XXIV Bettina Visits a Tea-room

CHAPTER XXXII

BETTINA ATTENDS A MORNING WEDDING

"H OW lovely!" Bettina whispered to Bob after the beautiful ceremony had taken place in the rustic grape arbor. "How like Cousin Kate this is! But I had no idea that Frances planned to be married out of doors, had you?" "She told me that they were hoping for fair weather, but weren't counting on it." "And this is a regular golden day; isn't it! What a time to remember! Bob, look at Cousin Kate's flowers! A natural altar, without decoration! Poppies, sweet-peas, nasturtiums, cosmos, more kinds than I can count! It's a little earlier than they usually have weddings, too; isn't nine-thirty early?" "Yes, but Frances thought that this would be the prettiest time for it, and you know they aren't at all conventional." "What are you two gossiping about?" shouted big Cousin Charles in Bettina's ear: "don't you see enough of each other at home without avoiding the rest of us at a time like this? Go and kiss the bride and congratulate the groom as soon as you can get to them. Fanny wants to see you particularly, Bettina. Breakfast is to be served on the porch; don't forget that you two are to be at the bride's table!"

The wide porch looked very charming. Each table seated four, except the one for the bridal party and near relatives, which was in the center, surrounded by the others. On each table was a basket of pink sweet-peas and trailing greenery. Each simple white place-card held a flower or two, slipped through two parallel cuts across the corner. Frances was seated at the groom's left, and at her left sat her new brother-in-law, who was the best man. Next to him was the minister's wife, then jolly Cousin Charles, the bride's father, then the groom's mother. At the right of the groom sat Anne, Fanny's sister, who was maid-of-honor; and next to her sat the clergyman. Then came the bride's mother and the groom's father. Beyond him sat Bettina, then Bettina's cousin Harry, then Aunt Nell and Bob. That was all, for there were few near relatives and Bettina's father and mother were in California. "Frances looks well; doesn't she?" said Aunt Nell to Bettina. "No showers, no parties or excitement, and you can see how simple the wedding has been. Cousin Kate is so sensible, and so is Frances. I can tell you already that the breakfast menu will be dainty and delicious, but simple."

She was right, for it consisted of: Watermelon Cubes (Served in Sherbet Glasses) Fried Spring Chicken New Potatoes Creamed Peas Hot Rolls Butter Currant Jelly Peach Ice Cream Bride's Cake Coffee Nuts Candy

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BETTINA'S RECIPES

(All measurements are level)

Fried Chicken

1 2½-lb. chicken 4 T-flour 2 t-salt ½ t-paprika 4 T-fat (lard and butter) 2 T-water

To Prepare the Chicken for Serving and Cooking

Cut the legs from the body, break the joint at the thigh and cut in two. Cut off the neck and wings. Break the breastbone and cut in two lengthwise. Break the back in two pieces lengthwise, if desired. Plunge the pieces into cold water and allow to drain. Sprinkle each piece with salt and paprika, and roll in flour. Place the fat in a frying-pan. When very hot add the chicken. Allow all the pieces to brown thoroughly; cover the pan with a lid and add the water, lower the fire and cook over a moderate fire for thirty minutes. Turn frequently to prevent scorching. Gravy (Six portions) 3 T-fat from frying-pan 1 T-butter 6 T-flour 1 t-salt ¼ t-paprika 1½ C-milk 1 t-parsley chopped

Loosen the pieces of chicken which have stuck to the frying-pan, add the butter, stir constantly until the butter "bubbles," add the flour, salt and paprika. Mix thoroughly. Add the milk slowly, cook for two minutes, add the chopped parsley and pour the gravy into a gravy bowl for serving. Bride's Cake (Thirty pieces) 1½ C-sugar ½ C-butter 2½ C-flour 1/8 t-salt 2/3 C-milk 3 t-baking powder ¼ t-cream of tartar ½ t-almond extract 1 t-vanilla 4 egg-whites

Cream the butter, add the sugar and continue creaming the mixture. Mix and sift three times the flour, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. Add these dry ingredients alternately with the milk to the first mixture. Add the almond and

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vanilla extracts. Beat two minutes. Cut and fold in the egg-whites which have been stiffly beaten. Pour the cake batter into a large, round loaf cake pan, having a hole in the center. Bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. When the cake is removed from the oven, allow it to stand in a warm place for five minutes, then with a spatula and a sharp knife, carefully loosen the cake from the sides, and turn out onto a cake cooler. When cool, cover with White Mountain Cream Icing.

Suggestions for Serving the Bride's Cake

The Bride's Cake may be baked in this form and placed in the center of the table for the central decoration. A tall, slender vase, filled with the flowers used in decorating, may be placed in the hole in the cake. Place the cake upon a pasteboard box four inches high and one inch wider than the cake. This gives space to decorate around the cake. The cake and box may be placed on a reflector, which gives a very pretty effect. If cake boxes containing wedding cakes are distributed among the guests as favors, use the one in the round pan for central decoration and bake others in square pan. Square pieces may then be cut, wrapped in waxed paper, and placed in the boxes.

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CHAPTER XXXIII

AFTER THE "TEA"

"D OESN'T it bore you to think of cooking when you've been out all afternoon?" asked Mrs. Dixon, wearily. "And today the refreshments were so elaborate and everything was so stiff and tiresome!" "I usually anticipate feeling this way," said Bettina, "and plan to have something at home that is already prepared, and that I can get together without much trouble. Then I put on a house dress as quickly as I can, for I can't bear to cook in party clothes. But I'm sure I don't know what I am going to have for dinner tonight. Bob and I had planned to go downtown to dinner with some friends, but just before I went out this afternoon he phoned that the invitation had been withdrawn because of somebody's illness." "Goodness!" cried Mrs. Dixon, "what will you do? Go downtown yourselves?" "No; Bob doesn't enjoy that, and neither do I. I can manage somehow, for of course there are always things in the house to get. I'll tell you. I'll phone Bob to bring Mr. Dixon here, and you can see what an emergency supper is like." "Oh, I couldn't think of it! You're tired, and it's nearly six now!" "Well, what of that? You can help. And I know you're dreading to get dinner at home. We'll just combine forces."

Bettina went to the telephone and called Bob. "Hello, dear! Please bring Mr. Dixon home to dinner with you; Charlotte is going to stay. And if you come in his

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