"And now," she remarked, after they had chosen two sets of china and a
quantity of glass for the dining-room; "now, if you please, we will buy
me some tea-things to entertain the Tea Club."
"We will, indeed," said Mr. Fairfield, and both he and Aunt Alice entered
into the selection of the tea-table fittings with as much zest as they
had shown in the other china.
Dainty Dresden cups were found, lovely plates, and a tea-pot, and
cracker-jar, which made Marian and Patty fairly shriek with delight.
A three-storied wicker tea-table was found, to hold these treasures, and
Mr. Fairfield added the most fascinating little silver tea-caddy and
tea-ball and strainer.
"Oh," exclaimed Marian, made quite breathless by the glory of it
all, "the Tea Club will never want to meet anywhere except at your
house, Patty."
"They'll have to," said Patty. "I don't propose to have them every time."
"Well, you'll have to have them every other time, anyway," said Marian.
After the fun of picking out the tea-things, it was hard to come down to
the plainer claims of the kitchen, but Aunt Alice grew so interested in
the selection of granite saucepans and patent coffee-mills that Patty,
too, became enthusiastic.
"And we must get a rolling-pin," she cried, "for I shall make pumpkin
pies every day. Oh, and I want a farina-kettle and a colander, and a
_bain-marie,_ and a larding-needle, and a syllabub-churn."
"Why, Patty, child!" exclaimed her father; "what are all those things
for? Are you going to have a French _chef_?"
"No, papa, but I expect to do a great deal of fancy cooking myself.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51