BETTINA ENTERTAINS A SMALL NEIGHBOR
"INDEED I will keep Kathleen for you," said Bettina to Mrs. Fulton.
"I'll enjoy it. We'll have to invent some new plays and have such a
jolly time that she won't miss her mother at all."
"You're sure you don't mind?" asked Mrs. Fulton, anxiously. "If mother
were only stronger, I would leave her there----"
"Go right on, Mrs. Fulton, and don't worry one bit! Kathleen and I are
going to have the time of our lives! Let's see--it's nearly three. Shall
I feed her anything?"
"Well, she had an early lunch, and has just wakened from her nap.
Perhaps she is a little hungry. Are you?"
"Bed'n delly," replied Kathleen with emphasis.
"Oh, I know something that's better for little girls than bread and
jelly!" said Bettina, lifting the roly-poly little mite onto the kitchen
table. "I'll make her some good cream toast! May I, Mrs. Fulton?"
"Indeed, you may, if you will," said Mrs. Fulton. "I'm afraid she won't
always eat it, though. Well, I'll have to go, I suppose, if I get to
sister Annie's train on time. Then we'll do a little shopping down town,
and I'll be back for Kathleen at six o'clock sharp."
"Just whenever it's convenient for you, Mrs. Fulton. Good-bye!"
"Doodby," echoed Kathleen, apparently without the least regret.
When Kathleen was established with her cream toast at the kitchen
table, Bettina said, "Now, when you're all through eating, you and Aunt
Bettina will make a beautiful graham cracker cake for Uncle Bob. But
first we'll clean some white gloves! Shall we?"
Kathleen nodded solemnly, her mouth full of "dood tream toast."
"Well, watch me then, honey-lamb. See, I'll put these dirty old gloves
in this nice Mason jar of clean gasoline, and let 'em soak awhile. Then
once in a while I'll shake 'em up like this. Then by and by I'll rinse
'em in nice new gasoline, and they'll be just as white as new. Did you
know that, Kathleen?"
"'Es," said Kathleen, staring wisely.
"Oh, you little owl! You knew more than Aunt Bettina then--at least than
I knew till yesterday, for I always thought it necessary to rub white
gloves to get them clean. See? This way I'll drop them down in the
gasoline, and won't need to soil my hands at all! I'll get them out with
a clean little stick or a long fork. There! Now, are we all ready to
make the cake?"
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Cream Toast= (Two portions)
1/2 T-butter
1/2 T-flour
1/2 C-milk
1/8 t-salt
2 pieces of toast
Melt the butter, add the flour, mix well, add the milk slowly. Add the
salt and boil two minutes. Dip the toasted bread into the white sauce,
and when soft, remove to the serving dish. Pour the rest of the sauce
over the toast and serve hot. One teaspoon of sugar may be added to the
sauce.
=Graham Cracker Cake= (Twelve pieces)
1/3 C-butter
2/3 C-sugar
2 egg-yolks
1 C-milk
3 t-baking powder
2 egg-whites, beaten
1/2 t-ground cinnamon
1/2 t-vanilla
2/3 lb. graham crackers rolled fine
Cream the butter, add the sugar and heat. Add all the dry ingredients
mixed together alternately with the milk. Beat two minutes. Add the
vanilla and the egg-whites, stiffly beaten. Bake in square tin pans for
twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.
=White Icing=
1/4 C-sugar
1/4 C-water
Sifted powdered sugar
1/2 t-vanilla
Boil the sugar and the water five minutes without stirring. Remove from
the fire. Add the flavoring, and sufficient sifted powdered sugar to
spread evenly on the cake.