Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
r ebecca 5 Sponge
c axe


hadn't sprained my wnst!"
+! Lets open box of baker cakes.
Peggy suggested glancing up with q
little scowl from her story book.
~Oh. | hate to do that, with Mrs.
Barton here. It's such a simple sup
per tonight, anyway, for boarder!'
But Peggy was deep again in her
book.
Mother" Rebecca, ten years old,
and two years younger than Peggy.
laid down the dolls sweater she was
knitting and went to sit beside her
mother. IT can make my sponge cake;
that's always rather NICE"
Its delicious" mother said. with a
hug, "but I don't like to bother you
with it,
"Oh, don't mind a bit mother"
said Rebecca. So she laid bisque
Arabella carefully away in her cradle
and went to into the kitchen. It
| wasn't necessary for mother to know
how anxious she had been to finish
| knitting her dolls sweater.
Miss Barton, passing through the
hall little later, paused moment at
The kitchen door to smile at Rebecca,
enveloped in big bingham apron and
bravaly whirring the egg beater.
What are you doing, dearie?"
"I'm Just making sponge cake for
supper Rebecca smiled back.
Mothers sprained her wrist you
know. can't cook very many things;
Peggy makes beautiful cakes, but
only know how to make sponge cake.
Its one of my favorite cakes"
Miss Barton said. land l know by ex-
perience it isn't very easy one to
make" Her eyes were very earnest as
they rested on Rebecoa- Then she
passed through the hall and into the
sitting room where Peggy lay on the
lounge still buried in her story-book.
Reading another bcok?" she asked.
yves, I'd rather read than do any
thing" Peggy said. Mother was In
the dining room, moving between
table and sideboard, setting the table
with her left hand "Ill come and
help YOU in a minute, mother" Peggy
called ont But she read to the end OF
the story, Miss Barton noticed.
Rebecca's sponge cake proved very
delicious. Miss Barton praised II
very highly, and delighted the young
cook by taking second piece. Its
one of the finest sponge cakes l ever
tasted" she said. Then with sud
den flashing smile, "Rebecca, would
YOU be willingly to make me cake
all for myself, q whole cake, and not
cut it?"
"Why, yes. Miss Barton, I'd love to-
Rebecca said. politely concealing any
wonder she felt at the request.
cts wonderful for a little girl of
your age. Does 1t always turn out
as we'll as this?" Miss Burton contili--
|ued.
Always mother said, with loving
pride. "She's going to be fine cook,
and she's the sweetest little helper
imaginable"
Rebecca took great pains with her
sponge cake the very next morning.
and it came from the oven beautiful
and light and lovely golden coaor.
| Miss Barton kissed as she spoke her
thanks and disappeared with the
cake.
Do you suppose she is going to take
1t to somebody whose siclk:" Reoecca
wondered, but mother shook her head.
II can't imagine, dear" she said.
Two days passed, with nothing fur
Their said about her cake. Then one
bright morning Miss Barton asked II
she might take both girls to the State
Cd1T Will AcI, tHU lIIS tIIiC0 WCslt oA'
gay1y together. Such an interesting
morning as they had, going from one
big building to another admiring tbs
wonderful displays Of fruits and veg
etables and flowers the pioneer exhib-
it's in the old log cabin, the horses and
the trained dog show. Finally they
went into the "Woman's Building"
where Miss Barton took them to
huge glass case filled with all kinds OF
cake Read that, dear" she said, point
ing to card leaning against sponge
cake which had neat triangle cut
from it,
Made by Rebecca olmstead ten
years old" Rebecca read. amaZement IN
voice and eyes. "Why-why, that's the
cake made!" she said wonderingly.
Surely it is: entered 1t in the con.
test by children under sixteen, ana lo03
at this!'' This" was blue card or,
which was printed First Prize"
OH" Rebecca exclaimed, her facs
rosy, her voice almost shaking.
THE first prize is So" Miss Barton
added, land can't tell you how proud
I am that it is our little girl who won
It,"
1t was good thing that the other
sights had been seen, for Rebecca after
| that walked on air. she was so amazed
and so wonderfully, dazedly happy Il
never had so much money in all my
life.- she whispered "Oh, Miss Rarton.
how perfectly lovely you were to do it
for met
"Your sponge cake won its own hon
ors," dear said Miss Barton. II mere
ly had the honor of introducing it to
the fair
All the way home Peggy's eyes were
very thoughtful. She was thinking how
she might have Won a prize for her
angel cake If only she had made one
that evening for Miss Barton's supper.
But-she looked at her little sister,
trudging 80 joyousfy beside her. and
suddenly squeezed that little sisters
hand.
I'm so glad you did win," she whis-
pered and she meant 1t. too.-The
Child's Hour.