many queer things in those days. But he didn't mind, and as for the
children, they enjoyed it. Dinner-time became quite exciting, when
nobody could tell exactly what any dish on the table was made of. Dorry,
who was a sort of Dr. Livingstone where strange articles of food were
concerned, usually made the first experiment, and if he said that it was
good, the rest followed suit.

After a while Katy grew wiser. She ceased teasing Debby to try new
things, and the Carr family went back to plain roast and boiled, much to
the advantage of all concerned. But then another series of experiments
began. Katy got hold of a book upon "The Stomach," and was seized with a
rage for wholesome food. She entreated Clover and the other children to
give up sugar, and butter, and gravy, and pudding-sauce, and buckwheat
cakes, and pies, and almost everything else that they particularly
liked. Boiled rice seemed to her the most sensible dessert, and she kept
the family on it until finally John and Dorry started a rebellion, and
Dr. Carr was forced to interfere.

"My dear, you are overdoing it sadly," he said, as Katy opened her book
and prepared to explain her views; "I am glad to have the children eat
simple food--but really, boiled rice five times in a week is too much."

Katy sighed, but submitted. Later, as the Spring came on, she had a fit
of over-anxiousness, and was always sending Clover down to ask Debby if
her bread was not burning, or if she was sure that the pickles were not
fermenting in their jars? She also fidgeted the children about wearing
india-rubbers, and keeping on their coats, and behaved altogether as if
the cares of the world were on her shoulders.

But all these were but the natural mistakes of a beginner. Katy was too