XIX Bettina and the Expense Budget

1 t-vanilla 2 C-boiling water

Mix the sugar, flour and salt. Add the square of chocolate and boiling water. Allow to boil four minutes, stirring constantly. Add the butter and vanilla. Serve hot or cold with ice cream.

Marshmallow Cake

Use any white cake recipe. Bake in gem pans. Cover with White Mountain cream icing. Just before the icing is ready to spread, add quartered marshmallows. Do not add the marshmallows while the icing is hot, as they will melt, and the little "bumps" are attractive when spread on the cake.

CHAPTER XXV

BETTINA ENTERTAINS ALICE AND MR. HARRISON

"B Y 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."

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"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:

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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 ¼ C-water ½ t-salt ¼ 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 ½ t-salt 1/8 t-pepper ½ 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) ¼ C-cornstarch ¼ C-sugar ½ t-salt 2 T-cold water 2 C-milk 2/3 C-cocoanut 2 egg whites ½ 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)

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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.

CHAPTER XXVI

OVER THE TELEPHONE

BOB and Bettina were at breakfast one morning when the telephone rang. "It's Mrs. Dixon, Bettina," said Bob, his hand over the mouthpiece. "Much excited. Panicky. House afire. Hurry." "Hello, Charlotte!" said Bettina, quickly. "What in the world is the trouble?" "The worst yet!" came a nervous voice. "Frank's Aunt Isabel is to be at our house tonight! Oh, I wish you knew her! She never did approve of me!" "Oh, Charlotte, you just imagine that! She wouldn't come if she disliked you so!" "That's just it! She didn't approve of me when we lived at the hotel, and now that we've taken a house, she wants to see how things are." "Well, things are fine! Doesn't Frank say so?" "Yes, of course. But the meals! Two company meals to get, and for a critical person like her, too! What on earth shall I do?" "Now, don't be nervous, Charlotte! It's easy! We'll think up a delicious little dinner that you can prepare mostly beforehand. When does she arrive?" "Five o'clock, and leaves just after breakfast." "Good! Two simple meals and all day in which to get them ready. Let's see. The weather is warm, so you will prefer a dinner that is partly cold. Watermelon that has been in the refrigerator all day would be a simple dessert, with no cake or anything else to think of. How about cold boiled tongue for your main dish? Sliced thin and garnished with parsley. You might also have a very good salad. Apple, celery and green pepper salad would be delicious and economical also. Then you might have corn on the cob. I've had it recently and know how good it is. That would be the only thing you would have to think of at meal time, and it is very easy to cook. You would serve it in a napkin to keep it hot. Then I want to send you some peach butter

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