Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-09-29
AUNT yP~ENELoPE,s A K

AUNT PENELOPE'S CAKE. :
Teddy was sitting on the back door,
step trying to make up his mind wheth-
er to play Daniel in the lions den, with
Bose for lion, or Robinson Crusoe, with
Jimmy Jones for his man Friday.
He was wondering, too, if the days
here at Aunt Penelope's were not, at
least, twice as long as they were at
home.
What would he not give to see papa,
mamma, Nell and Margie, to say moth
ing of Dick and Tom?
The thought of them was too much
for him, and though he would never
have owned it, his blue eyes completely
overlooked.
"Hannah," said Aunt Penelope,
coming into the kitchen, '.you may
stone some raisins and cut up some cit
ron. l think I'll make some loaf-cake
this morning."
Teddy rubbed his eyes briskly with
his jacket-sleeve, and listened eagerly.
"Mr. Kent is coming to tea. You
may make custards and biscuits, and
some time in the course of the day O
may bring up that jar of strawberry pre-
Teddy's face fairly shone. If he had
a weakness, it was strawberry preserves
and loaf-cake. AS for Hannah's Gus
tards, they were not to be equaled any,
where by anybody.
1t wasn't SC bad having to stay at
Aunt P%enelope's, after all. At any rate,
he would wait until tomorrow to see the
folks at home.
81 declared" said good Aunt Pencil
ope, an hour later, going into the pam
try, 81 never saw a handsomer loaf of
cake in my life, though 1 do say it, as
shouldn't"
As for Teddy, who, having at length
decided upon playing Daniel, was bust
ly engaged digging a den, his mouth
fairly watered at the delicious odor
waited out to him.
It'll be an awful long time till
night" he sighed. eft most seems as
though l couldn't wait"
80 Miss Penelope, do come quick!!"
cried Jimmy Jones, rushing into the
yard just then. 1.-The baby's took a
fit, and mothers off washing!"
Miss Penelope left her cake by the
open window, picked up her sun-bonnet
and ran, calling to Hannah to follow.
For a few minutes Teddy continued
his excavations. Presently however,
he paused.
81 should like he said to himself,
''to know if that cake looks as good as
it smells"
So accordingly he stood on tiptoe,
turned the Stats and peeped in.
1t certainly did look very delicious.
though he could not really get a good
view of it.
in Daniel.
cpd like to see how it looks near to-
he said, after another short pause.
',And I'm very thirsty for some milk.
81 wish-I had a little piece, Just a
little teenty tonty piece, cause I'm
homesick! There'llbe plenty left. And
may be Aunt Penelope was going to
give me q piece when Jimmy came for
her. She'll be real disappointed if I
don't have it." He sighed, full of SYM
pathy-for Aunt Penelope, of course.
"Why, Hannah Jane Smith! did YOU
put away my cake?" asked Aunt Pen
elope.
mo, ma'am, I didn't touch it;
haven't even seen it sence you took it
out of the oven."
''But 1 left it by the window. I was
Just going to put it in the cake box
when Johnny came. Where can it
be?"
'Tramps!" said Hannah, in a hor-
ror-stricken tone. ''It's a mercy we
was not here, as they might have muir
dersd us. And they've taken some
milk, too" she added, spying the empty
glass.
DINNER ready and on the table,"
said Hannah.
where's Teddyr" asked Aunt Pen
elope.
I'm sure I've not set my eyes on him
since breakfast"
"Where can the child be?" asked
Aunt Penelope, now thoroughly
alarmed.
They called and called, they hunted
the house, barn and neighborhood all
over, they looked down the well and up
on the barn ridge-pole, and in every
other imaginable and unimaginable
place; but no Teddy was TO be found.
1T will break his mothers heart"
sighed Aunt Penelope.
Hannah was on her way up garnet for
mother search, when noticing the
store-room 22or open she stopped and
looked in. There n the further corner
on a pile of comfortabies was Teddy.
"You needn't bother bout me,h he
sad, briskly. Il was tired and my
head ached. You better go down and
your dinner without waiting for me.
cause l amt a bit hungry"
Miss White" called Hannah, ..Iye
found him. and it's my belief he's goin'
to De sick. He looks fcvery, and saws
ne don't want his dinner, and it's Sc
r1ous when boys Of his age don't want