three eggs I will cook you some in a few minutes. I put
another stick of wood in the fire so as to keep the water hot.'

"I was in considerable doubt as to what sort of man it would be best
for us to have. I would have been very glad to have my special valet,
because he was an extremely handy man in many ways; but I thought it
better to consider a little before sending for him: he might be
incongruous. I had plenty of time to consider, for Anita occupied nearly
the whole afternoon in getting up our dinner. She was very enthusiastic
about it, and did not want me to help her at all, except to make a fire
in the stove. After that, she said, everything would be easy. The wood
was all in small pieces and piled up conveniently near. As I glanced
around the kitchen I saw that Baxter had had this little room fitted up
with every possible culinary requirement.

"We had dinner a little before eight. Anita sat down, hot, red, but
radiant with happiness.

"'Now, then,' said she, 'you will find I have prepared for you a
high-grade cotter's dinner; by which I mean that it is a meal which all
farmers or country people might have every day if they only knew enough,
or were willing to learn. I have looked over several books on the
subject, and Mrs. Parker told me a great deal. Maria told me a great
many things also. They were both poor in early life, and knew what they
were talking about. First we will have soup--a plain vegetable soup. I
went into the garden and picked the vegetables myself.'

"'I wish you had asked me to do that,' said I.

"'Oh, no,' she answered; 'I do not intend to be inferior to any
countrywoman. Then there is roast chicken. After that a lettuce salad
with mayonnaise dressing; I do not believe cotters have mayonnaise
dressing, nor shall we every day; but this is an exceptional meal. For
the next course I have made a pie, and then we shall have black coffee.
If you want wine you can get a bottle from the wine-hamper; but I shall
not take any: I intend to live consistently through the whole of this
experience.'

"There was something a little odd about the soup: it tasted as if a
variety of vegetables had been washed in it and then the vegetables
thrown away. I removed the soup-plates while Anita went out to get the
next course. When she put the dish on the table she said something had
given way while the fowl was cooking, and it had immediately stuck its
legs high in the air. 'It looks funny,' she remarked, 'b