The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-09-26
MA PUT INDIAN
SIGN ON CUPID
BY LAURA TURNER.


der that Heinz fellow last Sunday
night" laughed the girl with the exag-
gerated psyche knot. He won't come
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, Annie?"
asked the sleepy hooking blonde.
stretching her wet handkerchief across
the mirror to dry 1t.
We'll, Bertha's had an awful case
on Heinzy for quite while. He's a
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 f1reslde companion, because
he never took her anywhere. but just
sat around and acted as though he
was afraid to spend a nickel.
Last Sunday morning Bertha went
out 10 the kitchen and asked ma If 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
a sudden | 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 | asked her
about it she just told fhe I would have
to wait and keep my eyes open and
would see something funny.
THAT evening Bertha said she want.
ed to get supper all by herself and
show Heinzy what a grand cook she
was. Ma says All right, If you want
to get a Job as housekeeper, of course
you must give your future boss sam.
pie of your cooking With that she
went upstairs.
After 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 ma watch things while she hus-
tied upstairs in order to primp up a
bit?
ma said she would, so Bertha beat
1t upstairs to doll up for Helnzy.
when we all filed up to the dining
room and sat down things looked good
to me. While ma was bringing In the
dishes she says to Heinzy: 4 want
you to know, Mr.. Heinz, that Bertha
cooked every bit of the supper tonight,
so II you like 1t you'll have to give
her all the credit for It.
Heinzy looked over at Bertha with
a fat, contented smile and tucked
he took bite of biscuit and next
saw him look all around to see if any.
body was watching him as he rolled il
out of his mouth into his hand and
laid 1t carefully on his plate began
to get suspicious, SO | took q bite OF
biscuit just to see. Say, 1t was about
the awfulest tasting thing l ever ate!
1T was positively green inside!
Bertha had used soda instead of bak.
ing powder, and plenty of 1t, too and
the biscuits were simply terrible!
II copied Heinzy and got rid of my
bite quick as could and took a swal.
low OF coffee to get the taste out of
my mouth. Say. The coffee was so
weak it was Just like waIeri look
ed over at ma and her face was asl,1
as beet, she was trying so hard to
keep from laughing
Il knew pretty we'll then who had
queercu the supper. Ma must have
put soda In the baking powder can SO
Bertha would be sure to get it. and
probably she put plenty of hot water
in the coffee pot after Bertha had
gone upstairs.
Il was curious to know what else
ma had done, SO helped myself to a
chop. Salty! 1t was worse than
mackerel that hadn't been soaked
overnight! Why, l felt picked in
brine after swallowed it. glanced
over at Helnzy. He was the glummest
looking somebody you ever sawl
Every now and then he looked at Ber.
tina with a frown banker than a
thunder cloud.
When we came to pie found that
ma had even switched pies on poor
Bertha. The under crust was just like
soft rubber! Heinzy ate the filling out
and left the under crust staring Bertha
In the face. Then we all got up and
went into the parlor, but Heinzy never
said a word about Bertha's fine cook.
ing. Bertha didn't say anything, eth.
er. She had caught on right away
what ma had done, but she never
chirped.
"Heinzy didn't stay very late that
night. guess he was anxious to get
away and hunt lunch counter. He'd
been coming TO see Bertha every night
for two weeks, but he hasn't been back
since"
What did Bertha say to your moth.
err afteIwsrd?" asked the sleepy look