The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-04-15

| pected to arrive at our house that night
; We had q pleasant conversation and
went with Mr.. Parker to supper, bul
later In the evening Mr.. Eugene Flush,
ing offered me his arm for promenade
and finally escorted me home.
| The next morning, while we were al
breakfast, the door-bell rang and pa
started to answer the ring, our 6 small
servant not being permitted, on &C.
count Of several Notifying blunders she
had made, to perform that service any
longer.
Now Uncle Nat was Just eating some
Of that sliced-apple pie, which he de-
clared was the uery best he had ever
tasted-he always said that of the piece
he happened to be eating-and as pa
started for the door he called out, in bis
comical way:
| elf it's anybody TO see me, brother,
just ask them right in; couldn't think
Of leaving this pie, not even for the king
HIMSELF"
OF course no one supposed for an in
slant there was the least possibility Of
its being anyone to see him; but it was
Mr.. Flushing, who said he had stopped
on his way to the train, in behalf of a
friend, Mr.. Parker, to deliver message
to Mr.. Nathan L., who he under
stood was visiting us; and if pa didn't
blurt right out, just like man:
"Oh, come right out into the dining
room, Mr.. Flushing, come right out /;
we're at breakfast. but never mind that /;
fact is, Brother Nat is trying some OF
Nellie's apple pie, and wouldn' t be hired
to leave it,
There was some proper remonstrance
on the part of the caller, but pa insisted
so queer men always are, you know
and at length out they came; and that
tantalizing Uncle Nat only stood up a
moment right in his place, on being in
troduced to Mr.. Flushing, then sat
directly down again and began:
"Must excuse me moment, my dear
young friend, but this pie is just perfect |:
the flakiest crust, and the apple sliced
so thin and nice, with just enough sugar.
lemon-rind and juice, cinnamon, and
what notch, deliciousi"
Here ma laughingly interrupted him,
and invited Mr.. Flushing to sit up and
try a piece. At first he declined, but
pa, dear, well -meaning old pa, caught
up chair, placed it beside me and said
heartily:
"Yes; come have some of Nellie's
pie; she'll feel sighted, I'm afraid, if you
DON'T"
1 felt all of a cold tremble. What
would the elegant Mr.. Flushing think,
to be so unceremoniously received? I
asked myself.
But to my surprise he replied, almost
sadly:
"Ah, my mother used to make such
pies as those for me in my boyhood, and
I should dearly love to taste them
again :" and with most consummate ease
and grace, it seems to me, he took the
chair pa had placed at my side.
My fingers twitched nervously as
cut for him a piece of pie, such as his
mother had often made for him in
his childhood, and it was compliment
enough when, as helped him to second
piece, he said softly:
"Well, this is, indeed, delicious re-
hinder of long missed satisfaction"
As Mr.. Flushing was about leaving,
pa, and also ma, invited him politely to
call again. How it was I hardly knew,
but from that on he began calling, at
first occasionally and then regularly {;
and at last, out from all the rest of our
attractive girls in that populous country
town, he chose me for his companion
through life.
Pa looked very happy about it, and
knew ma felt it was call for the best, )"
though often saw tears in her eyes,
and when heard Uncle Nat hilariously
congratulating her upon the prospect OF
having 80 fine son-in-law, she said,
"Yes; but you know Nellie is our only
daughter!"
Dear ma! did she fancy, wonder,
that my great love for Eugene was 60
ing to swallow up all other and longer
attachments? If she did, she has learned
differently by this time, I hope.
Of course Bessie Wimple called at
once and offered loving congratulations
with affectionate and well-chosen words.
Then she ratified on in her usual, laugh.
able style, and asked me if I'd heard
that "Cad Pinkerton had sold all her
| fine clothes, and was getting. up Dor.
cas- Society,"" which Of course neither
she nor nor any one else had heard;
and few weeks afterward, at a fashion
able assembly, Bessie came and told me
that Cad Pinkerton really looked "just
as squee as ever.''
One day, soon after the party at the
Flushihg's, ma was in brown study,
and upon my exclaiming, ga penny for
your Thoughts" she said, slowly:
Give been thinking, Nellie, how well
you behaved about those apple pies
your father asked you to make the day
of Mrs. Flushing's reception. I felt
sorry to hear him ask you TO do it, but
you went about it so cheerfully in the
morning it really did me good to see you
so good and patient, and I've meant ev-
er since to tell you So"
All, my mother knew nothing about
the story my boots told me that after
noon, and to this day I've always felt
very happy about those pies. And Uncle
Nat, dear old man, Gin consideration of
my having gratifed him so often in the
matter of cakes and pies" most oppor-
timely placed at my disposal q check,
which he said, was to "obliterate all