The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-09

would not have offended anybody If he had
been refereeing II dog fight in Long Island
CITY. remember seeing the waiter over
whelm a Gainesville man with his atten-
tions to SUCH an eXetnt that the 81 m pie rus
tic ordered Worcestershire sauce for des-
sert.
Nina had been experimenting with pies
for several days: and Mt last che had con-
structed one which, on the face of 1t, an
swered every requirement OF the cook book.
/ caught her gazing at it with honest pride,
and / heard her ask Naude if she didn't
think we might invite Sydney to tea. This
meant. of course. that the pie was to be cut
for Sydney's especial benefit. When a
young woman begins to acknowledge q
growing interest in a young man by max
ing things for him to eat, the affair takes
on a serious aspect-especially for him.
We asked Sydney over to tea. ! have
previously introduced him as a polite
young man.; and. in any case, self -interest
would have urged him to get on the right
side of Maude in order to secure her in
fuence with Nina. He ate nine of Maude's
biscuits. There we're thirteen separate and
distinct nightmares in every one OF them.
l know, for / ate two and woke twenty-six
times in u cold perspiration.
Nina's pie came at last. She prepared to
cut it with her own fair hands, assisted by
a knife. AS she laid the edge of the blade
on the pastry she fixed her eyes tenderly on
| Sydney, and he returned the glance. l
watched the knife. Nina sawed a few times
with its edge, but the top crust of that pie
remained unscathed. Then she tried the
point, but it did not penetrate. Sidney no
ticed that something was the matter. and
he blushed svmpathetically. l tried not to
catch Maude's eye, for a laugh at that
critical moment might have sundered two
young hearts forever.
Meanwhile Nina sawed n stabbed, and
stabbed and sawed, and tried to look as If
these were the ordinary formalities prelim-
mary to cutting a real nice pie. She offered
a few remarks on general topics at the same
time with Il desire to distract attention from
that mucilaginous upper crust. She asked
SYDNEY, who sat with his back to the west
ern window, if he had noticed what a beau
tiful sunset we were having. While he
obliuingly turned to look at it Maude passed
Nina a steel knife with n good stiff wire
edge. Nina grasped it neryovsly and aimed
SO vicious e stab that the pie came out of
it's pate altogether and struck the table
with a thud that made everybody jump.
But there was a gaping hole in its horny top
now, and when Nina had hustled it back
into its plate she succeededed in dividing 1t
into irregular fragments, one OF which she
offered Sydney with the smile that tempted
Adam in the garden.
| never saw anybody accept martyrdom
more cheerfully than Sydney did. He
ground up that pie as if 1t had been the
bread of life. and then he asked for more.
IF she rejects MN now, 1 whispered TO
Maude after supper, 'she does not deserve
to be the wife of Il hero"
Sydney did not stay very late that even
ing, but he maintained a cheerful demeanor
to the last.
Good night" said he as we shook hands
over the fence which separates our land,
whatever happens to me, don't let her
think it was her fault. Tell her that l WAS
always delicate, and"
He was inter supted by a desolate and
mournful howl, which cleft the stiffness Of
q Gainesville night. A minute later Nina
appeared at the door, evidently in a stat.
of extreme agitation. Howard" said she,
won't YOU please come and see if you oan
do anything for Nuisnnce?"
whats the matter with the striped
pupY" l asked, trying to be cheerful.
IL don't know" she answered in n
voice full of tears, 'unless-yes; why should
was left of that pie" HOWARD FIELDING.
Eopyriuht.