The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-27
The Euening Story
The Queen of Cooks.
(By Don La Grange.)

Mrs. Bliss came into the day nur-
sery, her large rosy face growing a
deeper pink with the exertion of
climbing the stairs to the third floor.
Good morning, Miss Newton she
smiled at the little nursery governess
who was sitting with Bobby in the
window seat st wonder if you and
Bobby wouldn't like to play today?
We are going to picnic at the pine
grove and
"Oh, mother-honey!" Bobby flung
his sturdy self at his parent. will
there be lemonade and chicken sand
wiches? And can I wear my new
white Tommy Tucker suit %
Yes, to everything" laughed Mrs
Bliss, kissing him and moving toward
the door. "Can you be ready in fif-
teen minutes, Miss Newton,
"Of course we can. Mrs Bliss. We
wouldn't miss a picnic for. the world,
would we, Bobby" She jumped up
and put away books and toys come
childie,"
they danced down the corridor to
Bobby's room where nurse quickly
put him into the much admired suit
In the meantime Beth Newton
brushed her red-brown hair ana
slipped into dainty pale blue glng-
ham frock, then the girl and the little
boy went sedately down stairs to the
front veranda where three motor cars
were waiting for the merry mouse
party that mad fl1leQ the BLISS COuh-
try home for ten days.
Some of the girls and women came
up and spoke to Bobby and nodded
kindly to the little governess; one
of them, Miss Nugent, tall graceIui
and carelessly kind in her manner;
introduced Beth right and left, until
presently the girl found herself in
tirnid conversation with Mr.. Carl
that no one troubled to remember ex-
actly how many dollars there were
and only recalled that he was just as
nice as if he didn't have a penny.
Bobby tucked away in the tonneau
of the last car with Mr.. and Mrs.
Mitchell. the footman and the lunch
baskets which overflowed on to the
running-boards and the luggage car
riers-
as they swept out OF
the driveway and turned up the road
that led to Pine Mountain.
Beth smiled absently. Perhaps she
was thinking that it might have been
pIeasanter if she had been in one of
the other large cars among that
merry crowd of girls and young men, |
But she chided herself sharply for the |
discomfort and was soon
her own accustomed happy self, en- |
joying the unexpected holiday to the
utmost
At the pine grove the picnic
hampers We're unloaded; James, the |
footman, built a fire, and was then
to r return wer nome ae c w for
the picnickers at SHUTDOWN One |
can't have a jolly picnic with ser
wants around Mrs. Bliss had de-
cided.
Leaving the fire to take care of
itself the party trooped through the
pines to the glade where waterman
tumbled among the brown rocks An
acrid smell of burning brought
+ hoy nil RI cAmnfIr0.
The fire had over-crept the boun- |
daries of it's encircling stones and had
licked it's way among the pine needles
until it reached the four large ham
pers.
There was nothing left of the food
save blackened remnants, and of the
hampers there remained only charred
splinters. AS the picnickers reached !
the scene the last soda water bottle
exploded with a sickening report
Seven miles from anywhere" |
groaped Mrs. Bliss.
And not thing to eat!" added
Mrs. Mitchell blankly.
"Or to drink mourned Mr..
as he grubbed among the
ruins of the hampers.
There was murmur of discomfort |
among the young people. Some of
the men volunteered to walk back to
the house and bring something to eat
but the question. was quickly decided
when a few heavy drops of rain fell.
where is the nearest shelter?" |
asked Carl Bellew.
'It must be old Ned Blake's shan
ty," replied Mrs. Bliss. AT least. it |
will keep us dry for awhile. Come,
Some, one laughed a spirit of adj
venture into the party and SO they
nastened down the slope until under
he shoulder of the mountain they
a long, weather-beaten shan
" built against a great rock that
'ormed its rear wall.
Ned Blake was a hermit who gained
| living by gathering herbs and ber-
les in season.
Repeated knocks upon the door
no response. THE latch
string is out" suggested Beth New
on.
Carl BelIew pulled the 1atch-string
md pushed open the weather-beate
ioor. The poor furnishings were
potIessly clean and neat, but the her.
nit was absent.
I'VE must find something to eat
md we can pay Ned when he re-
urns," said Mrs. Bliss as she sank
Town in a cushioned Boston rocker, ,
while the young people found seats '
IN the rag carpeted floor before the
,pen fireplace
Soon Carl Bellew had a fire of
while Lillian Nugent and Beth New
on explored the pantry Miss Nu-
rent returned to the living room
There isn't bit of cooked food in
he place-not even bread" she an
There are flour and sugar
AIMED tlnings-what can we do? Do
my of you girls know how to cook
,ggs?"
Miss Tyler confessed that she had