Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-08-24
PANTRY SHELVES
By z L. %LANeDALE.

"a. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate

Remember to feed the cat, put the
bottles out for the milkman, take your
medicine regularly, and don'E clean
housed" Polly kissed her husband at
~fecrionately and FASTENED out.
John watched his wife go down the
street, waited to wav to her when she
reached the corner, then turned away
and gazed gloomily about the comfort
able sitting room, suddenly, for some
reason or other, become so forlorn. Yet
this sending away of his wife OF q
little visit to their son had been his
own doing. After playing the part OF
faithful nurse to his six weeks attack
of rheumatic fever she certainly de-
served. now that ne was well on the
road to recovery, a bit of a vacation.
The first few days of Polly's absence
passed away pleasantly.
But by the end of the week he began
to look around for something to do and
sheepishly recalled his wife's admoni-
tion about cleaning house.
AS he limped slowly from room to
room he was aware that everything
was as neat as a pin.
Straightaway John plunged into his
task, poking abandonedly into Jars and
bottles and paper bags, arranging and
rearranging things to suit his mascu-
line idea of the way pantry shelves
should be.
Two weeks later Polly anne home,
rosy checked once more, glad to see
her husband, and overlowing with
stories about the d%arlingness of John,
third.
~ just guess you'll be pleased to
have some more good things to eat,
John, DEAR" she said. ITO begin with
Tn going to make up your favorite
chocolate cake for support"
Polly's husband, supremely content
to have her back, sat in the old
kitchen rocker, comfortably putting his
pipe, his eyes. happily watching his
wife as she BUSTED about.
Presently she disappeared into the
pantry and he heard her rummaging
around. Then she emerged and he
heard her say half to herself, "There
now. I was afraid I was out of 1t. But
find I have got a little baking powder
after all. Thought I'd have to borrow a
mite from Dora"
John chuckled, remembering where
he found that baking powder. Why
would women, the best Of them. mind
you, tuck away little dabs Of stuff in
: old envelopes or paper bags and then
forget all about them? If it hadn't
been for his putting that baking pow
der into an old baking powder can
where it belonged, she'd. have had to
trot over to a neighbours, wasting
time.
Half an hour later his wife opened
the oven door and in his minds eye
John plainly visualized the cake in all
its wonderful three-storied glory, each
layer a miracle Of lightness. An ex-
clamation from his wife punctured the
vision.
"Why, why, why, John, I've never
had that happen before!" Polly's face
expressed utter dismay.
John rose and peered over his wife's
stopped shoulder. On the oven rack
were three cake tins, each sending forth
a delicious odor and containing some
thing that was nicely Drowned, but
which lay fiat as the proverbial pam
cake. ST can't understand it," Polly
walled.
She walked over to the table, picked
up the baking powder can, tipped out
a little of the contents in her palm and
tasted it. For a moment she stood
there with a puzzled frown on her
forehead. Then, That's not baking
powder-that's boric acid!" she cried.
For a moment John die not under
stand. Then. slowly, asreat light broke
upon him. and sheepishly he grinned.
"My fault, Polly" he confessed. tt
! fountl a little envelope full of white
powder on the shelf. 1t said on i'll
thought-B. p I guess 1T must have
been B. A Written in pencil, you
know, and not very clear. Anyhow, it
appeared to me like baking powder
and / put it where 1t belonged"
"Well-of all things!" said his wife
"That's what Mary used to use for the
baby-left it the time she was here
visiting. 1 suppose to a mar they look
exactly alike" She paused and eyed
her husband suspiciously. "But what
were you doing fooling around those
pantry shelves?"
Cleaning 'em." said John, meekly.
Then he frightened. "Look, here,
Polly. Forget about 1t. I'm punished.
anyhow, by losing the cakel" He
looked for all the world like a crest
fallen c%hild--like John, Jr., used to
when he was a little chap.
Polly melted.
"Never mind. John, you'll get your