Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1909-04-21
WHO ever preached and practiced econ


you'll need Il lot for potatoes and bis !
cults Why don't you tell her you'd /.
rather she'd bring Lutter|'
Now, butter was bringing Il pretty |
fair price at the present time, and the |
selling of that article was one of Mrs. |
Barnes chief revenues
why, yes" she said affably; I'D
rather she'd bring butter One kind of
pies enough anyway, and Alma makGs
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 work
ed the churn the next morning. But
termaking was her one achievement.
She worked the rich. golden. clover
scented substance into rose stamped
pound pats and sent ten of them over
to Mrs. Barnes. each reposing in a
crisp lettuce leaf. Lavishness was a
Norris characteristic.
well. Jennie can make butter, that's
sure" exclaimed Mrs. Barnes as she
Toasted her eyes on the platter of pats
that represented so much coin to her.
I'D rather have coed bread and but
ter than pie any day" asserted Ned.
Franks Italian hand had still work
to do On his way home from deliver
ing the butter he stopped at the Good
win home
Jennie got her pies baked?" asked
Alma sarcastically.
NO" replied the lad. Mrs. Barnes
said no one would touch any pie when
they could get piece Ct yours, so she
asked Jennie to send butter"
Alma's plain face beamed at this
| compliment.
"WcH. I'm going to beat my record
this time. l am making the best mince
meat ever"
let me taste it." pleaded Frank.
"All right l wish you would and
tell me how you like it, l can't bear
the taste of it before it's baked"
She brought forth the mince meat,
which Frank proceeded to sample.
ITS prime Alma If l were you
I'd put in little more brandy ard
bake whole lot more. Pa said that
was what he liked about your pies
you were never stingy with the pies
or the brandy"
III put in little more, then" said
Alma going into the pantry.
As soon as she was out of sight
Frank hastily took a great case bottle
from his pocket and poured a good
quart of brandy into the mince meat.
The empty bottle was back in his
pocket when Alma returned.
Just Il little more. Alma." he adj
vised as he stirred the mince meat.
Alma baked her pies that afternoon
and carried them over to the Barnes
homestead.
Lets have one fer supper" pro-
posed Mrs. Barnes. "There'll be plen-
ty for tomorrow"
When she carried her husbands sup.
per in to him she put generous cut
of pie on his plate. He promptly ate
a piece of it.
20 .Lord!' he CALCULATED. TASTE
this Once!'
Mrs. Barnes did so and held up hel
hands in horror. What extrava
gancer she said. Its awful! Why
pa. there's enough brandy in that
mince meat to last a good housekeepel
for a year,
When she came out into the dining
room Ned was the picture of disgust.
Il hope" he said sarcastically, THAI
you'll never hold Alma's cooking VI
to me again. This isn't pie; it's {
drink
. When, in addition, the fattered Aim:
capped the climax by sending over a
least twice as many pies as the whole
! assemblage could possibly eat her cul
of iniquity was full and overfOwin;
in the sight of Mrs. Barnes. ''Wast,
and probability" said she. "Anybod,
. can be a good cook with such extrava
gance. I'll. have no daughter Xix
that"
Ned carried the glad tidings to Jen
ME that night
o Alma never learned how her hope
and plans had come to such sudde
+. shipwreck. No one ever did until
. year later. when Ned was told in con
. fidence by his young brother-ln-law.