The Meeker herald., 1919-01-18
PLUM PUDDING BOY
BY VILLA BLAINE.

make his plum puddings the summer
after he graduated from college. He
had not decided us yet on his future
career, but since any kind Of q start
in business as well as the law studies
that he sometimes contemplated, was
more or less dependent upon the pos
session of some amount Of capital, he
accepted his mothers proposition to
make plum buildings.
1t wasn't because Harry was exactly
ashamed of plum buildings that he
had hcsitated-it was because Of
Genevieve and Hnrrictte and Mildred
and Laura-girls In general rather
than any girl In particular.
Bradley, the small town where Harry
rilson had been brought up, boosted
no very definite younger social set,
but. so long as there were pretty girls
like Mildred Brewer and Laura
Stevens In a town, and any young I'M
married men. there was sure to be an
occasional picnic down the river. an
evening entertainment" Sunday aft
ernoon strolls through the woods or
buggy rides into the adjacent coun-
ties
In other years, on Harry Tilson's
short visits home In vacation time, he
had figured rather prominently In
these diversions He wondered wheth-
er Laura and Mildred and the other
girls would be inclined to laugh at him
II he made plum pudding.
One Of the consignments sof mate
rials having been delayed In shipment.
Harry sauntered forth one morning
To purchase from the local grocer a
sack Of -four, 20 that the days energy
need not be thrown away for lack Of
materials He passed Laura Stevens.
who called to him: "Hello. Mr.. I'll
sion. don't suppose you'll have time
to come to the picnic tomorrow, now
you've taken to making puddings with
your :nother!"
Mildred Brewer. eayiy decked out In
lowered hat and a many-ruhied
dress in spite of the early hour Of
the day. was giving her mothers pro
vision order at the store when Harry
reached there.
My word. Harry she said. Don't
mind my saying 70. hut certainly
thought you'd have got some sort OF
an opening from your studies at col
ieee without having to come hack here
to Bradley to take up pudding max.
ing. Honest. Harry, are you going to
do II all summer"
The rest Of the morning Harry beat
the padding batter with unusual fer
vor, % much 20 that little Molly. the
-hirsd GIRL whom Mrs. Tlstoo had
recently employed. watched him with
something like alarm written on hes
giriish young features
10 you see anything 20 very funny
about a man making puddinssr' he
asked her abruptly.
Funny. Why. Of course not" she
said with conviction. -Why. some Of
the most successful business men In
the country are what they are because
they managed to make something like
buildings better and in larger numbers
than their competitors"
So the summer rassed-the
s,ransess. hardest yet. in many ways,
most satisfactory summer that Harry
had ever passed As q result Of sew.
eral trips to the big city he received
orders for four times as many pud-
,ines a. his mother had ever made be
fore
The last pudding had been packed
away. and still NrA Tiston had not
had the heart To mention to Molly that.
because the work was ended, she
would not need her services any
longer.
Harry had hurried of after their
simple supper for the usual walk In
the he:alccks and within Is minutes
Of the time they had left the house
Harry was Oiled With the wonderful
Consciousness tha, the gih whom he
REGARDED as the most womanly and
the sweetest Of all the girls he had
ever known had agreed to be his
wife.
Il never thought q college man like
ycu would marry 4 POOR little hired
girl she told him
And ne~er thought such 4 nice
sirs n you are would marry . man
uhoee idea Of starting 4 career was
10 make plum puddines in his mothers
Kitchen added Harry with . laugh
Molly clasy.ed and unelasped her
hands nervous,y. Perhaps look DIFF
fercatly IT this plum pudding project
than most people she hecan. In
fact. II IVES those plum puddines that
made ne come TO work for you I'll
have TO tell you how II was Really
and truly. I am Mary Louise Juxton-
bury. daughter Of Ju1tcnbury. the
hake+
Harry IN concealed 4 whistle Of SIM
rrfse. for that was the name of one
Of the leading Anancers Of the state.
rho~e millions had been made BY his
chain Of hAkerieA-
Il wanted to do so.oethine-make
=