Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-01-06
AeAIlE Of HEARTS
~ .cLARlssA aaAcKiE.

WIFI UOI00r " WllSUW.patt0TU Vl8L0Ds
The growing purr Of . hish.powered
motor came through the open case.
ment window. It slowed down and
stopped 1t the gate Of the Willow
Plate Tea Room,
"Ok. bother!" pouted Elsie. % she
went Into the little kitchen and re-.
turned TO the room to discover q soil.
tary man seated ct one Of the white
enameled tables. He was far from
being IN ill-looking 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. - poached egg on toast"
and, turning away his head, he looked
out Of the window.
Elsie hesitated and then marched
stiffiy on to tAe kitchen. Once there
she shook her fist at the back Of the
uno6ending stranger.
''Poached egg! And It's the one par
ticular thing that can't make!P she
groaned.
Three trips she made into the tea
sroom-,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-rather over.
dcne."
Elsie Wayne always remembered
that August afternoon as 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 q distant table Elsie brought
the plate Of pink-and-white heart
shaped cakes. These delectable NOR
sells were favorites with Mrs. Burton's
patrons.
Chose look very tempting" he said
smoothly. ''You did not make them"
ION the contrary, I did make them"
she affirmed spiritedly.
"Indeed?' His tone was amused
He picked up the top cake and broke
It In two.
"a broken heart" he said in a mus.
ing tone. EASY to break. but impos-
sible to mend"
at ID not worth mending-hearts
are Ill alike" she said, and, gather
Ing up his dishes, she disappeared
kitchenward.
(, She cleared place on the table,
set the egg poacher in its receptacle
Of boiling water, broke an egg into
II. closed the lid and carefully toasted
q slice Of bread.
She almost ahrieked with Joy when
she laid the buttered toast on the
little blue platter and slipped the
pinky. white-hlmed poached egg
ilecked with pepper onto the toast.
She had achieved o 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.
Il think I've discovered the knack
of doing II" she. said.
That's good" he said.
/. Hadn't you better eat It while It's
hot?" she suggested.
He proceeded to eat slowly. Elsie
|. watching each morsel as It vanished
between well-cut lips.
/, rs It goodr she would ask. ana
always he nodded. When the blue
platter was cleared he. looked up sud
denly.
: "Once upon q time / was engaged
to marry a girl. She was studying
domestic science, and I thought I
knew something about cookery; I've
can1ped a lot. She couldn't manage
a 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 broken heart"
he said, taking Elsie's hand and hold
ing it closely.
"Oh-Dick!" she sobbed softly.
I'm sorry we qnarreled." he whis.
pered; that's why came. Mrs.
Burton telephoned she was going
away and you were to keep shop for
her-and couldn't stay away"
"But the motor races
1Pshaw!": Taking her other hand.
Il believe can make q perfect
poached egg now, Dick" she smiled
through her tears. you shall have
them every morning for breakfast
Heaven forbid!" he groaned trag.
..ically.
aswhy?"
+ ldath 'em! Don't ask me Why
] sent yua back with yo,ir dreadful
samples. darl1ks! ! just wanted the
exquisite pleasure Of ordering you
around beaause-" He paused to
Hiss her.
'sWkJf" shsasked again.
'.oh. bec1u1e l know I shall be
your slaNs The rest Of my, life!" he
ASSERTED.