The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-12-21
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In high social circles the girl who
wants to cut out another girl orders
new dresses and more hats. Among
savages she sticks on a few more
q and feathers. But in some
middle western towns she rolls up her
sleeves, opens the flour bin and cooks
something calculated to knock the
spots of anything culinary the other
girl ever dared dream of.
That was why Mrs. Fruby said to
her daughter with a hint of excite
ment in her voice, TRY him on beaten
biscuits, Sadie! And your chocolate
marshma)low pudding!"
1t had been hard enough all her
life for Mrs. Fruby to be outdone by
Mary Sander without having to en-
dure seeing Mary Sanders daughter
get ahead Of her own Sadie. And OF
late Rosa Sander had asked Peter
Vernon to dinner entirely too often
to suit Mrs. Fruby's plans. So had
half a dozen other girls. For Peter
Vernon a. a matrimonial prize. the
like of which a small town does not
see more than once in a generation.
He had an interest in the big engine
works, which made money SO fast
that 1t gave the populace the hic-
coughs trying to count it.
Natural jealousy of Mary Sander
made Mrs. Fruby consider Rosa a
deadly rival. Rosa was nearly as
pretty as Sadie and, moreover, she
was a good cook. So were Margaret
and Agnes and Carrie, other %aspirants.
Louise-Mrs. Fruby merely smiled at
the idea of Louise.
Being built on solid lines herself,
Mrs. Fruby had an imagined contempt
for ethereal creatures like Louise,
who looked as though a puff of wind
might easily remove her from the
Gene. Louise was of the ethereal,
useless kind and Mrs. Fruby knew
that no sensible man wanted a help
less wife. Men, she often told Sadie,
liked energy and ability in a girl. AS
for cooking, it was doubtful if Louise
could even cook a pan OF fudge with
out burning it.
Peter Vernon was a tall, thin young
man with a well set head and a kind
ly, If shrewd, smile.
Hes not the sort to get taken I'M"
Mrs. Fruby said thankfully as she
superintendent Sadie's work making
the beaten biscuit for that nights
supper. to which Peter Vernon was
coming. Does your arm ache? Let
me beat awhile!"
Peter Vernon liked the beaten bis
cult immensely. He ate six. And he
had two helpings of the chocolate
marshmallow pudding.
"She nearly beat her arm off max
ing those" Sadie's mother confided
to him. But, l tell you, nothing
daunts Sadie! When she does a
thing she does it,"
They certainly we're mighty good"
repeated Peter Vernon.
1--WE always have 'em Wednesday
evenings" said Sadie's mother with a
sudden inspiration. "And you drop
in that night without waiting to be
asked. since you're so FOND of 'em!"
"Yes, do!" echoed Sadie.
Beaten biscuits are hard to make.
Many were the weary hours Sadie
Fruby put in owe them, because they
had to be made regularly on Wednes-
days. Sometimes Peter dropped in,
and If he did not he was certain to be
met on the street the next day by
Sadie or her mother and pinned down
to another date. Mrs. Fruby took his
fondness for the marshmellow pud-
ding as an especially good sign.
"You keep it up, Sadie" she told
her daughter the evening Peter had
stayed a half-hour beyond his usual
time. Il can begin to see that you're
winning QUIT"
Il don't know" Sadie said dubious
ly. HE goes to Isabel's and Marga-
iret's, too-and Louise's!"
II wouldn't worry" declared her
mother Il guess Isabel can't make
biscuit like yours and Margaret's cake
is a joke. And you know Louise!
Why, you've got EN- all on che rum"
But he never says anything" Sadie
protested. IT mean anything that I
could take as"
HE amt that kind" declared Mrs.
Fruby. He amt going to make love
to a girl till he's engaged to her!
You beat those biscuits longer next
time!"
Shortly after that the local newspa-
per contained the unexpected an
nouncement of the quiet marriage Of
Peter Vernon and Louise, the ethereal.
Mrs. Fruby, after a hysterical
scream when she read the news, told
Sadie plainly what she thought Of
Peter. She talked so vehemently
that she did not notice how pale
Sadie's cheeks we're. Sadie usually
was stolid and unmoved.
"Well." Mrs. Fruby said at last,
wiping her eyes, "it can't be helped.
You'd better stir up some beaten bis
cult for supper tonight-it's Wednes-
day." Habit was strong in her.
It was then that Sadie voiced a
brand new theory OF life. "Beaten