Norwich bulletin., 1915-06-23

Mrs. Cram and her daughter, Poin- settia, commonly called Setty, were very busy at work at the kitchen table. Mrs Cram was making tarts and Poinsettia was beating the whites of eggs for icing for the cake, which was at that moment baking in the oven. Chicken was boiling rap idly in a kettle, and a couple of fancy pies stood cooling before a slightly open window. The whole aspect of the kitchen and the flushed excite ment in the women's faces were evil dences of some approaching festivity.
 Don't spare the sugar" said Mrs. Cram. MT. Brown likes his sweet cake just so. He's drefful p'tickler."
 "'Emmets just like him. murmured Poinsettia demurely.
 They're lovely men, said Mrs. Cram. But that Bertha" she shook her head.
 She's so uppish. And you can't get word out of her about anything. When I'm married to Emmet I shan't have her around, can tell you"
 Well, she can't live with me after MT. Brown and T." Mrs. Cram paused, looking very conscious.
 You needn't think you're going to put her off on Emmet and me-" cried Poinsettia angrily. T shan't have her. Faint my place"
 Tt ain't mine, either" snapped Mrs. Cram. just as angrily. Now you shut We ain't got all the afternoon to fool away, with company coming at o'clock. I want some chance to fix up a nttle."
 I'm glad that Bertha ain't com ing" said POinsettia, when they both had cooled down a little. T asked her, as you told me- but she said she had accepted another invitation. And Charities going to be away, too. don't know where he's going, do your"
 No, and I don't care" replied Mrs. Cram. All the better that he's out of the way. The table looks better without an extra leaf, and there's just enough of them blue cups and sassers to go round. That cake ain't burn ing, is it?"
 Heavens to Betsy! I forgot it" shrieked Poinsettia, diving for the oven.
 The cake, however, had not burned. It dropped nicely out of the tin. Poinsettia viewed her handiwork ad- miringly. "ThatIl take Emmet's eyes, she murn1ured.
 The Browns, father and son, were coming to supper. They lived just across the street, having moved to town from a farm a few months be- fore. Mir. Brown was a widower, and the moment Mrs. Cram saw him her
  She had been widow a long time so long that she had begun to be a little uneasy lest she never be asked to change her estate. And there was Poinsettia- tired to death of teaching a district school and wanting a hus- band Poinsettia did not earn much, and they were both more or less de- pendent upon Charlie, who worked in Lincoln's grocery store and earned good wages. Mrs. Cram resolved to wing two birds at a single shot. While she was courting MT. Brown, Poinsettia could court Emmet. They could make a better showing that way, besides reducing the expenses to the minimum. The cake which carried it's message to MT. Browns heart through his stomach should serve also for Emmet. And finally the whole affair would end in double wedding. Mrs. Cram considered her self a mistress of strategy.
 So far the campaign had progressed smoothly. The titbits which she had sent or carried across the street had been accepted and eaten. Mrs. Cram believed that such housewifely talents as she and Poinsettia displayed would be highly valued by MT Brown and Emmet, for the daughter, Bertha, ad- mitted that she was not much of She had never had