a little sugar.

Mother Blair and Mildred laid the table, Brownie got the fruit out of
the refrigerator and arranged it and put on the finger-bowls, and then
they went into the kitchen to see what should be done next.

"I'm going to cook bacon," announced Jack; "I've got it all ready; you
might make the toast, Mildred, and Mother can make the coffee and we'll
be all ready in one jiffy."

After breakfast they washed the dishes; or rather Jack washed them and
Brownie wiped them, and they laid the lunch table after taking the
crumbs up off the floor and table; meanwhile Mother Blair and Mildred
made the beds and put the house in order, and when it was time for
school everything was done.

"That's easy enough," Jack said as they left. "Rather fun, I think, too.
I don't care if Norah stays away quite a while."

For supper that night they found their mother had planned this:

Spanish tomatoes (Mildred)
Stuffed baked potatoes (Brownie)
Biscuits (anybody)
Pancakes and maple syrup (Jack)

"Spanish tomatoes sounds good," said Mildred, reading her easy rule.

SPANISH TOMATOES

6 tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 can.
3 chopped green peppers (first cut each in two and take out the
seeds).
1/2 an onion (chop with the peppers).
1/4 teaspoonful salt.
3 shakes pepper.
1 large teaspoonful chopped parsley.

Mix all together and cook about twenty minutes, slowly, or till
they look like a thick paste. Pour over buttered toast.

Mother Blair had put a can of tomatoes on the kitchen table and the
peppers with it, so it took only a few moments to get this first dish
ready; then while it stood waiting to go over the fire and cook, Mildred
made the biscuits and popped them into the oven. Brownie washed and
baked the potatoes and when they were done she stuffed them beautifully
and just browned them at the last moment, and Mildred made the toast to
go under the tomatoes.

Everything was delicious, and while Jack made the cakes and brought them
in, one plateful after another, all hot and steaming, the family said
what fun it all was.

"Isn't it queer that some girls just hate to cook, and think it's
simply dreadful when they have no maid and have to do their own work?"
said Mildred. "When I'm grown up--I'm going to have a house--no, a flat,
I guess, that's cunninger,--and do every single bit of my own work."

"Do," said Brownie enthusiastically; "and I'll come and stay with you