The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-08-07
- THE -
Melting
Of Molly
MARIA THOMPSON
DAVIESS
Copyright. 1912, by the Bobbs-
Merrill Company
Copyright, 1912, by the Bobbs-
Merrill Company

A little later Judy was eXclaiming
over a two-year-old ham that had been
simmered In port and larded with egg
dressing, when Mrs Johnson came in
and began to unpack her basket. which
was mostly bottles of things she said
she used to stick" food The ginger
colored barber got the run of them be
fore the dinner was over and got bad
ly stuck, so Judy says That's what
made him make the mistake
had planned ~ have lot of strange
food and had ordered some things up
from a caterer in the city. but | tele-
phoned the eXpressman not to de
liver them until the next day. even if
they did spoil How could use soft
shelled crabs when Mrs Wade had
sent me word that she was going to
bake some brook trout by a recipe of
the judges gra ndmother? Mrs Hamp-
ton Buford had let me know about two
fat little summer turkeys she was GO
ing to stuff with corn pone and green
sage, and filet mignon seemed foolish
eating beside them. But when the lit
tie bit of a baby pig roasted whole
d
frisky and innocent for worlds with
his little baked tail curled up in the
air. arrived from Mrs. CarutherS Cain
| went out into the garden and laugh
ed out loud at the idea of having spent
money for Holsters, TO be shipped alive
and to be served broied IN their own
shells.
When | got back in the kitchen
things were well under way. every
thing smelling grand and Aunt Bette
in full swing matching up my dinner
guests.
Nobody in this town could suit me
better than Pet Buford for a daughter
fn-law, and | believe I'll have all the
east rooms done over in blue chintZ for
her think that would be the best
thing to set off her blue eyes and corn
silk hair" she was saying as she cut
orange peel into strips.
You've planned the refurnishing of
that east wing TO suit the style of
nearly every girl in Hillsboro since
Tom put on long trousers. BETTE Pol
lard, and they are just as they have
been for fifteen years since you did
over the whole house." said Mrs John
son as she poured a wineglass half
full from one bottle and added a table
spoonful from another
"Well, / think he is really interested
now from the way he danced most of
his time with her down at the hotel the
other night. and | have hopes never
Il i'm
between you and her, sort Of cornered,
so he can't even see Ruth Chester.
She is too old for him" And Toms
sAother looked at me over the orange
peel as to confederate
"Humph. I'd like to see you or Molly
or any woman corner Tom Pollard"
said Mrs. johnson with a wry smile as
she tasted the connection in the wine
glass.
! II bave put him at the end of the
table because he is my kinsman and
the only host I've got at present. Aunt
Bette" ! said regretfully. l always
take every chance to rub in Toms
and my relationship on Aunt Bette, so
she won't notice our Irritation,
I'D put John Moore at the head of
the table if ] were you, Molly Carter.
because he's about the only man you've
invited that has got any sense left
since you and that Chester girl took
to visiting Hilsboro. He's a host of
steadiness in himself, and the way he
ignores all you women who would run
after him II he would let you shows
what he is He has my full conf
dence," and as she delivered herself
of this judgment Of DR.. John, Mrs
Johnson drove in all the cOrks tight
and began to pound spice.
Hes not out of the widower woods
yet Caroline" said Aunt Bette with
her most speculative smile. 81 have
about decided on him for Ruth since
the judge has taken to following Molly
about as bad as Billy Moore does But
don't you all say a word, for Johns
mighty timid, and ] don't believe. in
spite Of all these years, he's had sin
gle notion yet. II he had had he'd
have tried a set-to with you. Molly.
like all the rest of the shy birds in
town. He doesn't see a woman as
anything but patient at the end Of
a spoon. and mighty kind and gentle
he does the dosing of them too Just
the other day-dearie me. Judy, what
has boiled over now?" And in the ex
citement that, ensued ! escaped to the
garden.
Yes, Aunt Bette is right about DR.
John: he doesn't see a woman and
there is no way to make him. What
she had said about 1t made me realize
that he had always been like that, and
told myself that there was no rea-
son in the world why my heart should
beat In my slippers on that account
Still don't see why Ruth Chester
should have her head literally thrown
against that stone wall and | wish
Aunt Bette wouldn't. Ii seemed like
desecration even to try to match
make him. and 1t made me hot with
indignation all over dug SO fiercely
at the roots of my phlox with trowel