Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-12-08

| hot crumpets and mullins, she called
i hope co goodness no one hear
| me-" She tried to laugh as sh,
spoke, but the tears were nearer tn,
surface.
You needn't to be ashamed, S'msn
thy. S long as your breads sweet ant
| light an your cookies like that batcl
you turned out today. l hate to hey
YOU all worked up cookin' victuals
| but l dunno but what it's as easy q;
teachin' school--and It keeps you a
home-and it would be dreadful lone
some II you was gone all day as yor
used 60 be with no one uloppin in fol
little mite of visit most every time
they went by, as they did at home,
She stopped, for her voice was grow
ing tremulous. She wondered some
times how they had ever thought o.
coming so far. But she was stout
! hearted, and Samantha marvelled a.
her cheerfulness, and when she wa.
most depressed and discouraged com
forted herself with the reflection tha
| at least mother was happy and con
| tented.
The days were growing shorter and
the twilights longer-it had rainet
steadily for nearly week-it mus
be the weather that was so depressing
and that made their hearts turn long
ingly to that little New England vii.
lage which was the only home either
of them ha. ever known.
Business had not been very good
A new depositor was making cookies
very like Semantha's, the errand boy
had brought back two dozen OF hers
that morning. She was tired and hel
head ached, but though she sat APP
parently resting, her brain was busy
She must think of some way to add
to their income, she must do some
thing. At this rate how long would
their money last?
Neither of them had spoken fol
some time. Mrs. Shows rheumatic
hands were moving nervously-the
joints were stiff and painful this
damp weather, She suppressed a sigh
but Samantha heard it.
Mother" she said cheerfully. 'Ive
just thought of something. Its al
most Thanksgiving. What if we
make some mince pies for the Ex-
change. l haven't seen any nice
looking ones there, and I'm sure nc
ones receipt can equal yours"
Her mothers face frightened Sc
mantha could not see 1t, but she knew
it from her voice.
That's a first-rate Idea S'manthy,
she. cried. IF we can jest git the pies
started, they'll sell fast enough. Your
father was master hand for mince
pie guess his breakfasts wouldn't
have set extry we'll II nancy Blodgett
d had the cookin' of EN-, and she
tried hard enough to catch him, land
knows. l never had much idee OF
startin' a man off to work In the
mornin' on tough pie crust and stodgy
buckwheat cakes, but that was
Nancy's way. Sol. Tompkins run
down turribly after she married him
he grew to be nothin but lanky
sickly critter. He looked dreadful
pindlin' when he come to say good
bye, and I calc-late she'll be widow
before long-'n Sol amt an old man
either-he's six months younger'n
your father, and he'd ben 70 in Jan
uary."
He didn't look strong" said Sc
mantha, land I'm sure Mrs Tompkins
can't begin to make pies like yours"
You're right there" chuckled Mrs
Snow. "Your father used to say he
want sure but what twas my pies
he fell In love with sted of me. You
remember how Ed. Tompkins used tc
eat those pies?" She could not see
the wave OF color that swept over
Semantha's face. THAT was dread.
full trial to them, having him go of
west, and him the only boy They'd
got. / dunno's I blame him. though
such cookin.' Why her mince pies
didn't taste like anything but apple
sas-no richness, no seasonin.' They'll
be expensive, S'manthy, my pies aim
the cheap kind, but you needn't bt
afraid to have the board set on 'em
shouldn't wonder but what They'll
be wantin' 'em for their own Thanks
givin' dinners"
The next day was full OF pleasan
excitement. Materials were to bt
bought and prepared and Mrs. Snow
was in a state of delighted import
ance. She stoned the raislns, sh,
chopped the meat when 1t was cold
she measured and weighed and tasted
till she forgot that she and Samanthy
were thousand miles from home, liv
ing in a house whose first floor wen
ont washing.
1t was she who laid on the cover
of fiaky crust and decorated them will
ingenious patterns through which
later, delicious fragrance SHOULD
exhale. 1t was she who pinched thu
edges SO neatly and evenly togethe
with an accustomed finger and thumb
She went to bed that night feeling
for the first time contented and a
home in her new surroundings an,
whispering to herself as her night
capped head touched the pillow, -
declare, believe it was mince pies
was homesick for. What hand Joe
| was for those MES tn ha snra - TIL