The Homemaker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher — Read

On the evening of the day when Mrs. Knapp was informed that she would be put in Miss Flynn's place Helen and her father celebrated by making an omelette with asparagus tips (Mother's favorite supper dish) and Henry was sent scurrying out to bring back a brick of mixed vanilla and chocolate from Angelotti's Ice-Cream Parlor. They did not play whist that evening. They just sat around and talked it over and admired Mother and heard again and again about the thrice-blessed events in the family of Miss Flynn's niece, which led to her retirement. "Of course it's terribly, terribly sad! " Mother reminded them. "Those poor little children left without their mother! Nothing -- nothing can ever make up to them for such a loss."

But this decent observation cast no shade over the rejoicings. Miss Flynn was but a remote and disagreeable legend to the children; and she had been a particular bête-noire for Lester in the old days. As for her utterly unknown niece -- no, Mother could not make that shadowy death cast anything but sunshine into their lives. They went on planning all the more energetically about the things they could do if they could have a Ford and go off to the country together for picnics on Sundays -- even Father! They talked about which college Helen would like to attend. They talked about which kind of bicycle Henry liked the best.