The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-12-29
AUNT MARTHA's CAKE
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

drifts, carefully carrying with both
hands a tissue-wrapped parcel on
level with his chin.
Downward sped the maiden-upwarti
trudged the man; and they met! The
man went one way, his package an
other and the girl and sled, skidding
sideways upset beside the track ten
yards down.
The man got up first. my cake!"
he cried. you've done 1t now. by
George! And as sure as Moses III
have to leave the country"
Thanks awfully for helping me-"
she said. your gallantry is certainly
overwhelming Her voice was rich
contralto and what with that and
most perfect nose and mouth and chin,
the man must have been both deaf and
blind or he never could have answered
as he did: "A
Il didn't knock you down. You ram
into me and spoiled Aunt Martha's
CAKE
Aunt Martha's cake had no bust
ness walking up my toboggan slide.
I'll tell her so myself"
"Oh, but you don't know Aunt Mar
tha."
Anyway she had no business send
ing a cake by man. She might have
known he'd upset it."
But / didn't do 1t. II was you!
had it on the back seat of the car, butt
the road was so rough and tt was~
jouncing up and down so much / was
afraid it would be scrambled If kept
nd I Cd 10 k nd 90 rxy
1t. / left the car back there around
the corner"
"All right, Mr.. Adam, blamesit on q
woman. Ill have an auto horn put on
my sled. I'm sorry l spoiled your
cake"
I'm sorry about your knee-awfully
sorry, really. Does it hurt very much?
After all, it was my fault for being So
blind and stupid, and l apologize sim
cerely."
Look here, I'll tell you what Eli do.
/ baked a cake today, too, only it isn't
devils food. And if you'll pull me
home on my sled III give you the cake
for your Aunt Elizabeth Sommers and
she'll never know the difference"
That's generosity for you! Thanks
just IHe UuI III L Cdu
take it, However, I'll take you home"
I'm staying at the Rex Hardins-
feel as though we ought to give Aunt
Martha's cake a decent burial" She
went on ruefully, tucking her skirts
in around her when he had brought
the sled.
"Oh, let the sparrows have q feast.
1t can't do more than give them a good
old-fasEioned tummyache. Knee hurtf'
Giving the rope preliminary tug to
moving.
Conversation lapsed. The narrow
path across the fields fortunately was
level and there were no fences in the
way. In short time they were hometI y
You're to come in ana get the Lady,
Baltimore for Mrs. Summers and save
yourself Seeding at Aunt Marthas
hands
Sorry, but / can't hide behind q
| skirt"
The skirt-as you respectfully al
Iuae to me-isn't going to have Aunt
Martha's chance of apoplexy on her
| conscience. You're going to take the
eakei7
We'll, we'll see, There is Mrs. -
Hardin now, believe, looking fol
| YOU"
But as the girl tried to get up She
tainted. and after that nobody thought
of the cake.
Two weeks later Anthony Stearns
was alone in his office, look of
mingled annoyance and disapproval on
his face. A delegation of women had
just taken it's departure after vain
attempt to get his support for the new
| child-labor law.
He hated politics for women, and to, y.
his mind this indirect voting was al
bad as suffrage. Pretty Virginia Blan-
chard, whom he had knocked off her
sled, had proved to be the settlement
worker he had heard of and her visit
was for the purpose of asking his in
huence for the new bill. His escape
was due to the fact that she hadn't
known him and that later the accident
kept her from all the festivities in the
ueighborhood. There were drawbacks
In being state legislator-when pref
ty women asked one to do things. But
the echo OF Virginia's rich voice hal
been ringing in his ears for days.
"A lady to see you, sir!"
And in came Virginia, smiling ind
fimping ever so little.
Miss blanchard! I'm delighted to
see you," he cried, springing up and
holding out his hand. but I'm so
sorry for that Indicating her injury.
oh. 1t is nothing, just little stiff.
1t doesn't hurt bit now. came"
Yes. know!" quickly. II just re-
fused committee OF ten. But fesi6
that ] owe you good bit for near
killing you, so I'm going to promise
before you ask. Against my convic-
lions I'll vote for the new child-labor/
bill, Miss Blanchard" "
Copyright, 1916. by the Mcclure Newspa-