Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-09-11
ma PUT INDIAN
SIGN ON CUPID
BY LAURA TURNER.

incoming around my sister Bertha any
more. "She giggled as she tucked In
a few stray hairs that had curled over
her collar and surveyed her pleasing
reflection in the mirror above the lava
tory.
How did she squelch him, AnnieY"
asked the sleepy looking blonde,
stretching her wet handkerchief across |
the mirror to dry 1t.
We'll, Berthas had an awful case
on Heinzy for quite a while. He's =
widower, with a boy about five years
old, but Bertha said she didn't care.
for she liked him anyway. She used |
to rave about him until she made |
ma and me tired. l could see from
the start that ma didn't have much !
use for him, and she warned Bertha
that all he was looking for was some
body to keep house and cook his meals
for him and take care of that kid of
his.
Bertha said ma was wrong. that
he was head over ears In love with
her, and she wouldn't hear a word
against him. Ma used to call him
Bertha's Preside companion. because
he never took her anywhere. but just
sat around and acted as though he
was afraid to spend nickel.
Last Sunday morning Bertha went
out 10 the kitchen and asked ma IL she
would let her have the Heinz fellow to
supper that evening. She coaxed
around until ma finally said she could
ask him If she wanted to. but you
could see that ma wasn't at all crazy
about having him come.
after Bertha had gone out and ma
and l were doing up the work, all of
n sudden l saw that ma had an idea.
She chuckled to herself the rest of
the morning. but she wouldn't let me
in on the joke. When l asked her
about it she just told me l would have
to wait and keep my eyes open and
would see something funny.
THAT evening Bertha said she want
cd to set supper all by herself and
show Heinzy what a grand cook she
was. Ma says All right. IL you want
TO get job as housekeeper, OF course
you must give your future boss a sam
pie of your cooking With that she
went upstairs.
After a while ma came down again
and ASKED Bertha how she was get
ting along. Bertha said that everything
was on the stove ready to dish up, and
would ina watch things while she hus-
tied upstairs in order to primp up
bit?
MA said she would. so Bertha Beat
it ups ...'.s to doll up for Heinzy.
"Wnen We all filed up 10 the dining
! room and sat down things looked good
! 10 me. While ma was bringing in the
] dishes she says to IIeinzy: 4 want
= YOU to know. Mr. Heinz. that Bertha
l cooked every bit OF the supper tonight,
J. so if you like ii you'll have to give
q her all the credit for it
= Heinzy looked over at Bertha with
o a fat, cOntented smile and tucked a
napkin under his double chin Then
!, he took a bite OF biscuit and next I
y saw him look all around TO see II any.
n body WAS watching MIN as he rolled II
Il out OF his mouth Into his hand and
laid 1t carefully on his plate. began
d 10 get suspicious. so took bite OF
e biscuit just to see. Say, it was about
s the awfulest tasting thing l ever atei
c ut was positively green insidei
L Bertha had used soda instead of bak.
s. ing powder. and plenty of it. too, and
u the biscuits were simply terrible.
% Il copied Heinzy and got rid OF my
'e bite quick as | could and took a swal
~ low OF coffee TO get the taste out Of
re ny mouth. Say. The coffee was 81
80 weak it was just like water | look
u ed over at ma and her face was as rec
as beet, she was trying so hard t
81 keep from laughing.
81 knew pretty we'll then who ha,
Queercd the supper. Ma must hav,
put soda in the baking powder can S,
Bertha would be sure to get 1t, an,
probably she put plenty of hot waite
l in the coffee pot after Bertha ha
| gone upstairs.
II was curious to know what els
ma had done. so / helped myself to
chop. Salty! 1t was worse than
ne mackercl that hadn't been soake
Isl overnight! Why, l felt picked 1
IL brine etter l swallowed it, glance
nc over at Heinzy. He was the glummes
,ci looking somebody you ever saw
70 Every now and then he looked at Be
nt tina with frown banker than
OF thunder cloud.
IFS When We came to pie found tn;
an ma had even switched pies on Doc
II Bertha. The under crust was Just lii
soft rubber! HeinZy ate the filling OF
and left the under crust staring BERTH
lie, in the face. Then we all got up an
ne went into the parlor. but HeinZy new,
ne said word about Bertha's fine COO
ing. Bertha didn't say anything, cit
er. She had caught on right aw.