The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-05-20

1
dreamed of her sweet face continuously.
One morning the juni or partner OF
Bently & Sons was in his office, busy
looking over some accounts, when there
was timid knock at the door, and his
brusque invitation, Come i'm p caused
the door to open. When he looked up,
Agnes Lane, dressed in deep mourn
ing, stood before him.
Miss Agnes ~ he cried, and spring
ing to his feet, brought her chair
thinking meanwhile that she had new
er looked so pretty before and inward
/ ly cursing the cruel fate that was to
| give her to another. There was an
embarrassing silence, and then Agnes,
nervously, removing her gloves said:
81 have come 10 you for-for-ad-
vice, Mr.. Bently. AS you well know,
my Aunt Abigail was a very peculiar
woman. 1t was generally believed
that was 10 be her heir. This, how
ever, is my dowry,' and she handed
him written paper, the heading of
which was : My Celebrated Recipe
for Making Doughnuts.' It's funny,
of course she continued, with gay
little laugh, but think l see for
tune-a small one, it is true-in Aunt
Abigail's recipe, and that's what /
came to see you about to-day and
then, drawing her chair up closer, she
explained to him that doughnuts made
from this recipe were SO crisp and light
and generally luscious that every one
who had ever eaten them would never
forget their luscious taste.
al am anxious 10 make my living"
she said in conclusion, and L think
the doughnut recipe will prove a regu-
lar bonanza. Your store has a reputa-
ton all over the city, and your Gus
TONERS are among the best people, and
thought il you would introduce
them for me and take charge of their
sale, for which | would pay a liberal
commission, / would, perhaps, be able
to work up business that would in
time give me at least comfortable in
come
or course Claude Bently was some
what amazed at this proposition, and
he hardly knew what reply to make.
Words that he would have liked to
have said trembled on his lips, but
were not spoken, and the result was
the drawing up of contract which
both signed.
At Claude's suggestion an advertise
ment was inserted in the city papers,
and the next day the first lot of dough-
nuts was put on sale in Bentley &
Sons window.
A fancy sign called attention to the
delicious character of Aunt Abigaips
Doughnuts,' and, to use Claude's own
expressive words, they sold equal to
gold dollars
Fifty dozen at fifteen cents per dozen
were disposed OF, and orders for more
were taken ahead.
"Aunt Abigairs Doughnuts" became
the town rage, and their fame extend
ed to other localities.
1t was found necessary to enlarge the
factory" several times, and before
many months a small army OF work
men were engaged in their manufact-
ure.
The story got into the newspapers,
and Agnes found herself cut by great
many of her old friends.
Burke Norris passed her on Chestnut
street with a cold stare.
When the contents of Aunt AbigaiIs
will were made public he had ceased
to visit her.
As business increased and Claude
was daily thrown more and more in
contact with Agnes, he plucked up
courage and one day poured out the
story of his love and asked her TO be
his wife. He was the happiest man in
Philadelphia when she blushingly con-
sented.
Burke Norris, whose father had fail
ed without any assets TO speak of
gnashed his teeth in impotent rage
when he read an account of the we'd
ding, for the ''doughnuts" were intro
duced and the reporter went on to say:
''The bride, whose independence of
character is well known in society,
first conceived the idea of introducing
these delicious edibles to the public as
a pleasant diversion. She has an in
dependent fortune in her own right,
which was left to her by her father,
the late John Lane"
"I-I-thought you were poor and
dependent on your industry for liveli-
hood" said Claud, when his wife con-
fessed to him that her own independ-
ent fortune was even greater than that
left by Aunt Abigail.
"But you'll love me just the same,
won't you, Claude, now that you know
that L am rich ," she said, and he
kissing her, replied:
''Indeed, | will ~
Everv YounC Mon