Веснянки

           Whenthebeansweresteaminginthepot,theAngeladvisedthecooktosoakthemovernightthenexttime,sothattheywouldcookmorequicklyandnotburst.Shewassuretheircookathomedidthatway,andtheCHEFofthegangthoughtitwouldbeagoodidea.ThenextFrecklessawofhershewasparingpotatoes.Alittlelatershearrangedthetable.

           Shesweptitwithabroom,insteadoflayingacloth;tookthehatchetandhammeredthedeepestdentsfromthetinplates,andnearlyskinnedherfingersscouringthetinwarewithrushes.Shesettheplatesanevendistanceapart,andlaidtheforksandspoonsbesidethem.Whenthecookthrewawayhalfadozenfruit-cans,shegatheredthemupandmeltedoffthetops,althoughshealmostblisteredherfaceandquiteblisteredherfingersdoingit.ThensheneatlycoveredtheseimprovisedvaseswiththeManilapaperfromthegroceries,tyingitwithwispsofmarshgrass.Theseshefilledwithfringedgentians,blazing-star,asters,goldenrod,andferns,placingthemthelengthofthedining-table.Inoneoftheendcansshearrangedherredleaves,andintheotherthefancygrass.Twomen,watchingher,wentawayproudofthemselvesandsaidthatshewas“abornlady.”Shelaughinglycaughtupapaperbagandfitteditjauntilytoherheadinimitationofacook’scap.Thenshegroundthecoffee,andbeatacoupleofeggstoputin,“becausethereiscompany,”shegravelyexplainedtothecook.Sheaskedthatdelightedindividualifhedidnotlikeitbestthatway,andhesaidhedidnotknow,becauseheneverhadachancetotasteit.