The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-31
Eoening Story
A Recipe for Happiness.
BY ROSE MEREDITH.

BY ROSE MEREDITH.
Everett found Nancy copying a
recipe from AN old brown book. She
was seated at her own desk in a COR
ner of her fathers library and she
rose to greet him with outstretched
hands and an amazing color in her
fair cheeks.
Are you very busy?" he asked with
mock anxiety
Yves indeed, but not too busy to be
glad to see you. There's the telephone.
Excuse me moment, Bob"
She fitted across the room to the
telephone and Bob picked up the oio
brown book and read the recipe:
Brides Cake" Just rs he finished and
laid the book gently down Nancy came
flying across the room, her cheeks
scarlet and FER gray eyes stormy.
why, you should not look at that.
she cried. It's - personal. She
caught up the book and her copy OF
the recipe and thrust them into
drawer which she closed and locked
with vigor inspired by anger. -
care-and, oh, Nancy darling, you
don't mean to saw that you object to-
my doing it-why. l thought--this
very day / came to ask you-- ii
Nancy was pale now. and one could
see the hidden fear behind the stormy
eyes--that is. anyone save one wne
loved her. Bob Everett saw only that
he had mortally offended the girl ne
loved above all others. What was the
harm in his finding her with the copy
of a recipe for a brides cake--unless
-. His face whitened, too, ana ne
stepped back. oa,n. VOL,
were copying" he said stiffly. "and
I assume from your displeasure that
I am not interested" he floundered
helplessly.
you. Bob Everett"
.sThat is not my fault" he declared
eagerly. at came today, Nancy dar-
''who gave you permission to al
dress me in that way" asked Nancy
haughtily.
mo one-I ask your forgiveness,
and will take myself away at once.
I didn't know that there was any other
man-that is, I didn't know you were
going to be married"
81 am sorry" hesitated Nancy, with
dropping eyes.
Let me wish you happiness-all
the jov 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
continent but his firm required his
services then for a 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 forget 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
q dull echoing sound, Nancy stood
| petrified 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
hasty anger. she might have been en-
aged to Bob this very moment in
stead of breaking her heart about
| him.
But. she argued, how could she
| have explained to him that Grand
mother Marsh, seeming an engage
| ment in the air, had sent her favorite
granddaughter her own precious recipe
book with injunctions to copy the
recipe for making the famous Marsh
| bridal cakei
And Nancy. her heart and pretty
| head fun of nothing but Bob Everett
| and the mutual love which had not vet
been confessed openly-tho Bob had
| tried to propose to her several times
Nancy, dreaming of her marriage to
! sod had been caught copying down
4 interest
IN BOD; had even allowed him to be-
heve 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
long promised visit.
we'll my dear" said old Mrs.
MARSH as they sat before the fire that
evening of Nancy's arrival, how is
my old favorite. Bobby Everett ?"
cont KNOW" said Nancy in a
| quavering voice.
Tell me all about it." said the old
iady 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 ample lap and sobbed
out the whole foolish story.
When she had finished Mrs. Marsh
pateed the brown book and laid ii
aside. Your grandfather used to call
| that cake recipe our recipe for hap
piness, she said quantity. "He de-
cAred that the flour and eggs and
puster were the rich foundation OF
har piness, blended skillfuIly and com
pinedA with sugar for sweetenins all
the way along and thru every cruml
or ire. the raisins and currants and
other fruits were rare days and events
that were to be forgotten. the rose
water, orange flower and vanilla were
the fragrance of happy days, the thicl
white frosting was the high white
purity that enveioped the whole thing
It was just his fancy, dearie, and
have never told anyone but you-an6
you can guess why / have told you"
That night Nancy went to bed witt
a com forted heart. She felt sure thai
wise Grandmother Marsh would FIND
way to happiness for her after all.
The next day the servants had 8
!, holiday and Mrs. Marsh and Name,
and, the brown recipe book took pos