Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-19
The Daily Story
Polly and the Pans

! aglow with a SOFT, rose ugnI from t"S
shaded candles A hum of voices, much
like the buzz of honey bees in sweet
scented garden, pcrmeated the air.
The exclusive guests who had arrived
| for the dinner numbered but q baker s
dozen-seven women and six men. or the
women, six of them were lavishly
gowned perhaps Paquin or Polret or
Lucille had created the toilettes, Tue
seventh and odd feminine guest was Polly
Prue. and she had not only designed her
I simple little froCk, but her own slim mn
/ gers had sewn It
or the men. Lord Henry Vane was un-
/ dorbtedly tho most attractive. Also. he
was the guest Of honor He had come
over from his estate i'm England to study
and. perhaps, to find a mate among the
American buds and blossoms. Lord Henry
was neither enormously wealthy nor was
he poor He was free to choose mate
as his heart dictated.
When the handsome Syhl Carter had
planned the dinner at the club in his
honor she had not expected the sudden
visit of her cousin, Polly Prue She had,
however. hidden her chagrin with we'll
bred affection and Polly had been
brought, an unwilling guest to the party.
The girl from the country was not one
whit abashed at finding herself among
the IL arstocrats of the social world. She
accepted her entrance into the foreign
atmosphere with calm eyes that held
trihe of amusement in their gray depths,
There was an air of expectancy in the
room brought about by the acknowledged
perfection of the chef, Rigaud. In all of
New York there was probably no cuisine
more notable that that of RiEaud. The
salaries he had been offered for private
homes would have satisfied a money
lenders avarcc, yet the little rotund
FrenChman chose to establish his rcpu-
tatiou in club dining rooms
1t was then in the nature of n tragedy
when the remaining maid entered from
the kitchen to inform the guests that Ri
ggud and the other maid had taken that
special moment to ciopc.
CONSERVATION in its most dire form was
then the fate of those IL eXpeCtant
guests Sybil Carter turned positively
ghastIy beneath her dainty rouge.
"lmpossble!" she gasped, and lifting |
high her frock steped into the deserted |
ktChNn.
Tho maid had spoken the truth. Ri |
Caud the wonderful chef, had indeed |
disappeared.
How jolly for him" laughed Lord
Henry. who was more philosophical than |
tho others mo girl has ever eloped |
with me-"
''You have probably never asked one |
to-" Sybil found voice to say. The |
glance she cast him revealed much.
"But the dinner-for your guests 1t |
was the voice of Polly Prue that sug-
Eested the practical turn Can we not |
manage to cook and serve the dinner?'
Six Mortified pairs of feminine eyes
were turned fun upon Polly and six
startled but interested men returned her
calm gaze
Are YOU mad-or merely ioking?"
asked Sybil.
Neither" Polly Informed her, "Tt is
simply pouring rain and We would all
tn tp lpeg !
rant and wait perhaps longer than wc
would If we tuck in and get dinner our
selves"
THE truth of the matter is. Miss Pruc,
laughed Lord Henry, that not one among
YOU can cook good square meal
You are quite right" admitted Sybil,
as If she were more than proud of ncr
lack.
"Hc is entirely wrong" Polly retorted
with a smile into Lord Hcnrys eyes. "T
IAN cook so that even an epicure would
demand a second dose" She turned t.
he interested men and highly displeased
women. "If you will all stay out of the
kitchen and let me have my way I will
have dinner on the table in two hours
"Oh. I say" protested the men, I'VE
cannot allow yOu--"
Polly smiled a smile that dullcd the
noclery of her retort. But | am really
bored sitting here trying to make small
ak in which | am not one whit interest
ID. ! will be far happier trying to redeem
NY sex in Lord Henry's skeptical eyes,
She was in the kitchen before another
word reached her ears.
From the kitchen there came from
line to time "A little soft melody. 1t
vas Lord Henry who listened most
eagerly for the sound and watched for
sight of the tawny, sunk kissed head
hat arose above the white of Rigaud's
,pron, She fitted about and the Eng
ish peer found himself specializing idly
bout his estate, should some one with
gray eyes and tawny hair he fitting
,bout even as Polly Prue fitted about
hese ClubrOOmS.
AIRY i'm the great tray with it's odor-
,us roast of beef; it being deemed too
leavy for the slight maid.
As he lifted the silver tray from
Polly's hands he laughed frankly into
ler eyes.
81 am going to send you roses that
must strive i'm vain to rival the beau
les in your cheeks. fo, / am going
% take YOU TO dinneaaand the theatre
or standing in the hot kitchen" He
urned and went into the dining room.
Polly Prue felt suddenly giddy. Surely
Ter heart was not going to give her trou-
lle, Yet, IL certainly would seem as If
he smile in Lord Henrys eyes intended
o lnger in her mind
As for the young lord, he experienced
his first thrill since first love days when
he realized that he was carving the roast
hat Polly had cooked. The sensation
vas startling.
1t was scant three weeks before
-ord Henry sailed back to his native
and
81 could not have lived without VIM !