"It is a regularly splendid loaf! Did my girl make it all herself?" heasked, surveying the shapely, sweet-smelling object with real interestand pleasure.
"Every particle herself, and never asked a bit of help or advicefrom anyone," answered Aunt Plenty, folding her hands with an air ofunmitigated satisfaction, for her pupil certainly did her great credit.
"I've had so many failures and troubles that I really thought I nevershould be able to do it alone. Dolly let one splendid batch burn upbecause I forgot it. She was there and smelt it, but never did a thing,for she said, when I undertook to bake bread I must give my whole mindto it. Wasn't it hard? She might have called me at least," said Rose,recollecting, with a sigh, the anguish of that moment.
"She meant you should learn by experience, as Rosamond did in thatlittle affair of the purple jar, you remember."
"I always thought it very unfair in her mother not to warn the poorthing a little bit; and she was regularly mean when Rosamond asked for abowl to put the purple stuff in, and she said, in such a provoking way,'I did not agree to lend you a bowl, but I will, my dear.' Ugh! I alwayswant to shake that hateful woman, though she was a moral mamma."
"Never mind her now, but tell me all about my loaf," said Dr. Alec, muchamused at Rose's burst of indignation.
"There's nothing to tell, uncle, except that I did my best, gave my mindto it, and sat watching over it all the while it was in the oven till Iwas quite baked myself. Everything went right this time, and it came outa nice, round, crusty loaf, as you see. Now taste it, and tell me if itis good as well as handsome."
"Must I cut it? Can't I put it under a glass cover and keep it in theparlor as they do wax flowers and fine works of that sort?"
"What an idea, uncle! It would mould and be spoilt. Besides, peoplewould laugh at us, and make fun of my old-fashioned accomplishment. Youpromised to eat it, and you must; not all at once, but as soon as youcan, so I can make you some more."
Dr. Alec solemnly cut off his favourite crusty slice, and solemnly ateit; then wiped his lips, and brushing back Rose's hair, solemnly kissedher on the forehead, saying, heartily,
"My dear, it is perfect bread, and you are an honour to your teacher.When we have our model school I shall offer a prize for the best bread,and you will get it."
"I've got it already, and I'm quite satisfied," said Rose, slipping intoher seat, and trying to hide her right hand which had a burn on it.
But Dr. Alec saw it, guessed how it came there, and after tea insistedon easing the pain which she would hardly confess.
"Aunt Clara says I am spoiling my hands, but I don't care, for I've hadsuch good times with Aunt Plenty, and I think she has enjoyed it asmuch as I have. Only one thing troubles me, uncle, and I want to askyou about it," said Rose, as they paced up and down the hall in thetwilight, the bandaged hand very carefully laid on Dr. Alec's arm.
"More little confidences? I like them immensely, so tell away, my dear."
"Well, you see I feel as if Aunt Peace would like to do something forme, and I've found out what it can be. You know she can't go about likeAunty Plen, and we are so busy nowadays that she is rather lonely,I'm afraid. So I want to take lessons in sewing of her. She works sobeautifully, and it is a useful thing, you know, and I ought to be agood needlewoman as well as housekeeper, oughtn't I?"
"Bless your kind little heart, that is what I was thinking of the otherday when Aunt Peace said she saw you very seldom now, you were so busy Iwanted to speak of it, but fancied you had as much on your hands asyou could manage. It would delight the dear woman to teach you all herdelicate handicraft, especially button-holes, for I believe that iswhere young ladies fail; at least, I've heard them say so. So, do youdevote your mind to button-holes; make 'em all over my clothes if youwant something to practice on. I'll wear any quantity."
Rose laughed at this reckless offer, but promised to attend to thatimportant branch, though she confessed that darning was her weak point.Whereupon Uncle Alec engaged to supply her with socks in all stages ofdilapidation, and to have a new set at once, so that she could run theheels for him as a pleasant beginning.
Then they went up to make their request in due form, to the greatdelight of gentle Aunt Peace, who got quite excited with the fun thatwent on while they would yarn, looked up darning needles, and fitted outa nice little mending basket for her pupil.
Very busy and very happy were Rose's days now, for in the morning shewent about the house with Aunt Plenty attending to linen-closets andstore-rooms, pickling and preserving, exploring garret and cellar to seethat all was right, and learning, in the good old-fashioned manner, tolook well after the ways of the household.
In the afternoon, after her walk or drive, she sat with Aunt Peaceplying her needle, while Aunt Plenty, whose eyes were failing, knittedand chatted briskly, telling many a pleasant story of old times, tillthe three were moved to laugh and cry together, for the busy needleswere embroidering all sorts of bright patterns on the lives of theworkers, though they seemed to be only stitching cotton and darninghose.
It was a pretty sight to see the rosy-faced little maid sitting betweenthe two old ladies, listening dutifully to their instructions, andcheering the lessons with her lively chatter and blithe laugh. If thekitchen had proved attractive to Dr. Alec when Rose was there at work,the sewing-room was quite irresistible, and he made himself so agreeablethat no one had the heart to drive him away, especially when he readaloud or spun yarns.
"There! I've made you a new set of warm night-gowns with fourbutton-holes in each. See if they are not neatly done," said Rose, oneday, some weeks after the new lessons began.
"Even to a thread, and nice little bars across the end so I can't tearthem when I twitch the buttons out. Most superior work, ma'am, and I'mdeeply grateful; so much so, that I'll sew on these buttons myself, andsave those tired fingers from another prick."
"You sew them on?" cried Rose, with her eyes wide open in amazement.
"Wait a bit till I get my sewing tackle, and then you shall see what Ican do."
"Can he, really?" asked Rose of Aunt Peace, as Uncle Alec marched offwith a comical air of importance.
"Oh, yes, I taught him years ago, before he went to sea; and I supposehe has had to do things for himself, more or less, ever since; so he haskept his hand in."
He evidently had, for he was soon back with a funny little work-bag, outof which he produced a thimble without a top; and, having threaded hisneedle, he proceeded to sew on the buttons so handily that Rose was muchimpressed and amused.
"I wonder if there is anything in the world that you cannot do," shesaid, in a tone of respectful admiration.
"There are one or two things that I am not up to yet," he answered,with a laugh in the corner of his eye, as he waxed his thread with aflourish.
"I should like to know what?"
"Bread and button-holes, ma'am."