Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-13
The Daily Short Story
A BATCH OF BISCUITS.

Il y
I~N~~~>N~~
| "Oh. she is a harmless little crea-
ture," Miss Isabel Burns said to Fair
leigh apropos OF her cousin Elsie, IAN
orphan, whom we keep out of charity.
| She is quite burden i'm n way, being
SO idle and incapable. When we are
| without a maid. as occasionally hap
/ pens. all the hardship of the kitchen
/ falls on my shoulders. Elsie is the
| drOne of this hive"
| Not long after Fairleigh was invited
i by Miss Burns to tea. During the
| afternoon. from a neighboring apart
ment house, he happened to catch sight
| across a court of Elsie in the kitchen.
/ How brisk she was, ard how busy,
| fitting back and forth between table
and pantry, carrying various articles
-four and butter and baking powder
and mixing pan. Then she was rolling
| up her sleeves from round, milk white
/ arms and tying on Il large, snowy
| apron and washing her hands at the
| sink. He could see how rosy the cold
water made them. and then how she
did attack the task before her! With
| the deftness and rapidity which evil
| deDced practice and skill she chopped
| and stirred and rolled and cut and laid
| the little round disks in even rows on
| the buttered pans, and then she opened
! the oven door and put her hand in to
/ try the temperature and nodded as IL
| satisfied and came back to the table
with her soft cheeks ever so slightly
| flushed and few loose gold tendrils
| finding their way from under the dain,
~ white lawn cap she wore. And as
she went back and forth with her bis
| cults and began to clean and put away
the utensils she had used she began to
sing The window near the table was
open. Fairleigh could hear the lifting
lines:
'5iy love is like a red. rcd rose
That's newly sprung in June;
Ny love is like melody
That's sweetly played in tune"
A high, rasping voice cut the song
short.
We'll, have you the kitchen salad
| made? And did You frost the cake?
The biscuits are in? Then do make
| and haste and set the table. 1 can't
for the life of me see what makes you
so poky, Mr.. Fairleigh will be here
before you get everything done. Now.
mind, L don't want you coming to sup
per. He won't notice you anyhow"
Then Miss Burns, who had evidently
been taking n nap. Judging by her
tousled hair, and looking suddenly and
slngularly Invested of her stateliness
in the loose and shapcless wrapper OF
solled light blue cashmere she wore,
yawncd and took herself away.
Elsie stood Il minute tense and still.
She lifted her eyes an instant as though
in mute appeal for patience. Then
she went on with her work. But Fair
leigh noticed, with queer sense OF in
dignant pain at his heart. that the flush
had gone. leaving her looking white.
and that she sang no more.
1t was with much effuson that Miss
Burns received her caller. She had
been hoping he would come earlier. al
though. indeed. she could hardly have
given him much of her time had he
done so. Not that she really disliked
cooking. as so many women averred
they did. She had studied the science,
believing il to he more essential to the
making and the maintenance of hap
py home than knowledge of a Ian
guage. To be sure. tonight they had
asked him only to their ordinary family
supper. Her parents had always in
sisted on dining early i'm the day. She
was sure he would make allowances.
Certainly. They were good to let
him come informally. And all the time
lie was wondering at the transforma-
tion well brushed hair and n properly
fitting gown had effected in the unat-
tractiVe person who had instructed
Elsie. Elsie. minus her cooking cap and
wearing n soft little lawn gown. came
and went serving them. Just at first
Elsie had given Fairleigh n distant
bow: but, although she quickly glanced
away, she had seen a new look I'm his
eyes, n look of questioning admiration
that brought the roses blossoming out
on her cheeks. Once during Elsies
absence from the room Isabel made
some laughing apology for having Elsie
wait on table.
but whenever l have cooked the
supper-what? A delicious supper!
oh, I'm so glad you like it, 1 was say
ing when / have cooked the supper
think it is only fair Elsie should wait
at table. Have another biscuit, Mr..
Fairleigh. If only to fiatter me. Yes,
am a trife proud of my biscuits
The elder people were talking to-
gether and paid no attention, but Fair.
leigh. looking up at that instant. saw
the swinging door was held back, and
Elsie. another plate of golden brown
biscuits in her hand. stood there. Her
eyes met those OF Fairleigh full. A
flashing look passed between them.
She had heard then! Whether 1t was
the speech or Bob Fairleigh's amused
and radiant glance of intelligence that
disturbed her Elsie did not know. but