or preserved pineapple may be added if desired. Chill in moulds wet with
cold water. Serve with cream or custard sauce made from the egg yolks.
=Custard Sauce= (Four portions)
2 egg yolks
1/3 C-sugar
1/8 t-salt
1 T-flour
2 C-milk
1 t-vanilla
Beat the eggs, slowly add the sugar and the flour well blended, the salt
and the milk. Cook in a double boiler until thick enough to coat a
silver spoon. Add the flavoring and serve cold.