The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-13
THE EVENING STORY
Alma's Overcookery.
(By Henrietta Crawford.)

! ings in a culinary way. One was her
| her sweetheart, Ned Barnes.
There were also two persons VINO
| most emphatically did not love her:
One was her rival for the heart and
hand of Ned Alma Goodwin, and the
other was Mrs. Barnes, the mother OF
her sweetheart.
Alma was a natural cook and espe-
ciaIly proficient in the baking of pies,
and Mrs. Barnes had two great weak
nesses or, rather, strengths.
One of these was an overwhelming
love for good cooking and the other
was a still more overwhelming love
of economy and thrift Miss Alma had
always showed great aptitude for the
latter virtues and that, added to her
pies, had won the heart of Mrs.
Barnes.
one day Farmer Norris came in
with the announcement that Mr..
Barnes had broken his leg. This
caused Jennie to look very sad and to
thought that Ned would be kept at
home more closely in bearing the
fathers share of the work.
season is on observed Mr. Norris.
A bright thought seized Jennie.
Father, why don't you suggest to
all the farmers in the ne1gnborhood
to go over to Barnes's and musk for
day? They wouldn't miss a day
from their work and it would do won
ders for Mr.. Barnes" ~
Jennie's brain was very active In
reference to all things concerning
Ned.
'"That's good idee. Jennie, and I'll
hook up now and go and call on all
hands around"
When Mr. Norris returned from
his campaign he said that all had will
ingly donated q days services to the
cause and Thursday had been the date
set for the husking bee.
"I stopped in to see Barnes and
told him about the huskin,' and it did
him good. I told him that 1t was all
your idee and 1 spoke up real loud
so Mrs Barnes could hear. She look
ed quite pleased like, and Ned spoke
UP and said as how you was always
thoughtful. I callate you made a ten
strike, as Frank says
Jennie's face frightened and her
father continued: when I came past
Alnny's she run out to ask after Ned's
pa and I told her about the huskin
and she was let down for minute.
then she perked up and looked real
shes thought of something to do"
sighed Jennie. "Alma's so clever
"You always let her outWlt you,
Jen." said Frank indignantly. "She's
full of mean tricks, and no one sees
through her but Ned and me"
"She's got Ned's mother, body and
SOUL" said Jennie.
over her eyes. Why. don't you, Jen?"
Jennie shook her head. She would
not stoop to deceit.
|sI won Ned fair without any tricks
and I want to win his mother the
same way, if l ever can"
Just then the telephone rang.
When Jennie had answered it and
turned from hanging up the receiver
look so disturbed. Jennie?"
'AIma has gone me one better, as
usual She's been around to the homes |
of all the neighbors, or telephoned |
them, and asked them to send in do |
nations for dinner 'to save poor Mrs. |
Barnes feeding all those men, She
has told each one what to bring. |
Bukes. biscuits. and so on. OF course,
She is going to send mince pies. She |
makes the best of any one about |
here -
'rWhat did she ask you to bring?"
pumpkin pies" replied Jennie Bit |
ter1v "She knows that mothers |
away and that L can't make pie lit
to eat"
Toward dusk Frank Norris appeared |
in the Barnes kitchen.
'sI came over, Mrs. Barnes, to see if |
I couldn't fetch wood and water, or |
do anything. Don't you want me to |
wipe dishes?" he suggested, observing |
the dishpan piled full of crockery. Il
never break them"
ooh, Frank, I wish you would. Lib |
bic was just mean enough to leave me |
in the lurch at the time I needed her |
most"
Frank caught UP the dish towel and
was soon dexterously at work. The
act of dish washing Is quite apt to |
promulgate confidential chatter be- |
tween washer and wiper, and Mrs. |
Barnes unbent in her thoughts of Jen-
ME to the extent of remarking how
thoughtful she had been. But Alma"
she concluded, "has taken such a load |
from me. 1 could never have cooked |
a dinner with Mr.. Barnes sick and |
an .,.., =,
ma" acouiesced Frank. 'Say Mrs. /
Barnes" he added in lowered tones. |
won't you ever tell if tell you some |
thing?"
you know ma is away and Alma
asked Jennie to bring pumpkin pies,
and she makes the very worst ones
ask if she could take something else.
It's too bad to waste good stuff in
something no one can eat
ST think SO, too, agreed MIS-.
Barnes, who ever preached and prac-
Jenny makes awful good butter"
continued the young diplomat, "and
you'll need a lot for potatoes and bis
rather she'd bring butter?"
j.. Now, butter was bringing a pretty
fair price at the present time, and the
selling of that article was one of Mrs.
Rarnes's chief revenues.
"Why. yes,'' she said, affably, "I'd
rather shed bring butter. One kind
of pies enough, anyway, and Alma
makes such good pies no one would
touch any other kind but her mince."
When Frank returned home he told
Jennie Mrs. Barnes wanted her to /
bring butter instead of pies.
Blithely did Jennie sing as she
worked the churn the next morning.
Butter making was her one achieve
ment. She worked the rich, golden,
substance into rose
pound pats and sent ten of