Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-10-07
In Cherry Time
BY JESSIE E. sHERwIN
1920, Western Newspaper Union)
sccsSe,cces,s-csexsscces,eE

CURED Mrs. Buxton of her seventeen
year-old daughter, as the latter read
letter she had just received.
Just commonplace news, mamma,
responded Nellie Buxton. She writes
Inc, however, to be sure to tell you +
that they have the most wonderful |
cherry crop ever was, and that Uncle
Silas will ship you three bushels in
about two weeks"
"Hm!" remarked Mrs. Buxton, a
trife discompoSeu II have heard that
the cherry crop is phenomenal all over
the country and no one to pick them
except at three times the usual rate.
1t is thoughtful of Silas to remember
us, but 1 wonder if he understands
that the city is rationed on sugar"
Cant we double up on buying and
have enough on hand to use when the
fruit arrives?" suggested Nellie.
Hardly. One grocer allows US just
a pound a day, and then Mt five times
above normal price. l don't mind thal
so much, for sugar is a necessity"
81 suppose it would take quite lot
~
ventured Oscar Reed, who was sit
ting by, but usually very uncommuni-
cative when in the presence of the
mother of the family. Mrs. Buxton
had laid down some pretty stringent
rules as to Nellie and her company.
| Oscar was allowed to call in the eve
ming once a week only, and then he
| passed the hour or two granted In
the same room with the family. If
| there was any entertainment going
on Nellie did not get chance to ac-
cept Oscars invitation as an escort
unless her parents accompanied them.
''Nellie is too young to get lot of
love nonsense into her head" Mrs
Buxton had once remarked and Oscar
overheard her and considered her an
ogress, but he was polite enough ever
to defend his present sparse privileges
and to try winning her good graces in
every way possible.
So when Mrs. Buxton computed the
sugar needs of the cherry season
ahead, Oscar made mental note of
the same and, recalling as well that 1t
would be her birthday about the time
Uncle Silas would ship the ,eherries,
he took credit to himself for devising
a scheme that would certainly win the
i favorable opinion of the mother of his
inamorata. y.
"Said anything to your mother
about the picnic we are invited to,
j Nellie?" questioned Oscar breathless-
ly in the bare minute and half al
J lowed them to llnger on the veranda.
ooh, yes, and l can CO. of course.
but the family are planning to attend
too" and Oscar sighed at the prospect
{ he had anticipated of having Nellie
all day to himself.
= "I won't get discouraged" he runi-
mated on his way homeward hound.
sugar! 1t has always made me
think of sweet darllnN Nelliei Now
It's going to make me think of her
D mother. How nm / going to work 1t?
y l declare! It's beginning to rain" and,
without storm coat or umbrella Oscar
l hastened his steps and sought shelter
q under an awning in front of a store
/ given over to secondhand goods of
a varied sorts, including clothing. The
array of suits, hats, overcoats and the
like was heterogeneous enough to al
{ low wide choice Of attire. Then as
y Oscars gaze rested upon the big de
II partment store opposite, his eyes
: glowed brightly and he smiled.
# "The very combination! he
4 hn II tS
/ put in motion my grand scheme fol
n acquiring a small-sized refinery in the
y sugar line. Sure, can work it. Let
4 me see IL | can manage to capture five
S pounds per day for two weeks. Tha
8 would mean bulk of sixty pounds
i more than enough to put up those
e cherries furnished by Uncle Silas, ant
Is probably sweeten up the strict ole
a. lady l would be glad to cherish as $
mother-in-law."
Next day Oscar visited the store o
10 the dealer in secondhand goods
T. Without much trouble he arranged Il
re- have the temporary use of such ar
n. ticles as he needed for his bold plal
h. Of becoming q sugar miser. He dlC
h not waste any time on MONDAY lunch
10 con, but entered the grocery depart
6. ment of the department store wher
70 one pound of the saccharine novelt
n. was sold to customer Appearin
ID first in propria personae, then with or
"a other hat and a grotesquely plaide
ID overcoat, even with a silk tile an
wearing goggles, in the crowd he wa
not recognized as the audacious RI
Il, peater that he was.
"a Oscar kept track Of the promise
IN shipment from Uncle Silas He chos
&c the evening of their arrival for hi
70 once-a-week call upon Nellie. q
m found oil hands pitting the fruit, br
& Mrs. Buxton in a gloomy mood b,
{. cause she had not the sugar to pr
!. up more than half bushel.
= "Nellie told me this is your brit
=, day, Mrs. Buxton" observed Oscar II
), nocenty. II have little offering tn;
~ may be of use to you. It's on II
er porch-sixty pounds of sugar"
-, "Say! I'll pay you double price fl
.. - it, just to make ma smiling and iol
: again!" declared Mr. Buxton, but o
car insisted on the free acceptance
!. his little gift, and Mrs. Buxton fair
= beamed upon him. Her heartfelt a
- knowledgment of his clever donate
=. - was expressed by keeping the rest
- the family at work in the kitche
49, while she shooed him and Nellie o.
- into the garden with the remark:
~ "Too many cooks spoil the broth