The Washington herald., 1913-05-21
By FRANCES sHAFFER.

Well, well.
Always, we have heard of profess
sional jealousy and we have marveled
q bit that because some gifted folk
could sing like birds or excel in other
ways, they could not detect single
sweet note in anothers song or a SIN
gle advantage in the other ways. We
have heard with a smile of surprise and
"a suspicion of something worse that
scarcely a profession was exempt from
the unlovely jealousy germ-medical,
legal, or anything else.
But we had never supposed that cooks,
just good, wholesome, home cooks, were
professionally jealous with the rest, and
inclined TO keep to themselves as much
of their art as they could.
1t looks that way, however, at least,
sometimes.
It happened in one of the alive little
villages. where there is more or less
going on in a social way, that a new
conner made her home among the rest
and was given a right hearty welcome.
Soon she was one of them, invited to
all their formal functions, and to many
a cosy little affair,
They were sort OF old-fashioned, those
village women. They liked to do
goodly part of their own cooking. were
right proud of their culinary art. and at
their entertainments of one sort or an
other. there was good-natured rivalry to
carry OF the cooking palm. None ad-
mitted the effort, but down in their
hearts. all were quite conscious of their
own ambition to be counted the best of
all.
Wanted the Recipe.
Now. the newcomer. as guest in the
various homes, once ran across one OF
the most delicious cakes she ever had
feasted upon-singularly enough. they
Cd kp IL
most ceal-black, heaped high with a
snowy frosting The first time it de-
lighted her somewhat critical taste she
was not very familiar with the hostess.
and did not quite dare ask. in friendly
village fashion, for the method Of con-
cocting it. But month or so afterward
at another home. she was favored with
the same toothsome dainty, and again
courage failed her. though she nightly
wanted that recipe.
Once more a full year. later a third
hostess set the rich-looking concoction
before her: and then she determined TO
brave the lioness in her den and secure
the coveted proportions. But, alas for
her dream of neighborliness. when the
CAV little supper was over and she made
her modest request, the one-time smiling |
hostess froze up. stiff. cold, and unyield- |
ing as if she was in the heart Of The |
arctic region. instead of a nice little, |
warm little. hospitable village. She real |
". why-yes, she had mislaid the book. |
she guessed. Some time she would try |
tn look it up-just try. you mind. And |
after few more futile stumhles and |
hlunders she ceased talking, through |
sheer confusion. never once remembering |
a single ingredient.
One would suppose that experience
would have sufficed the newcomer. but
defeat strengthened her courage, and
T,lrs, hrrl
second hostess. But fate still pursued
her. for the gentle lady pursed up her
lips, and looked pretty sour. Yes, 10 be
sure, she did have the recipe. and IT was
q fine a very choice cake; but somehow
she didn't know-it was. And then the
telephone mercifully rang, and when the
stammering lady returned the request
had quite slipped from her mind!
Determined to GET 1t.
BY that time the recipe-hunter was
immune to cold looks and faltering re-
fusals. Without preface of any kind she
boldly approached the third hostess asd
sweetly enough asked for the coveted
directions. AMI then she was more
fortunate, for with a strange little smile
and mysterious air of secrecy-forever.
the treasured recipe changed hands, but
not without Ominous warnings never.
never to tell a soul that she had re-
vealed the process. for it had been
given into her custody as a Very great {
favor and with a promise of absolute {
silence. lC
All for foolish bit Of cake-making I
prestige, Would you believe it? f
And that is not all For the little i
cake episode CHANGED to he under femi-
nine discussion the other day. and prac- |
tCally every woman present admitted l
that she had certain rare recipes guard
I'd just tenderiy. because, oh, because 5
well. who wanted everybody sharing J
her culinary masterpieces? The very il
CheaPened them and one
liked to b. distinctive. you know il
So one does. to be sure. But one 7