Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-17
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
POLLYs TWELFTH CAKE.
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"You'll have 10 cut II, TOMB
Cut what2" | asked, In bewilder"
menIt, bowling 10 the four
Polly stepped UNFORTUNATELY 10 one
side, and saw in the center of the
liable a cake, whose coating was no
whittier than the coating Of other
cakes and whose bodywas probably no
more digestible,
"oh, It's only cake, thenl" was
much relieved,
"0nly n cpke Did you hear that
girls?" Polly looked resenlful nj me,
"Why, it's Twefth-nlght cake, and |
baked II, too"
"And there's ring in It., and the
girl that gets the piece Of cake with
the ring in IL will be married before
the years OUT supplemented Miss
Stanton-she who, once upon time,
screened window into which Polly
made entrance,
"But why don't one of you cut it?"
I queried, 81 don't know anything
about carving"
"You see, each OF them wants
piece, and II wouldn't be just fair for
one who draws 10 cut IT," volunteered
one OF the others, young lady OF
stiff stOtelihess whose name was to
me among things forgotten.
81 suppose / can cut 1t then
Where's the knife?"
Polly handed me silver-plated
knife, seemingly intended for bending
or for breaking, rather than for cut
ting, With this | marked Off the
TweIrth-cnke into six portions, was
trying TO force the end OF the knife
through the icing, when Polly seized
my hand.
"Stop!!" she cried. "You're cutting
itinto six pieces, Cut IL into FIVE"
"Don't | get any Of ne" I asked,
looking at her in surprise,
"0f course you don't. Only girls get
q chance at the ring, What do you
want piece for? Men don't get mar.
ried They marry"
There was no controvcrting this
last, so ! obcdicnty laid of the cake
into FIVE parts "But what are You
cutting this thing now for?" ques,
toned, between iNbs and grunts
"Ths is Sunday night, Twelfth-nlght
was two days ago"
81 never thought Of the cake until
yesterday" Polly explained,
at makes no difference" the state.
ly one put in, Miss Stanton and the
other two confirmed this declaration
by mods.
/ caught Polly's eye and covertly
signaled her my desire for communi.
cation. She bent down over the cake
until her head almost touched mine.
ibid you make n mark above the
ring?" I whispered
snake q mark above the ring! What
for?"
80 you can pick out the piece it's
in"
She turned her head until she could
look into my face. "Do You think I'd
be guilty OF a II ing like that?" she
asked, and there was so much of pain
and so much Of repronch in her whis-
per that ] came near blushing with
shame at myself. why, 1t would be
dishonest"
Properly subdued, 7 iabbed at the
cake in silence until II hay in five rag
ged pieces, Then put down the table
knife and gave my space to those de-
sirous Of drawing lots for inevitable
matrimony.
"Now, each of you take o piece"
Polly ordered. even start all at
once and keep eating till the rings
found. We can I all get the ring, but
we can all have a piece Of good cake
II baked 1t myself"
VI just know ! shall get the ring"
Miss Stanton sighed, as she took one
OF the portions, "It's just my luck. 7 |
got it once two years ago, and I got
the rings in two cakes last year.
Three rings-and I'm not married
yeti"
"I really don't care for the ring"
said the young lady whose name
knew not, 81 don't believe in them.
But I'm hungry, so I'll eat a bit of the
cake"
She cast her eyes over the pieces
and picked out the one farthest from
her. The two others made their Sc
lections and Polly took the remaining
portion.
snow, she said, and all the pieces
started mouthward, while T. forgot
ten, looked on hungrily. After the
first bite the stately one gave a quick
glance at Polly and the other two
looked hard at the cake.
"Iou made this, Polly?" one Of
them asked
ayes. What's the matter? Isn't it
good?"
"It's all right, I was-was just
wondering"
"Of course, ITS all right" Mss
Stanton declared, taking another bite.
The stately one laid the piece down
on the platter, and with ostentatious
Indifference, began breaking it into
small pieces.
"ThOt's not fair" Polly declared.
"You must eat IT,"
1T thought was hungry, but I
guess I'm not" she explained. ~
really don't care for any more of the
cake. But I'll just see il the rings in
my piece"
She continued the crumbling, and
the other two, following her lead, he