The Wilmington Democrat. (Wilmington, Del.) 18??-19??, 1901-01-12
CHILLI SAUCE
HOW BARSTOW BROWN
AND ELVIRY RICHARDS
CAME TOGETHER.
The household art is the only dover
/ can hiring save myself in him I uad

The household art is the only dover
can bring save myself to him ! wed.
Can you find the roof and earn the -four?
Then can make home and sweet white breadi |
-IIarper's
The last scarlet bar of the gorgeous
autumn sunset was fading out behind
the tall poplars along Turkey creek
when Barstow Browns creaking old
farm wagon turned the corner of the
road which led to his lonely and i'll
kept home
"There's the light Albumin already
IN Mis- Elviry Richards window" he
commented. at does git dark awful
early nights now. Seems like hern's
the cleanest KEEP an the cheerfulest
lamp In the hull township"
And indeed 1t did seem to illuminate
with its friendly radiance the little one
story house by the roadside. 1t looked
like beacon-a star. 1t made Farmer
Brown think in admiring but unformu-
lated fashion of a steadfast love-pure,
unwavering, brilliant. 1t attracted
him. 1t drew hlm-the worn and
harassed body and soul Of him. Uncon-
.sciously he frightened the reins. But it
was not until the plodding horses
stood still in response that he Won
-dered whether he might venture in
and what excuse he could give for his
visit.
Suddenly he lifted his head and
sniffed-once, twice. Then he hurried
ly twisted the reins around the whip
stock aud clambered down from the
high seat. Swiftly, soundlessly, ex-
-cuse and encouragement had come to
HMM the guise of an odor at that.
"Chili sauce! If she amt a-makin
Chilli sauce!" He was hurrying up the
short path to the front door. at which
he knocked. "I'll tell her want the re-
-ceipt for Susie Reilly to make some
by. That's the ticket Oh. howdy, Mis-
Richardsl l was goin home from mill
an the incest smell come a-floatin
down the roadl Seemed s If ! was
back IN mothers again, an she was
putin up chill sauce" He sighed and
molstened his lips at the recollection.
so / 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 soT'
Forty placid and benignant summers
had passed over the brown head of
Elvira Richards, 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
-shcf
"To be sure!" she cried heartily.
"You come right in, Mr.. Brown" She
drew forward the best rocking chair,
with the Battenberg tides on the en-
treating red plush arms.
"'Tisn't much | need make, liyin
alone as do, but good storeroom is
"a fine thing to fall back on. You'd need
a lot in your house, HI thinkin.- I'll
give you the receipt with pleasure, an
n jar to take home for Susie to taste
by. How does she get on, Mr.. BrownT
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 aproned
figure opposite.
mot too well, Mis- Richards. She's
kind of shiftless. 1t comes natural to
some folks to be shiftless. Seems like
the work allus keeps a bit ahead Of
her. Seems like she can no more catch
up with 1t than-than she could with
a cottontail. But she means well. Most
sshiftless folks allus means well. | got
to be movin." He rose reluctantly.
''The young ones, they'll be a-missin
me."
Lands sake, now, an you couldn't
wait till l make you cup of coffee?
No? That's too bad. Wait till l get
you the chill sauce. anyhow. What's
that? Could you come out to the kitch-
zen while I'm a-gettin It? Why, Of
course, Mr.. Brown"
Twittering and stepping brlskly,
Miss Elvira tripped ahead. and Bar
stow Brown plodded after He was
saghast at his own temerity, but the
=appetizing smell of the chill sauce
drew him to the kitchen as the white
7brilliance of the lamp had drawn him
30 the parlor.
"Ayp' He breathed and stopped
abort. "This BEATS He was looking
around the gayest coolest, most i'm
maculate little kitchen he had ever be-
held. 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 filed
glass jars on the table. the dishpan
that glittered like silver and the cat
asleep on the braided mat, all things
bespoke industry, energy, comfort.
Something In his attitude of timIdi-
sty, in his look Of wonder. that was al
most one Of awe; in his neglected per
.sonal appearance, went straight to the
woman's warm heart OF Miss Elvira
Richards. He had been such a spruce.