red her; "give her something then,
too. Something you made yourself and save the money you earn till
Christmas. How would you like to make her some blackberry jam? She
likes blackberry jam and you could make that."

"Could I really?" exclaimed Mary Jane, and she sidled over to where her
grandmother was standing.

"How silly!" cried Alice. "You know she can't make jam, Grandmother;
she's only five years old. Why, even I don't know how to make jam and
I'm twelve!"

"Is that so?" laughed Grandmother, and she slipped her arm around Mary
Jane. "Well, what you can do and what Mary Jane can do has no
connection. You don't know what she can do. She's going to be a good
cook; she's begun already. And if she wants to make a glass of jam for
her mother, all by herself, she shall do it, so there! And you can
make some, too, if you want to, dear," she added kindly to Alice.

"Thank you, Grandmother," said Alice, "and I'm sorry I spoke so about
you, dear," she added to Mary Jane; "go ahead and make your jam, pet,
and I'll make Mother something else. I know it would be more fun for
you to make it without me. May I make her a cake, Grandmother? Make
it the day before she comes?"

Grandmother assured her that she could and they all went in to get
supper.

The next morning Mary Jane put on her cooking cap and apron and she and
Grandmother went at the jam while Alice and Grandfather rode to the
village on an errand.

"Measure out a good big cup full of berries," said Grandmother; "pile
it full as it will hold and wash them and put them in this pan."

Mary Jane picked out nice big, juicy berries; that wasn't hard to do
because most of the berries were very fine; the girls hadn't picked any
other kind. Then she washed them carefully and put them in the pan
Grandmother had given her.

"Now measure an even cupful of sugar," said Grandmother, "and pour it
over your berries." And Mary Jane went to the sugar bin and did as she
was told.

"Now," continued Grandmother, "shake the berries till the sugar's well
mixed in and then set the pan on the stove."

While the berries were cooking Grandmother had her hunt out a nice
jelly glass, one that the top fitted on firmly; wash and dry it ready
for the jelly. Then Mary Jane took a big spoon and Grandmother took a
big spoon and they stood by the stove and watched the jam boil. When
the bubbles got big, oh, very big, and looked as shining as big glass
beads, Grandmother sai