The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-12-12
THE FRENCH CAKES"

Miss AlmOsette Body lived alone
There was no one VINO objected, unless
as i vas shrewdly conjectured, shs
might perelf. Be that as it may, the
fact remained that she lived alone. II
was partly her ewn fault, too. She has
brothers and sisters and a number Of
nephews and nieces. As Miss Boodv
had a very comfortable little income.
she would have been welcomed by any
of her relations. but she said "as long
as she hadn't husband and family Of
her own, she'd rather be by herself, for
all relatives"
she might have married, but she was
particular. and she had an ambition that
she had never cOnfded to any one. She
longed in her youth, and had even
PRAYED, that she mig ht be q mis- ion
ary's bride. As years crept on, she re-
linquished tki5 desire and made M her
mind that since that bliss was denied
her (she never had even a slight ac-
quaintance with. a missionary. she
would, If she married at ali, marry a
minister, and she had II borne in upon
her that she should. Years had flown
by and she was nearly fifty. The parson-
age she had dreamed OF in her earlier
years had never become hers. Still she
had never quite lost hope.
Her lot was cast in q quiet village,
where u few summer boarders were
taken-not that she ever entertained
the idea Of harboring them. She re-
garded them as unmitigated evils, not
10 be tolerated unless one was driven
TO desperate straits for living, and
that, thank goodness, as she feTvent-
~ remarked, "she Uas not. She mad
enough and 10 spare"
Some OF her neighbors had remon-
strsted with her. telling her that such a
gift for cooking, as she possessed ought |
not TO be wasted on herse along; TO
which she tsrtly replied that her cook |
ing wa mt thrown away II IL was only
for herself; she appreciated IL as well as
any one" IN truth she was = famOu.
cook; she eXceiled especially in all kinds
Of cakes, and there was one particular
variety, deliCa;ely cOncOcted, delicious
with candied fruits and almonds, OF
which she always kept a store. Only
favored ones partOOk of these. IL was
a special occasion, indeed. when these
French cakes" were offered. There
was nothing mean about Miss Almo. !
settle, but these cakes were too choice to !
be wasted on common people on ordi !
nary occasions.
Miss Body was an almost universal |
favorite; still she had her enemies, or ] /
should say, an enemy in a person II
Tom Hiliyar, old Cap'n Hillyar's only
son. He had been a roguish boy, and
had once upon time. played some
pranks that resulted primarily in Miss
Boody's discontinue and later in disa.-
ter TO himself, as these tricks were mis-
demeanOrs grave enough, 70 his fathers
mind, TO deserve punishment, and
when reported 10 Cap'n Hillyar By the
exa-perated victim brought young Tom
intelligence. He had often vowed 10
pay of Miss Body, but had so for no,
been able 10 do so.
But at the time when our story begins.
during the summer vacation, Tom fell
IN with young fellow as given to fun
as himself, one Leslie Russell, who was
boarding in = neighboriug village.
When their acquaintance had pro
crossed somewhat, Tom finding him \
after his own heart preached the sub
ject Of his grievance, and unioldeu a
plan by which he had hoped to revenge
himself.
Owing to the ll-reputatiOn in which
Mss Body held him he had never
eaten Of her French cakes. Though
not a gourluand, yet beng denied these
daiuties he longed for them; now he /
hoped with the help OF his friend - pay
of old scores and least on the forbidden |
cakes 81 the same time. After two or |
three consultations, dlring which thew !
elaborated their plans. they proceeded |
TO carry them into execution. Their I
scheme was simple. but il seemed 10 |
Tom quite admirable. He proposed 20 1
take Leslie 70 call on Miss BoOdy. repre- /
senting him as the son of a minister. |
seeking boarding place for bis father |
Tom knew Miss BOOdy's weakness. and |
he felt sure that his tale. as artfuily !
embroidered as their wits would enable /
them, would so work on the worthy |
woman that some Of the cakes would /
be brought out 10 refresh the minister's /
son; and as Leslie faithfully promised |
that Tom should have his share, they /
counted on bsguilding Miss Body and |
on the cake, thus killing two /
birds with one stone.
The contederates met together behind /
the church. which stood not far from /
Miss BOody's house, and after a final
dress rehearsal, so TO speak, they sailed /
forth secure IN mind, for they were i
certain Miss Body had never seen
Leslie be was a dark and serious fell
low, and walked sedateiy by Tom
side, the very essence OF respectability. |
Tom, meanwhile, was near burst
ing with laughter. Arrived at the
house, Tom rang the bell, and Miss