Little Falls herald., 1900-11-30
THAT CHILLI SAUCE.
1.-THE household art is the only dover
Lean bring save myself to him wed,
Can you find the. roof and earn the -four?
Then l can make home and sweet white

Then 1 can make home and sweet white
bread!"
-Harpers.
The last scarlet bar Of the glorious autumn
sunset was fading out behind the tall pop
lars along Turkey creek when Barstow
Browns creaking old farm wagon turned
the corner Of the road which led to his lone
ly and iA-kept home.
''Theres the light a-burnin' already in
Mis- Elviry Richards window he COM
mented. "It does git dark awful early nights
now. Seems like her'n's the cleanest KEEP
an the cheerfulest lamp in the hull town
ship"
And indeed it did seem to illuminate with
its friendly radiance the little one-story
house by the roadside. 1t locked like bea-
coma star. 1t made Farmer Brown think
in admiring but unformulated fashion of
steadfast love-pure, unwavering, brilliant.
1t attracted him. It drew him-the worn
and harassed body and soul of him. Uncon.
sciously he tightened the reins. But it was
not until the plodding horses stood still in
response that he wondered whether he
might venture in-and what excuse he could
give for his visit.
Suddenly he lifted his head and shifted
once, twice. Then he hurriedly twisted the
reins around the whipstock, clambered down
from the high seat.
"Chii. sauce! If she amt a-makin Chilli
sauce" He was hurrving up the short path
to the front door, at which he knocked. 'lll
tell her want the receipt for Susie Reilly to
make some by. That's the ticket! o.
howdy, Mis- Richards! was goin' home
from mill, an the incest smell come a-foat-
in down the road! Seemed,s if | was back
in mothers again, and she was putin up
Chill sauce.",, He sighed, and moistened his
lips at the recollection. $50 1 thought I'd
come in an find how you make it. Our ripe
tomatoes amt all gone yet. Maybe Susie
Reilly could make quart or so!''
Forty placid and benignant summers had
passed over the brown head of Eivira Rich
ards, but where was the girl along Turkey
creek who carried herself with more grace
and dignity, and what matron could boast
such a. fresh complexion and bright eyes as
she?
''To be sure" she cried, heartily. ''You
come right in, Mr.. Brown" She drew for
ward the best rocking chair with the bat.
tenberg tides on the entreating red plush
arms.
"'Tisn't much I need make, living alone
as do, but good storeroom is fine thing
to fall back on. You'd need lot in your
house I'm thinking. III give you the receipt
with pleasure-and jar to take home for
Susie to taste by. How does she get on, Mr..
Brown?'
Barstow Brown looked around the bright
little room, at the shining glass lamp With
the red flannel wick, which stood behind the
row of freshly-potted geranium slips in the
recessed window, then back at the plump.
white-a nroned fipure onposite
'FNot too we'll, Mis- Richards. She's kind
of shiftless. It comes natural to some folks
to be shiftless. Seems like the work allus
keeps bit ahead of her. Seems like she can
no more catch up with it than-than she
could with cotton-tail. But she means we'll.
Most shiftless folks allus means we'll got
to be movin'" He rose reluctantly. "The
young ones-theyll be a-missin' me-
LANDS sake, now, an YOU couldn't wait
till make you cup Of coffee? No? That's
too bad. Wait till get you the Chill sauce
anyhow. What's that? Could you come
out to the kitchen while I'm gettin' it?
Why, of course, Mr.. Brownn
Twittering and stepping briskly, Miss El
vira tripped ahead, and Barstow Brown
plodded after. He was aghast at his own
temerity, but the appetizng smell of th=
Chill sauce drew him to the kitchen, as the
white brilliance of the lamp had drawn hiu
to the parlor.
"My!" he breathed, and stopped short
"This-beats-'' He was looking around
the gayest, coziest, most immaculate little
kitchen he had ever beheld. From the black
mirror of a stove, with its golden grin
through the opened draft, to the shining
plates on the dresser, the row of crimson
filled glass jars on the table, the dishpan
that glittered like silver, and the cat asleep
on the braided mat, all things bespoke in
dustry, energy. comfort.
. Something in his attitude of timidlty, in
his look of wonder that was almost one Of
awe, in his neglected personal appearance,
went straight to the woman's warm heart
of Miss Elvira Richards. He had been such
a spruce, good-looking fellow Is years ago.
Her glance, that was keen if kindly, noted
all things-the shirt with the band all but
gone, the coat with holes at the elbows,
more than all the hollows at his temples and
in his cheeks. Those-and the weak tears
that came into his eyes! She busted herself
writing out the reel pe-and talking.
"It amt any too easy, I guess, with only
Susie. She never was hand to look after
chi!dren-and there's three to your place,
/ expect it amt been like home since-since
Cyrila went away"
Barstow Brown was silent. It had not
been happy home before Cyri1la died. Put
he could not tell Miss Richards that-no
nor anyone else. Only he had meant-had
honestly meant-to ask Elvira to marry him
before the pretty, painted, fippant little
city girl had come down to the country town
and taken his tickle heart captive.
"Here's the receipt-and here's the jar.
Yes, you must take the big one; and-why
-Barstow!"
For there was a hook in his eyes she had
not seen since those happy days before
Cyrilla aired, her city graces on Turkey
Creek.
"I'm good deal of failure, Elviry," said
Barstow Brown. :.1 don't know but you'll
turn me out when you hear what been
wantin' to say ever since it would be right
an proper to talk that way. But the farms
good one an the house could be made the
best hereabouts if It was fixed up right, an
the children"
''They're dear children!' declared Miss
Elvira-and she meant it.
"Well, they like you awful WELL You
allus was one to git around youngsters.
~" he dropped his eyes-<|T guess you