Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-12-24
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
MISS RANDALL'S
CUSTOMER
A Case Of Mistaken
Identity
By cLARiSSA MAcK1E

IL By cLARiSsA MAcKlE 1
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u Hester Randall surveyed the resul
of her mornings work with keen satis
faction. A snowy cloth was laid on he
kitchen table, and piled thereon wer'
loaves Of crusty bread. sheets OF fenth
erweight biscuits and glistening rusks
There were tempting loaves Of pount
cake and several layer cakes as well u
platter heaped with sugared dough
nuts and another Of cookies.
Friday was always Hesters busies
day. She arose ut o'clock and baket
all duy to Oil her orders for the dain
ties which were In great demnnt
among her neighbors. On Friday even
Ing. although she was tired aud foot
sore. she would deliver the bread ant
cake She would hnve to make severa
trips with the heavily laden basket be
fore her weary body could seek repose
Now she Slt down and drank cuI
Of hot ten and ute tritle Of supper be
fore she started out on her rounds
She was plump. rosy little mite Of ,
woman with bright brown eyes ant
brown hair that obstinately refused t.
turn gray. although Hester had passed
her thirty first year. Now she slipped
into a thin white dress. for It was
hot evening. and. arranging her frs,
basket lond. went out into the gather
ing twilight.
At Mrs. Amos Blake's she left part OF
her fragrant burden and paused for
little chat
"You know the Paige place has beer
rented for the summer. don't you. Hes
teri" asked Mrs. Blake after awhile.
mo I'm glad to hear 1t, though. II
means another customer" laughed
Hester
81 spoke a good word for you. It's q
lone man who has something to do with
making map of the county hereabouts
and he was planning to get all Of biz
meals ut the hotel. but when I told him
about how you baked for some OF uf
lnzy housekeepers he said he'd much
rather have home cooking and be
guessed he'd fuss over his own break
fast and supper. You know men like to
| fuss over cooking things. Now. Amos
here is tickled to death whenever I lei
him get breakfast on Sunday morning
This isn't telling you about Mr.. Chan
dler. though. told him I'd speak tc
you and tell you to leave him some
bread and cake. and he said he might
not be home when you came. 20 he ask
ed me to give you this dollar and tell
you to leave dollars worth on bis
back porch every week. Have you got
anything to spareT
Maybe can make out some for him
by giving up my own baking" replied
Hester as she placed the money In the
little bag dungling from her waist. III
| don't hurry II will be pitch dark be-
fore get through. Good night"
Good night. Hester. That cream cake
looks NO good I'm going to have slice
right away"
1t was dark indeed when Hester Ran.
dali stopped with her third load Of good
les ut the gate of the Paige house. II
was a small gabled cottage smothered
In honeysurkle vines and Tor severnl
seasons hnd been rented furnished to
city people. II looked dark and desert.
ed now as Hester opened the gate and
made her way around the sandy path
to the back porch. As she stood there,
hesitating. the moon pushed silver
rim above the shoulder Of High bill. 80
she waited until II rose in all Its splen'
dor and cast pale glow over the Paige
house and gnrden. II fell full on an
open window where q white curtain
Innguidl. hnpped.
Az Hester opened her basket md lnld
a clean napkin on the porch hGrst,
voice from the open window stnrted
her
what ARE you doing out thcreT 1t
snnrled, and Hester wns quick to
reply.
I'm leaving your bread and cnke.'
| she said with offended dignity In her
| tones
well. hurry M and get out 81 here.
! want to I've alone~ rasped the voice.
II was o very indignant Hester VINO
dumped several lonves Of bread. a
sheet Of biscuit and some doughnuts
md n layer cake OD the hack porch
and hurried ont Of the yard With
| burning cheeks.
"What n Grabbed. cranky old man
| he must Ie~ thought Hester as she
went home and prepared for bed. IF
II wasn', for the money Id not bake
another crlImb for him. The idea!
Unfortunately Hester could not give
way to her injured feelings. for she
needed every penny she could earn to
bay OF the Indebtedness on the little
house which was her Inheritance from
Woodworking parents. So the follow.
Ing Friday evening found her once
more standing at Mr.. Chandler's back
door with her basket Of goodies. It
was not yet dark. and she could see q
large china dish on the floor. beside
which lay something white aud OBJ
long. She picked 1t up and In the wan
Ing light read her own name In bold.
black characters. She tore II open
and there dropped out another crisp
dollar bill and a scrap Of paper. on
which was written:
Everything was bully. Don't forget
me this week. like pie."
Involuntnrily Hester smiled and
tucked the note away In her bag with
the money Then she knelt down and
lifted from her basket q 6aky cherry
pie. some bread and rolls and cake
rejoicing. but that was not until a
hour had passed. during which tim
they became acquainted.
Hester continued to leave her cool
pry ON Chandlers porch, and ono
when she failed to bring It he went I
her TO find ont what was the mattel
He found that something had gon
Al wrong with he. oven and insisted o
liking It for her. They both knelt dow
Ia see Into the CRATE. and their head
] touched. Before either Of them kne'
I whnt had happened Chandler had kis'
ri her. Hester arose, apparently yer
much disgruntled. but when Chandie
nut his arm about her and kissed be
o agnin she didn't look as chagrined q
y might hive been expected.