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CHAPTER LVI RUTH AND BETTINA MAKE PREPARATIONS
"O
H, Bettina, aren't the butterflies darling?" exclaimed Ruth, looking once more at the table display of her work. "And with everything ready to begin in the morning, won't things be easy for us both? What shall I do next?" "Not a thing, Ruth dear. You've worked too hard all this afternoon, I'm afraid. Now we're going to sit down to a good hot dinner, and tell Bob all about our preparations." "M—m! Something smells good!" said Ruth. "I've been so busy with all these cunning things that I haven't even thought of eating. But now that you mention it, I'll admit that I have a fine healthy appetite." "Well, dinner is almost ready, and Bob will be here any minute. It's all in the oven except the corn: meat loaf, sweet potatoes and apricot cobbler." "Oh, how good it sounds! More sensible than all our fluffy dishes for the announcement luncheon. But then, I do love fluffy things. I'm sure Alice will like it, and all the others, too. Makes me 'most wish I'd kept my engagement a secret, and announced it with ceremony as Alice is doing. But I couldn't, somehow." "No, you couldn't, Ruth, and neither could Fred. He'd give it away if you didn't. So I guess there's no use wishing you had kept it. Anyhow, you just suit me as you are. You've been such a dear to help with the luncheon! Goodness, there's Bob now!" The dinner consisted of: Beef Loaf
Sweet Potatoes Corn on the Cob
Bread
Butter Apricot Cobbler BETTINA'S RECIPES (All measurements are level) Beef Loaf (Three portions) 1 lb. beef ground ¼ lb. salt pork, ground ¼ t-onion salt 1/ C-fresh bread crumbs 3 1 egg ½ t-salt 1/ t-pepper 8 1/ C-tomato 8
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