Men Cooks Always On Time

"On of the things to which I did not at once become accnstoméd in iny man cooks," 8aid a honsekeeper who haslately attached a chef to her establishment, "is his forehandediiess. Soon after his arrival I gave a dinner, and being used to going down stairs late hi the afternoon at Buch times, and also a little eurious to see if there wero a pronounced difference between tho methoda of Bridget, the deposed, and Pierre, t!ie newly arrived, 1 made an errand to the bitohen. I could see at once that ni.v presence was deemed an impertinence, but I iorgot to resent this in my horror at the condition of ;tifairs. The dinner wa set for 8 o'cioitk. and it was the between 5 and 6; as far as I could see, however, it might have been sent to tlie table at that moment. A saddleof Canada mutton was the piece de resistance. and tliis Pierr? was drawing from the oven for what appeared to me a final basting. "Vegetables tliat took twenty minutes, as I supposed. to cook were gayly bubbling on the range, an entree was ready to be put together, and the cook was apparently about to perfonn that act; sauces were made and standing in the bain-marie: the fish kettle was on, and 1 suspected it contained the fish - apparently the dinner was ready - and spoüed. "I ventured a remark. 'You understand, Pierre,' I said, 'we dine at 8.' " 'Oh, yes, madame,' he answered. Then, as if he were willing to tolérate this one interference: 'Madame need have no fear. Everything will be ready at the instant.' "I thought it might be and withdrew, fairly sic'k with anxiety over what seemed to me a hopeless failure. That dinner, however, was perfection, every dish apparently served at the moment of its prime. And since then I have trusted Pierre and haven't gone downstairs te