The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-04-22
A Recipe for
Happiness
By ROSE MEREDITH.
t9. 1881. By Mcclure newspaper syndicate,

eS@-0
was seated at her own desk in a corner
Of her fathers library and she rose to
greet him with outstretched hands and
an amazing color In her fair cheeks.
"Are you very busyr he asked with
mock anxiety.
"Yes, indeed, but not too busy to be
glad to see you. There's the telephone.
Excuse me q moment, Bob"
She fitted across the room to the
telephone and Bob picked up the old
brown book and read the recipe: Eye
Brides Cake" Just as he finished and
laid the book gently down Nancy came
flying across the room, her cheeks scar
let and her gray eyes stormy.
'Why, you should not look at that!"
she cried. "It's-pers0nal." She caught
up the book and her copy of the recipe
and thrust them into drawer, which
she closed and locked with vigor in
spired by anger.
II didn't realize that you would care
land, oh Nancy, darling, you don't
mean to say that you object to my do
ing it-why, 1 thought-this very day
/ came to ask you
Nancy was pale now, and one could
see the hidden fear behind the stormy
eyes-that Is, any one save one who
loved her Bob Everett saw only that
he had mortally offended the girl he
loved above all others. What was the
harm in his finding her with the copy
Of recipe for brides cake unless.
His face whitened, too, and he stepped
back.
"Of course / saw what recipe you
were copying" he said stiff1y. land
assume from your displeasure that
am not interested" he floundered
helplessly.
Interested" Nancy's tone was
freezing. Il am not engaged to marry
you, Bob Everettr'
'That Is not my fault" he declared
eagerly. II came today, Nancy dar-
ling"
"Who gave you permission to ad-
dress me in that way?" asked Nancy
haughtily.
'No one-I ask your forgiveness. and
will take myself away at once. I
didn't know that there was any other
man-that is, didn't know you were
going to be married"
II am sorry" hesitated Nancy. with
dropping eyes.
LET me wish you happiness the
| Joy in the world" muttered Bob and,
snatching up his hat, he dashed out of
the room, out Of the house, out Of the
| city and he would have left the CONT
| nent but his firm required his services
| then for hazardous trip into Mexico.
He started on this trip in a logged,
hopeless way, resolved to put all his
thoughts Of Nancy Marsh away, to for
get all his dreams of marrying her, but
Nancy had encouraged him and his
hopes had become firmly rooted.
When Bob Everett had gone and the
front door had closed behind him with
dull echoing, sound. Nancy stood pet
rified at the calamity she had wrought
in her own life. If Bob had not seen
that foolish recipe-if she had only
kept her head, controlled her nasty an
ger, she might have been engaged to
Bob this very moment instead of break
ing her heart about him.
But. she argued, how could she have
explained to him that Grandmother
Marsh, seeming an engagement in the
air. had sent her favorite grand laugh
ter her own precious recipe book with
injunctions to copy the recipe for maxi
ing the famous Marsh bridal cake!
And Nancy. her heart and pretty
head full of nothing but Bob Everett
and the mutual love which had not yet
been confessed openly-though Bob
had tried to propose to her several
times-Nancy, dreaming Of her mar
rage to Bob, had been caught copying
down the recipe and had denied all in
terest In Bob; had even allowed him to
believe that she was going to marry
another man! 1t was enough to make
any girl cry her heart out. Nancy grew
pale and thin and declared that she
wanted to pay Grandmother Marsh a
Compromised visit.
well, my DEAR" said old Mrs. Marsh
as they sat before the fire that evening
Of Nancy's arrival, chow is my old ia
vorite, Bobby Everett?'
II don't know" said Nancy in qua
vering voice.
"Tell me all about it," said the old
lady tenderly, as she saw hot tears
falling on the ancient recipe book. SO
Nancy put the book in the wrinkled
hands and her own bright head in
grandmother's ample lap and sobbed
out the whole foolish story.
When she had finished Mrs. Marsh
patted the brown book and laid it
aside. "Your grandfather used to call
that cake recipe our recipe for happi-
ness" she said quantity. "He de-
clared that the flour and eggs and
butter were the rich foundation of hap
piness, blended skillfully and combined
with sugar for sweetening all the way
along and through every crumb of
| g. II. t,t.. -