ch side. "It is my friend," shouted the lad; "it
is the friend of all mankind. It is _Mondawmin_. We need no longer
rely on hunting alone; for, as long as this gift is cherished and
taken care of, the ground itself will give us a living." He then
pulled an ear. "See, my father," said he, "this is what I fasted for.
The Great Spirit has listened to my voice, and sent us something new,
and henceforth our people will not alone depend upon the chase or upon
the waters."

He then communicated to his father the instructions given him by the
stranger. He told him that the broad husks must be torn away, as he
had pulled off the garments in his wrestling; and having done this,
directed him how the ear must be held before the fire till the outer
skin became brown, while all the milk was retained in the grain. The
whole family then united in feast on the newly grown ears, expressing
gratitude to the Merciful Spirit who gave it. So corn came into the
world.

A MYSTERY IN THE KITCHEN[28]

BY OLIVE THORNE MILLER.

The boy who has a sister and the girl who has a brother are
the ones who will best like this story of the spirited
twins, Jessie and Jack. Jessie wanted to take music lessons
and Jack tried mining in Colorado.

Something very mysterious was going on in the Jarvis kitchen. The
table was covered with all sorts of good things--eggs and butter and
raisins and citron and spices; and Jessie, with her sleeves rolled up
and a white apron on, was bustling about, measuring and weighing and
chopping and beating and mixing those various ingredients in a most
bewildering way.

[Footnote 28: From "Kristy's Surprise Party," Houghton, Mifflin Co.]

Moreover, though she was evidently working for dear life, her face was
full of smiles; in fact, she seemed to have trouble to keep from
laughing outright, while Betty, the cook, who was washing potatoes at
the sink, fairly giggled with glee every few minutes, as if the sight
of Miss Jessie working in the kitchen was the drollest thing in the
world.

It was one of the pleasantest sights that big, sunny kitchen had seen
for many a day, and the only thing that appeared mysterious about it
was that the two workers acted strangely like conspirators. If they
laughed--as they did on the slightest provocation--it was very soft
and at once smothered. Jessie went often to the door leading into the
hall, and listened; and if there came a knock on the floor, she
snatc