The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-14
THE EVENING STORY
PoIIv,s Pancakes.
By Dorothy Blackmore.

1T does seem too bad that some
nice man doesn't find Polly, remarked
Mrs. Darlington.
'.She is destined for an old maid,
my dear; I told you that long ago,
her husband answered consolingly.
and the sooner she accepts the in
evitable, and stops struggling, the bet
ter
You're absolutely heartless. Frank.
and Polly is the best friend either
you or I have in the world, and you
know it
Mrs. Earlington's eyes filed with
tears as she bent over her crocheting-
She was a sympathetic little woman,
and every time she thought of the
difficult and lonely life of her dearest
friend. Pauline Bates. her heart over
flowed with compassion for the girl.
Pauline-Polly they called her-did
tutoring in and about the small vii
lage of Chenille, and most of her in
come was sent back home to support
her widowed mother and two younger
sisters. She was q wholesome, wo-
manly, attractive girl, well out of her
teens, and although every one, men
and women, liked her, no man who
was worth while seemed to have fallen
in love with her. And yet there was
not a girl in the little circle of young
people in Chenille who would have
made so admirable a wife.
Mrs. darlington had known her for
years, and the coy home of the Earl
1nSJOnS was always open TO GdullnC
In fact. as Mrs. Darlington frequently
remarked, she didn't know how they
could keep house without Pauline to
call on. If the nurse were out or i'll,
Pauline always managed to be on
hand to help with the children. If
the cook left, Pauline never failed to
drop in to help prepare the meals. If
Frank had to be out of town, Pauline
came to stay with Mrs. Darlington.
If the EarHngtons entertained, Pau
or. h6inRT
played the piano, made a chatting dish
supper, or did mere parlor tricks bet
ter than either the host or hostess.
Frank, I want you to listen to me-
began Mrs. Darlington opening the
subject again.
Her husband looked up from his
rural journal He was deep in the
mysteries of how to prune fruit trees
but he suppressed a sigh and looked
across the reading table toward his
wife.
I'm serious about Polly-we must
find husband for her.
Did she say so?" asked the man,
blandly.
a look. Does Pauline ever say any
thing foolish ?" she asked
mot often enough - that's one of
her faults
Her principal fault, so far as I can
see, is being entirely too good and
conscientious and capable for any
mere man. No one appreciates her,
retorted Mrs Darlington.
Her husband rolled his precious
magazine into a tube and frowned.
well? What can we do? I can't
go around the world dragging men
out here to meet her and extolling
her virtues. You know how a man
takes to the sort of girl you have to
do that for %
"Of course not-but there must be
subtle ways of getting at it, Mrs.
Darlington said, vaguely.
you'll have to do anything subtle
that's done in our family. dear. I'm
as far from being subtle as-as a blow
on the head
His wife did not hear him; she was
thinking. Suddenly a smile flashed
across her face
Polly is a grand cook" she said
But who knows it?" asked Frank
mo one but you and me, and-her
family, perhaps. Most of Pol1y's
charms-if cooking may be called a
charm-are hidden under the proven
bal bushel," sighed Mrs. Darlington. |
Her husband agreed with her
And I think-oh, Frank, couldn't
you invite the boys and men of the
choir of st. Paul's to a-well, say. a
pancake supper; and Wen have Polly
make the pancakes" Mrs. Earring
toms eyes fairly danced at the pros
pect.
"I-could." Frank said, half-heart-
eddy.
you could very well. As a mem |
Der of the vestry, it would be only |
natural that you show a little atten-
ton to the choir - especially before |
Christmas, when they are doing such
good work.
I'm willing And what them"
you goose-Polly Will make such
delicious pancakes-it's one of her
very best stunts-that the men will
-.
thing appeals to his inner self"
''Yes-it isn't every wife who can |
make good pancakes or teach her cook /
to do likewise" admitted the man. |
"And I'm to ask the choir to a pan
cake supper-here-to eat Polly's pam |
cakes?" he asked.
mot at all-say nothing about Pol |
". That would spoil it all Merely |
ask them to pancake supper next
Wednesday night
In due form the choir of St. Paul's |
was invited to the Darlington home
to eat pancakes and almost in a body |
it accepted. The small boys and the
men were always glad of an oppor-
tunity to spend an evening in this
hospitable little home.
Mrs Darlington and Pauline were I
busy preparing the batter for the feast
and a pile of hot plates was already /
the telephone bell rang long and
loudly
won't you answer, Polly, dear p
asked Mrs darlington.
Polly rushed to the phone, a glad /
light in her eyes. Her heart beat
quickly as she took up the receiver. (;
could il be he?" she asked herself /
over and over.
For a few minutes she talked earn
estIy over the wire and when she re-
turned to the kitchen a bright spot of
red burned in each cheek. Mrs Earl
ington thought she had never seen the
girl so pretty. To herself, she COM
mented that the combination of Pollysl