Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-04-21

CAKE
By II HARRINGTON
Copyright. 1905. BY Elhsl BamnOtOn !
N@~@~@o8&@~

or not It was Thursday"
my DEAR
Thursday Is the girls ddy out. TnS
rest are merely i~nteriudcs."
II am sorry. Cecilia. that the others
nre 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
30 many daughters"-
unmarried" sighed Mrs. Carlton.
II must 90 with Angela to the tailors.
It's p%rovidential, Laurence bringing his
friend, and / hope that Angela or Ma
ria'-
"Or Helen. Grace or Afuriel may i'm
%personatc Jonah's whale and swat
low
Cecilia, you are vulgar"
II 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 destroyh
the market. Laurence Carlton, Mt col
Iege, laughed at his mothers anxiety,
but cheerfully offered TO bring his chum
home for the vacation and give the girls
n chance.
"It only needs one to set the exam
pic" Mrs. Carlton explained to Ce-
ella. who admitted that Angela must
be sacrificed in order that her sisters
''get the habit But to her brother she
wrote, ut is a crime TO abuse friend
ship"
The proposed visit was now at hand.
"Aiuriel and I must lay low. The
full strength OF Il family girlhood Is
so OVERCOMING" said Cecilia, fastening
a loose sleeved apron over her gown.
"Now, little Mother General, you may
attend to the dress parade, while will
bring up the rear with the r%atlOns."
After Mrs. Carlton and Angela had
departed Cecilia descended to the kltch-
en-. She selected her pans and washed
the c~urrants, sliced the citron ready for
chopping and sifted the -four, a mis-
chievous rhyme tripping over her
tongue.
"'wm you walk into my parlorT
said the spider to the fly
The door gong rang sharply. Cecilia
busted her hand free from the flour and
went through the dining room and the
long hall to the door. There she en-
countered an athletic young man bear
ing q dress suit case with an air OF
having arrived at his destination.
Mrs. Carlton at homer he inquired.
'No. II you are a book agent let me
tell you books are not IL crying need
Just at present" And the dimple
laughed In Cecllla's cheek.
"I'm not Il necessity and to such a
household certainly NJ luxury, yet l am
expected. Sounds like a riddle, doesn't
It? Carleton telegraphed me that he
could not get here until tomorrow, but
that l was expected"
1--WE understood you were coming to
gether. but you are none the less well
come" she added g%raciously. THAT is
the parlor"-
"It's the prettlest 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
1.-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 an the girl, you
know She drew herself up. but the
dimple eftaced the dignity. and there
was an odd twitching about the young
fellows mouth.
II am awfully glad. l thought you
might be one OF the daughters. and
I'm only the VALET
"Gracious"-
$50 you see we can be friends after
all. May l watch the cake OperationT'
Cecilia sanctioned dOubtfully. "Yor
may sit In the dining room-lf you in
slst."
"Ido"-
Cecilia after providing him with q
paper disappeared through the swing
ing dOOr into the kitchen. He sat alOnI
for a few minutes. then gently swung
the door open. Its quite chilly IN
here" he explained. Cecilia was beat
ing eggs, the sunlight tipped her hall
with gold. He SINK into a chair. watch
ing her.
do you like cakeY' she demanded.
81 adore sweet things" The look
half smiling. wholly admirlng. sent thu
color tingling to the girls cheek, buI
she only whipped the eggs the harder
THAT looks easy. I'd like to try" h'
said tentatively.
"Froth appeals to you. knew
would"
Come. now. you know the saying
about idle hands, You had better pu
me to work" he insisted. She laughed
but i~ntrusted him with the chopplnl
bowl, and he went to work spas
medically upon the cltrOn. Cecilia hav
ing 1irst tied an apron about his waist.
"You make an ideal chef" she In
formed him. III you only had n cap"
Il wouldn't want to hide your curls.'
His tone was aRgrieved.
when may we expect your masterT
My master? Oh-Oh. yes-AshtOn
Hen be along about supper time,
judge"
TELL me about him and why does h
have q valet. It's rather silly for
student"
mot at all" he assured her air.