The Tupelo journal., 1910-04-01

VERSUS PIE
By BELLE MANDATES

L 0tu Z AGl 4 ONAN -
will get to inviting him and they will
feed him with layer cakes and pies
and ice cream. The boys say it's just
like a poorhouse here. We never give
| them a thing to eat"
well, If that's all they come for,
I'd be mighty glad to have them stay
away. Pie and cake and ice cream is
unhealthy stuff and / amt going to
have any in my house. This is no eat
ing house."
Mrs. Willets snapped out this decla-
ration and went upstairs to bed at
her usual early hour. She relented
enough to caution the two young biys,
Richard and Bert, not to go into the
sitting room.
"Bertha's going to have a beau,'
she informed, "and you can sit in the
kitchen and study your lessons"
They obediently went to the kit
chen, but did not study.
who's coming to see Bertha!"
asked Bert.
RED Raymond. He's been out west
" lodl ySoio yc0 DNNA -
cowboy and shot Indians"
"Oh, hope Bertha keeps him for a
steady"
"She won't" replied Richard, who
had been eavesdropping, because ma
won't let her make any pies and cake
and stuff for him to eat"
Huh" commented Bert. faint
likely he's anything like these farm
ers around here. He won't care for
pie and cake"
Bertha don't seem to keep a fell
low long," lamented Richard. Ned
Price only kept company a month.
He says he likes fat girls with red
cheeks. Bertha's pale and thin, you
know"
That's not a cowboys STYLE" re-
marked Bert, who had taken to draw
ing books from a circulating library.
"They like the delicate kind"
The boys Immediately set to work
and when things were ready they
marched into the sitting room, where
Bertha, distract from her modification
at not being able to offer Red cake
and pie, was i'll at ease and i%nattentive.
She welcomed the diversion of the
entrance of the boys.
Say" said Bert, Richard and got
hungry and we are going to have a
spread in the kitchen. Don't you
folks want to come out?"
Sure we do" responded Red,
promptly, rising from his chair with
alacrity and following the boys.
Bertha obeyed with some trepida-
ton.
"Oh, Lord!" calculated Red when
he came into the big, warm kitchen
and smelled the coffee. l do believe
that's a stack of buckwheats. l used
to dream about them when / was
down in New Mexico"
Bertha's spirits rose. The boys had
set the table nicely. The coffee
smeHed promising. There were a
pitcher CT cream and a jug of syrup
on the table.
"Sit down." urged Bert. "IH bake
the cakes and Rich will serve you.
Pour the coffee, Bertha"
"Say," inquired Richard, as he laid
a golden-brown cake on Reds plate,
what did you call these? A what
of buckwheats?"
STACK" said Red, pouring about a
pint of syrup we the cakes. That's
what they call them out west. Wheat
cakes is a stack Of whites. Poached
eggs on toast is Adam and Eve on a
raft"
go on tell more!" applauded Bert,
waving a pancake turner excitedly in
the air.
Red laughed and between cakes he
related western tales to the boys con-
tent.
rs he coming again tomorrow
night, Bertha?" whispered Richard
from his room as his sister came up
stairs at a late hour.
eyes," she answered, happily. ut
was just lovely of you, boys, to think
OF the cakes. He's going to bring you
each a present tomorrow"
It'll be all right for him." prophe-
sled Bert. "You leave the feeding
part to us"
The next night the little brothers
again ushered themselves into the sit
ting room.
We've got some Adams and Ewes
on RATS" grinned Richard.
well, o are the best chefs |
know said Red, approvingly, land
you bet you'll get a tip" He handed
them each an Indian bow and arrows.
The next night, as sisters beau
came up the lane, he was met by
! Bert. Say" said the boy, doggedly,
before you come in there's something
l want to tell you"
"All right, my boy. Fire away"
"You see there amt anything to eat
tonight and we've run out of coffee
and / thought it only fair to tell you
before you came in, so you could turn
back if you wanted to. But it amt
Bertha's fault. It's ma that's stingy."
Red stared a moment and then
burst into a hearty laugh.
"See here, Bert! You didn't think
1 came to your house to eat, did you?
I came because / love your sister"
"Oh, Gee!' said the boy.
eTLe first time / set eyes on her
said, There's the girl for me- When
/ called that first night she was so
quiet l thought she didn't like me. l
was clean discouraged till you boys
broke the ice with your stack of buck
wheats.'