pon, she set the pans containing the viands on a
ledge of the oven above the live coals to keep them warm.

Mr. Newbeginner, as soon as he had cooked one batch of cakes, placed
them beside the meat and potatoes. Then he baked another and another.

Alas, just as the last cake was baked, Mrs. Newbeginner bustled in from
the bedroom where they had set the table. Now there was a long pole
that ran out from the oven as its main support. Poor Mrs. Newbeginner
in her excitement over their first breakfast somehow stumbled over the
pole. Down she fell. But worse, down fell the stove also, and the
breakfast which had caused them so much trouble tumbled into the red
hot coals.

Up jumped Mrs. Newbeginner, and threw some water that happened to be
handy on the fire. Her quickness saved their home from being burned,
but not their breakfast. Tears rose and welled over the face of Mr.
Newbeginner in a very unmanly fashion as he gave vent to his anger.

"Well, I declare, you are the clumsiest person I ever saw. I am sorry
I ever invited you to this house."

Mrs. Newbeginner looked grieved and angry. "It's as much mine as
yours."

"No, it isn't. The wood belongs to me, and it is built on my place.
My beautiful pancakes are gone." He did not seem to mind so much about
the food that Mrs. Newbeginner had cooked, and on which she had prided
herself. "You are the most careless girl I ever saw."

"I couldn't help it. It hurt my legs awfully. See how they are
skinned, but I didn't cry, did I?"

Even the sight of a pair of poor, bruised shins did not soften Mr.
Newbeginner.

"I suppose we'll have to go into the house, after all, for our
breakfast. It'll be dreadfully hu-mil-ia-ting."

"Can't we go to work and cook another?" proposed tired, redfaced little
Mrs. Newbeginner.

"No, we can't. The stove would have to be fixed, and we haven't time.
Even if we had, though, I wouldn't trust you to help with another meal."

Now this was too much for Mrs. Newbeginner's overtaxed nerves. "You're
just horrid to say that and I'll never play with you again as long as I
live. I'm going home to my mamma."

Whereupon she stalked out through the door. The sight of her
retreating figure brought Mr. Newbeginner to his senses. He ran to the
door after her.

"Please come back. I'm sorry."

His repentance came too late, however. His wife pretended not to hear.
He grew desperate.

"If you don't come back, I'll never make up wi