The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-11-29
MISS RANDALL'S.
CUSTOMER
. A Case Of Mistaken
Identity
By cLARIssA MAcKlH

IS By cLARISSA MAcKIE (
Hester Randall surveyed the result
Of her mornings work with keen salts.
faction. a snowy cloth was laid on her
kitchen table. and piled thereon were
loaves Of crusty bread. sheets of feath-
erweight biscuits and glistening rusks.
There were tempting loaves of pound
cake and several layer cakes as we'll as
q platter heaped with sugared dough
nuts and another of cookies.
|, Friday was always Hester's busiest
day. She arose at 4 o'clock and baked
all day to ill her orders for the dain-
ties which were in great demand
among her neighbors. On Friday even
ing. although she was tired and foot
sore. she would deliver the bread and
cake. She would have to make several
trips with the heavily laden basket be-
fore her weary body could seek repose.
Now she sat down and drank a cup
Of hot tea and ate a trifle of supper be-
fore she started out on her rounds.
She was a plump. rosy little mite of Il
woman with bright brown eyes and
brown hair that obstinately refused tn
turn gray, although Hester had passed
her thirty-first year. Now she slipped
into a thin white dress, for it was a
hot evening, and, arranging her first
basket load. went ont into the gather
ing twilight.
her fragrant burden and paused for a
little chat.
"You know the Paige place has been
rented for the summer. don't you, Hes
teri" asked Mrs. Blake after awhile.
mo. I'm glad to hear it. though. 1t
means another customer" laughed
Hester.
II spoke a good word for you. It's a
lone man who has something to do with
making a map Of the county hereabouts
| and he was planning to get all of his
meals at the hotel. hut when | told him
about how YOU baked for some of us
lazy housekeepers he said he'd much
rather have home cooking and he
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 let
him get breakfast on Sunday morning.
This isn't telling you about MIR. Chan
der. though. ! told him I'd speak to
you and tell you to leave him some
bread and cake. and he said he might
not he home when you came. SO he ask.
ed me to give you this dollar and tell
you to leave a dollars worth on his
back porch every week. Have you got
anything o spare?"
Maybe l can make out some for him
by giving up my wi baking" replied
Hester as she placed the money in the
little bag dangling from her waist. IF
I don't hurry it will be pitch dark be-
fore | get through. Good night"
"Good night. Hester. That cream cake
looks SO good I'm going to have a slice
right away"
1t was dark indeed when Hester Ran
dali stopped with her third load Of good
les at the gate of the Paige house. 1t
was q small gabled cottage smothered
In honeysuckle vines and for several
seasons had been rented furnished to
city people. 1t looked dark and desert
ed now Is Hester opened the gate and
made her way around the sandy path
to the back porch. As she stood there.
hesitating. the moon pushed a silver
rim above the shoulder Of High hill. so
she waited until It rose In all its splen-
dor aud cast a pale glow over the Paige
house and garden. 1t fell full on an
open window where a white curtain
languidly tapped.
As Hester opened her basket and laid
! clean napkin on the porch a harsh
voice from the open window startled
her.
.what are you doing put there7' it
snarled. and Hester was quick to
reply,
"I'm leaving your bread and cake"
she said with offended dignity In her
tones.
well. hurry up and get out Of here.
I want to be alone! rasped the voice.
It was a very indignant Hester who
dumped several ioaves of bread. a
sheet OF biscuit and some doughnuts
and a layer cake on the back porch
and hurried ont Of the yard with
burning cheeks.
what a grabbed; cranky old man
he must bel" Thought Hester AZ she
went home and prepared for bed. IF
Il wasn't for the money I'd not bake
another crumb for him. The idea"
Unfortunately Hester could not give
way to her injured feelings. for she
needed every penny she could earn to
pay 0tf the Indebtedness on the little
house which was her Inheritance from
hardworking 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 4
large china dish on the door. beside
which lay something white and OBJ
long. She picked It mp and IN the wan
ing light read her own name IL bold.
black characters. She tore IL open