The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-07-14
CECELIA'S
CAKE
By ETHEL HARRINGTON
Copyright. 1904. bu Ethel Barnnoton

"a departed Philadelphia on revisit
ing earth would know at once whether
or not it was Thursday"
"My dear!'
Thursday is the girls day out The
rest are merely interludes."
II am sorry, Cecilia, that the others
are gone and there is no one else to
make the cake"
Cecilia regretfully returned her hat to
its box.
"You are not to blame. It's having
so many daughters
unmarried" sighed Mrs. Carlton.
II must 60 with Angela to the tailor's.
It's providential, Laurence bringing his
friend, and 1 hope that Angela or Ma
ria
"Or Helen, Grace or Muriel may i'm
personate Jonah's whale and swal
low
Cecilia, you are vulgar"
It Is a trial to be a widow with an
only son, but an only son plus six
daughters represents martyrdOm. A
choice in matrimOny adds zest to court
ship, but too great a surplus destroys
the market Laurence Carlton, at col
lege, laughed at his mothers anxiety,
but cheerfully offered to bring his chum
home for the vacation and give the girls
chance.
1T only needs one to set the exam
ple," Mrs. Carlton explained to c.
ella, who admitted that Angela must
be sacrificed in order that her sisters
"get the habit" But to her brother she
wrote, 1T is q crime to abuse friend
ship"
"Muriel and l must lay low. The
full strength Of our family girlhood is
so overfowing," said Cecilia, fastening
a loose sleeved apron over her gown.
Nov, little Mother General, you may
attend to the dress parade, while will
bring up the rear with the rations."
After Mrs. Carlton and Angela had
departed Cecilia descended to the kitch-
en-. She selected her pans and washed
the currants. sliced the citron ready for
chopping and sifted the -four, mis-
chievous rhyme tripping over her
tongue.
"'Win you walk into my parlorT
said the spider to the fly
The door gong rang sharply. Cecilia
busted her hand free from the -four and
went through the dining room and the
long hall to the door. There she en-
countered an athletic young man bear
ing a dress suit case with an air of
having arrived at his destination.
Mrs. Carlton at homer" he inquired.
mo. If you are book agent let me
tell you books are not our crying need
just ut present" And the dimple
laughed in Cecilia's cheek.
I'm not a necessity and to such a
expected. Sounds like riddle, doesn't
it? Carleton telegraphed me that he
could not get here until tomorrow, but
that was expected"
I'VE understood you were coming to-
gether, but you are none the less vel
come" she added graciously. THAT Is
the parlor'-
Its the prettiest little parlor that
ever you did spy" hummed Cecilia to
herself. Then aloud: Perhaps you
have not read all the magazines. They
cannot be long,"
Long? They
"The family" answered the youngest
vaguely.
but you Cecilia suddenly real
lied her apron and the -four and her
mothers horror Of the situation. "Oh,
I am baking cake-I-I am the girl, you
know She drew herself up, but the
dimple effaced the dignity. and there
was an odd twitching about the young
fellows mouth.
Il am awfully glad. thought you
might be one Of the daughters, and
I'm only the VALET
"Gracious''-
$50 YOU see we can h friends after
all. May I watch the cake operation"
Cecilia sanctioned doubtfully. You
may sit in the dining room-if you In
sist.''
Il do
Cecilia after providing him with a
paper disappeared through the swing
ing door into the kitchen. He sat alone
for few minutes, then gently swung
the door Open Its quite chilly In
here" he explained. Cecilia was beat
ing eggs, the sunlight tipped her hair
with gold. He sank into chair, watch
ing her.
do you like cakeT' she demanded.
II adore sweet things" The look,
half smiling wholly admiring. sent the
color tingling to the girls cheek, but
she only whipped the eggs the harder.
THAT looks easy. I'd like to try" he
said tentatively.
"Froth appeals to you. knew 1t
would"
Come now, you know the saying
about idle hands, You had better put
me to work." he insisted. She laughed,
but intrusted him with the chopping
bowl, and he went to work spas
medically upon the citron. Cecilia hav-
ing first tied an apron about his waist.
"You make an ideal chef" she In
formed him, III you only had cap"