Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-02
DAILY NOVELETTE,
MOLASSES CANDY
eeJT WAS bitter cold nisht''-thu,
BY June l.. johnson

GIT WAS bitter cold nisht''-thus
L begins a certain ballad / know,
and our hero" but Paul Gordon,
trudging the deserted country road this
night was feeling far from a hero
indeed, he felt more like lonely, home
sick laddie who longs for his mother.
He had just received his discharge
papers from the army and now,. with
a months pay in his pockets, he had
started out for the world of hotels and
restaurants--a lonely atmosphere for a
chap who has lost his mother and real
home.
The lad was suffering from pangs of
homesickness tonight. His two years
in the army had helped to lessen the
pain of his mothers death, but now,
memories came thronging over him, old
familiar f8ces haunted him.
Suddenly light cleaned ahead-then
another, for the country road now led
out on a quiet suburban street.
Children romping, fireside groups, a
girl singing-these were pictures that
Paul could see through the lighted win
dows, and his sense of loneliness in
creased. a...
Then something different-something
stronger than the home scenes-came
to him. 1t was the elusive, tantaliz-
ing smell Of molasses candyl
He shifted the air eagerly. 1t brought
to his mind the picture of an old-fash :
oncd kitchen, little mother stirring a
brownish mixture in a pan, boy whose
face was lighted up with anticipation.
Molasses candy How Paul did love 1t
Nobody, he thought, could quite make
candy like his mother, but the smell OF
this promised to rival even hers.
From the glare Of street light, he
saw the house where the candy was be :
ing made. Unconsciously he drew near .
or until he stood in the shadow of the
porch. Why he had come-why he STOOD
there, he could not have told. he
lust seemed to have desire to stand
near this candyl to smell its elusive
sweetness even if he were not to taste
it. =. !,
Then he gave start, for a figure IN
white appeared on the porch. de couid
see her place the pan on the porch rail-
pause, then n hurry OF steps. a
hand laid on his shoulders and girl
isb voice exclaiming angrily: 80 you're
nrr candy thief? Well, I've caught
you at last. How dare you steal our
condv. how dare you? Come into the
house at once. I'll show you to father
Dozed. Paul obeyed the girls impera
tive tone. and found himself in tiny
home like kitchen with an elderly cou
nile seated before an old -tashionec
hearth. 5 s
ror answer to the girls breathless
stormy TRADE, said in a drawing ian
kee tone: $50 you're the candy tnlel-
don T look like one " Then turning t'
the girl: Leila honey, we cant very
we,l convict him until he's had IAN
chance to explain. Speak up, m boy.
And Paul, recovering from his be-
wilderment, spoke up, and under the
gradually softening glances OF his smal
audience poured out his troubles
loneliness. inconsistencies; discourage
mont with the ring of truth IN MS
voice. -.
J,m not your candy thief he fin
ished with emphasis. Il had no lnten
tion of stealing your candy, but tint
smell of it brought back memories; IN!
feet followed my thoughts and cam'
to YOUR porch. And now,' whimslcally
"I find myself in here trying to clea'
myself Of suspicion.
And then Just at this critical mo-
ment a noise was heard on the porch
and the four rushing out there found th'
candy thief-a little, thin. wrigglini
mite of dog hungrily nosing the over
turned pan of candy.
OF course there was a hearty laugl
, all around and then everybody foun'
out much to their surprise, that the!
were going to become friends. Nor
, molasses was poured out, for the Pres
tons insisted upon Paul's spending tn
| evening with them, and he and Ieli'
r made some more candy amid much mer
riment.
I And as she stirred the candy the gir
e confidpd to Paul: You see, lately ou
A molasses candy has been tipped owe
= while cooling and eaten by some one
and | was bound to find the thief
r Who'd ever suppose it would be poor
starved doggie? So waited tonight TO
the thief and when l saw you naturall
I judged from appearances, and tn
girl smiled.
= And so Paul Gordon's evening wa
s spent much more pleasantly than h
had expected. For these honest 1anke
folks--fathor. mother and daughter
had taken into their hearts and hom
I this straightforward young chap VIII
was evidently so much in need of goo
companions,
A contented tabby purring on tn
rug, the fragrant smell of Mr.. Preston
pipe, the pleasant conversation befor
the glowing fire and the molasses cand
| now cool and firm-placed in hand
reach; these were the homely pleasure
that Paul shared with the Prestons
Who could wish for more?
| And in the months that followed PAT
was a frequent and welcome visitor q
the Prestons' humble home. Was it onl
molasses candy that attracted him
Anyway, no one was surprised whe
another little cottage was built neI
door with a certain eater and a certai
maker of molasses candy installed 6
the occupants.
Thus Paul Gordon found a home an
happiness, all because of 'lasses candy
The next complete nOvelette-Litt
- Things That Count.