The Delta independent., 1914-02-20
WIDOW MASOM'S COOK
BY JOHN DARLING

was privileged to do anything she
wanted to. She romped with tne
dogs, chased the chickens. MIXED tne
COW and shoveled snow, If II happeneo
to be winter, and ran the lawn-mower
" 1t were summer.
In addition to that, she occasionally
drove the cook out of the kitchen ana
prepared a meal according to the
schedule of the cooking school she at
tended in the city.
On this particular day, at -FOUR
o'clock in the afternoon, the cook was
out, and the sister had gone to the
village. Miss Coline was left all alone
and one of the things she contemplat-
ed for supper-falsely and deceptiVei!
called dinner by share of the popula-
tion-was an old-fashioned custard-
First get the eggs. They could be
found in the henhouse. Miss Coline
alked down the path to the gate TO
a view up and down the highway
before going after the eggs.
And what she saw as she leaned
over the gate was an automobile ap-
preaching. Its sole occupant was the
young man at the steering wheel
limped. It halted.
Opposite the gate and the girl the
machine came to a halt.
The girl and the young man stared
at each other.
Anybody homer" finally asked
Hugh Farnham.
81 think you are looking at some
body" replied Miss Coline.
Pretty smart for a maid he
smiled.
"The cook. thank you," was retort-
ed
We'll. my trouble is that this auto
has gone lame on me, and I can't find
out why"
Miss Coline opened the gate and
passed out to the machine, and after
a minute said:
q believe they feed these things
gasoline TO make them go. No gaso-
line. no go"
THE deuce'" whispered the young
man. as he inspected the empty tanks.
And now you can fetch a tin of
gasoline from the garage to last you
a few miles. though you will probably
start out without the tires next time"
And with that the girl started on
for the hennery and gave him no more
attention.
Mr.. Farnham had five miles to go to
his fathers home, and he reached 1t
without further adventure.
Mother" he said when he reached
home. why don't you fire our fat and
frowsy old cook and get something diff
ferent?'
But for what reason?"
Because she isn't a dandy. Back
here few miles saw a handsome
young lady who was cook-intell
gent. educated and classy, ! almost
permitted myself to admire her"
My smart son." said the mother.
I'll bet a dollar to a shilling that
you have been fooled. Is she rather
short girl?"
Yes
'Blue eyes and curly hair?"
That's IT."
well. my son. that girl was and is
Mrs Mason's sister. Her home was
and is in the city, but she comes down
here every few weeks. How does it
feel to be taken for a hayseed7"
I'll get even with her for that
was the vigorous reply. and the sub
ject was dropped
Every day for the next two weeks
young Farnham was out on the road
learning to run his auto. but he never
went so far as the white house on the
hill. II was only when he thought he
had absorbed all there was to learn,
including se,fconfidence. that he sped
in that direction. When within half
mile of the house he saw an auto come
out of the drive. It contained two
ladies' only.
THAT must be the widow and her
sister," he mused THE one who
made fool of me will be at the wheel
Good, Now TO shatter her egotism
bit"
He put on speed and shot ahead
His coming was not noticed until ne
was passing. One glance told him
that the girl who had posed as the
cook was driving the machine. With
exaggerated politeness he bowed and
smiled, and he saw her straighten up
and her eyes flash. The road soon
narrowed, and there was no chance
to pass him. but as he exalted some
thing went wrong with his machine
II swerved into the ditch, knocked
down three or four rods of rail fence
and then stopped dead still after vain
ly trying to climb over an old stump
Miss Coline had to turn her head
and look. 1t wasn't the thing to do
but most any driver would have done
It Smash! Crash! Her auto was
raking the fence on the opposite side!
This comes of hired man driving
an auto," she said.
"Or a cook" he retorted.
"Sir,"