d over turkey dressing and cranberry sauce; she laughed
until she cried, when Elmer, who had come from Oakland for the feast,
solemnly prefaced a request for more mince pie with a reckless: "Come
on, Lloyd, let's die together; it's worth it!"

From that day hers was the happy part of the bustling housewife. No New
England matron ever took more pride in cup cakes or apple pies, no
kitchen in the world gave forth more savoury odours of roast meats and
new-baked bread. Mrs. Torney's heavy tread on the kitchen floor was
usually the first thing Julia heard in the morning, and late at night
the infatuated housekeeper would slip out to the warm, clean, fragrant
place for a last peep at rising dough or simmering soup. Aunt May read
the magazines now only to seek out new combinations of meats and
vegetables. Julia would smile, to glance across the dining-room to her
aunt's chair beneath the lamp, and see the big, kindly face pucker over
some startling discovery.

"Em!" Mrs. Torney would remove her glasses, she would address her sister
in shocked tones. "Here they've got a sour-cream salad dressing. Did you
ever hear of such a thing!"

"For heaven's sake!" Mrs. Page would look up from her absorbed watching
of Chester's solitaire, drop her emaciated little head back against the
waiting pillow.

"Try it some time, Aunt May, you could make anything taste good!" Julia
might suggest. But Mrs. Torney would shake a doubtful head and, with a
muttered "Sour cream!" resume her glasses and her magazine.

Now she was tying a crisp apron over her blue cotton dress, and ready
with a smiling explanation for Julia.

"I declare, Ju, I don't know what's got into my alarm. I never woke up
at all until quarter to eight o'clock! Don't start those dishes, lovey,
there's no hurry!"

"I was afraid that Mama'd had a bad night," Julia said, smiling a
good-morning from the sink. "Sit. down, Aunt May, I'll bring you your
coffee!"

"No, Emeline had a real good night. She was reading a while, about
three, but she's sound asleep now."

"I lighted a fire in the dining-room," said Chester, "just to take the
chill off, if Em wants to go in there!"

"Then I'll bring my sewing down, after the beds are made," Geraldine
said. "You go to market if you want to, Julie; I'll do your room."

"Well," Julia agreed, "perhaps I can get back before Mama wakes. I'll go
up and see what Anna is doing."

Regina and Chester presently went off to their work, Mrs. Torn