The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-12

in this fashion prune pie became a
| toothsome feast Billy ate it all and
| then waited for Linda to reappear.
There was no bell on the table and he
must perforce wait patiently until she
came again.
When she came and saw Billy's
empty plate he surprised a puzzled
CLEAN in her eyes.
of pie?" he pleaded. II never tasted
prune pie before It's simply great -
I'm glad you like it, fibbed Linda,
as she sped away to bring him a sec
ond piece.
After that, as she flew about the
kitchen, her pretty eyes flashed dam
gerously.
Il wonder if he really liked that pie
or if he ate it to tease me-" she
crumb of cherry pie while rm ' be one
How cross he was this morning when
L sang! How surprised he was when
1 didn't prove to be a servant! He
called me Melissa. I suppose he thinks
H. clever TO call all country girls
Melissa or Hannah
After dinner, Billy tried to go on
with his work. but he found it diff
cult. Try as he would, that tantaliz-
ing, can she make a cherry pie ?'
kept obtruding itself and ne could not
Danish it. Finally. he brushed his
papers into a drawer and went out
into the open.
Half an hour later he had startled
blue heron from the rushes down
ct the brook and was watching it's
awkward flight into the blue
Green Center isn't half bad" he
admitted, but I wish its presiding
divinity were a trifle more agreeable
to lone chap like myself Wasn't
she hateful about the cherry ME
though? I'll bet it was good stuff II it
was anything like the prune pie. All.
That was a dream!"
Later he strolled slowly toward the
house. Nightfall was at hand, bur
the inslstent can she make a cherry
p1e?' was still ringing mockingly in
his ears.
Billy passed the kitchen, but saw
nothing of Linda. He saw something
else, however, that interested him not
little. The pantry window was open
there was a sliding screen--and lust
WITHIN there was a shelf and on that
shelf In plain relief was three-uuar-
tiers OF a luscious cherry pie, Beside
the pie was a silver knife as if TO
make the temptation complete
one brief moment he paused and
then-he fell. With a swift movement
he capture the pie and the knife and
pore his booty in triumph to a rustic
bench under a nearby apple tree
Uncle Ben, on his homeward way,
eyed MN humorously:
can she make cherry pie, Billy
Boy, Billy Boy?" he quavered in a
cracked voice.
"She sure can" returned Billy un-
blushingly, but never for a moment
halt1ng in his work of demolition
Uncle Ben trudged on, laughing
into the house, and presently Linda
appeared in the kitchen door, the sup
per bell juggling in her hand. Billy
was disposing of the last segment of
pipe when she discovered him and
stood motionless regarding him with
an expression which was far from
hostile.
Billy, his lips stained cherry red, his
race perceptibly flushed, returned her
gaze defiantly. Little ha1f-repressed
smiles crinlled her face. but presently
she broke into a, crusade of laughter.
Il don't suppose you will want any
supper after this she choked at last
Never better prepared for a square
meal in my life" he declared with
amazing bravado. But L don't want
to eat it in solitary grandeur. If some
one doesn't come in and eat at the
table with me I'll go out into that lit