The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-11-04

A GAME OF HEARTS
Ely cLARIsSA MAckIE.

with a border of willow-pattern plates
The growing purr of a high-powered
motor came through the open case
ment window. II slowed down and
stopped at the gate of the Willow
Plate Tea Room.
"Oh, bother!' pouted Elsie, as she
went into the little kitchen and re
turned to the room to discover a soil
tary man seated at one of the white.
enameled tables. He was far from
being an Unlocking specimen of mas.
culinity, although his clean.cut fea-
lures were sternly set He did not
glance up when Ellis placed a glass of
water before him,
you may bring me-" he said de-
liberately, "a poached egg on toast"
and, turning away his head, he looked
out Of the window.
Elsie hesitated and then marched
stifily off to the kitchen Once there
she shook her fist at the back of the
unoffending stranger.
"Poached egg! And It's the one par
ticular thing that can't make!" she
groaned.
Three trips she made into the tea
room-once to set tempting pats of
butter and the pot of tea before the
patron, again to serve him with the
burned bit of toast on which was
sprawled the yellow, leathery-looking
egg The third trip was in answer to
his summons.
please bring me another egg" he
said in tone of polite WEAKNESS.
This one seems-er-er-rathe over.
done"
Elsie Wayne always remembered
that August afternoon as a perfect
nightmare Of eggs that refused to be
poached and of endless trips into the
tea room to present her trophies to
the grim-visaged young man at the
table.
Invariably he waved her offerings
away. always with that look of bored
patience.
From distant table Elsie brought
the plate oI pink.and-white heart
shaped cakes. These delectable NOR
sells were favorites with Mrs. Burton's
patrons.
Those look very tempting" he said
smoothly. You did not make them"
ION the contrary, did make them"
she affirmed spiritedly.
"Indeed?" His tone was amused.
He picked up the top cake and broke
1t in two.
"A broken heart" he said in a mus
ing tone. Easy to break, but impos-
sible to mend"
1T is not worth mending-hearts
are all alike" she said, and, gather.
ing up his dishes, she disappeared
kitchenward.
She cleared a place on-the table,
set the egg poacher in its receptacle
OF boiling water, broke an egg into
1t, closed the lid and carefully toasted
slice of bread.
She almost shrieked with Joy when
she laid the buttered toast on the
little blue platter and slipped the
pinky, white-filmed poached egg
fiecked with pepper onto the toast.
She had achieved a triumph. It
was even more beautiful than any.
thing Susanna had ever accomplished.
The kitchen door swung behind
her little young form; in her out
stretched hands she carried the silver
tray and set before him the perfect
poached egg.
II think I've discovered the knack
of doing it," she said
That's good" he said.
Hadn't you better eat 1t while it's
hot?" she suggested.
He proceeded to eat slowly, Elsie
watching each morsel as it vanished
between his well-cut lips.
rs 1t good?" she would ask. ana
always he nodded. When the blue
platter was cleared he looked up sud
denly.
"once upon a time I was engaged
to marry a girl. She was studying
domestic science. and thought
knew something about cookery; I've
camped a lot. She couldn't manage
poached egg, though. We quar-
relied"
"Ah'" cried Elsie, pulling the cake
plate away from his restless fingers
you have broken another heart"
Are hearts so precious?" he asked
A tear fell from her eyes and
splashed on the cracked heart cake
Tears will mend a broken heart"
he said, taking Elsle's hand and hold
ing II closely.
"Oh-Dick!" she sobbed softly.
Pm sorry we quarreled," he whis-
pered; that's why came. Mrs
Burton telephoned she was going
away and you were to keep shop for
her-and I couldn't stay away"
But the motor races"
"Pshaw!" Taking her other hand.
Il believe can make perfect
poached egg now, Dick" she smiled
through her tears you shall have
them every morning for breakfast"
Heaven Forbid" he groaned trag.
ically.
Why"
81 loath EN-! Don't ask me why
] sent you back with your dreadful