Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-26
TheDailyNouelette
Belind0's Bresu
By Ruby Dsuslss


II certainly would not have set this
brew II had known I had to make
this trip to Buffalo. 1t takes a. much
attention az baby.
'.Ten pounds Of raisins ut thirty
cents pound and two pounds Of brown
sugar at twenty. to say nothing Of the
tartaric acid--why--it's ridiculous.r ]
be wasted II I do not stir Il every day
and watch it," Belinda began to won.
der what she could do.
There was no one with whom she
lived. She occupied her tiny studio
alone. There was no one with whom
she could burden the brew. sN
Her trip to Buffalo was necessary.
She had promised Harry that on his
next shore leave she would visit his
mother in Buffalo 80 that they might
both enjoy his holiday together. In
fact, she had half promised that she
would give him an answer to his pro.
posal at this time.
Now. she seemed to feel it nuisance
to 90 so far away-just to nee Harry.
And she was beginning to wonder II
this were the proper state Of mind for
an about to. Be. engaged, girl. She was
NVEy iOhh VA NCiy VhOuu Va
his officers uniform. No, that Harry's
uniform had been any special service
but it was becoming. and he had grad.
uated from the naval academy and had
been in part Of the war zone.
For the moment the uniform and
lIenry--she called him Henry when she
did not feel so kindly toward him
paled into insignificance by comparison
with the home brew in which she was
absorbed.
As she put things into her suitcase
she decided to be unconventional aud
ask the young man on the same floor
to come in each morning and stir the
pot. She had never seen him, but the
with which he came and went
each morning and evening made her
realize that he was a dependable person.
Tom Weston, Scotch rs a bunch Of
purple heather, was surprised at the
quaint. request Of the girl whose voice
own. For be 1t known that Belinda
sang and practiccd from time to time.
The mans smile vas encouraging to
belinda. She observed long scar
across his cheek. Then. her eyes sought
the expression that was unmistakable
the tale that told of unfOrgettable de-
struction. She knew in minute that
the man had fought in the biz war.
"Would it-would you think It
strange If I asked you to go to my
room every morning for few days
and stir my home brew pot?" she asked
timidly. 4
Tom laughed. "I've done harder
things than that" he said.
II am dashing for train" she
went on. Here is the key. The big
stick that lies across the pot is to stir
it with, and-and oh. thanks SO much
Don't worry. And--shall I post your
mail perhaps?'
"Oh, would you?" She gave him her
address. Don't send papers--just let
tiers that look as II they might be
lures and-sometimes I get check,
which I need"
''I'll try TO extract some from the
pcstman for you. 1t will give inc pleas
ure to do these little things for you.
SO don't worry while you are away"
Belinda loved the succession of RS
in his words. In fact, Belinda found
herself az she travelled toward Buffalo
and Hcnry--thinking far more about
the Scotchman's smile and tone and
general magnetism than about the man
she was on her way to see. She could
see the great scar across his face and
the winning smile that obscured it.
'It-oh, not couldn't be love-at
first sight" she tried to tell herself.
"And yeti is something. I have
never felt this way before"
Then she began to wonder if he had
liked her. Was she his type?
That she was very much his type
Tom Weston had decided as he stirred
each day the now kissing brew. He
looked about the little studio; he OBJ.
that Belinda was domestic girl-as
well rs a most beautiful one.
One morning the postman brought
an envelope that Tom decided must
be a check. and this gave him an ex.
cuse to send an accompanying note.
lie explained that the brew was getting
noisy and active-temperamental, as
he explained it--and wondered If 1t
do the right thing by it:
knew no bounds. And it had come back
SO quickly that he was sure she had not
minded writing it.
~
visit. Henry-she always called him
that now-was not what she had once
thought him. Hc had become, In her
eyes, conceited. lie thought only of
himself, and while he was persistent
in his wooing of her, she felt that she
would not be missed so greatly If she
were to tell him no.
And this she did. She said that she
felt that she did not love him enough
to marry him.
When she returned to her studio she
found a cluster Of roses on her desk
and a spray of white heather.
When Tom arrived home that night
she opened the door Of her studio. he
almost dashed toward her when he shook
her hand. 'And--the BREW" he asked
to cover his joy at seeing her. 1t was
the way Of the ScOt-tO hide his emo
tiOn.
"Oh, it's all right Come in and
see Belinda's heart was humping
too quickly.
'"The roses:" she asked, looking up
at him. Ana the white heather?"
"Oh, the heather is to make the
checks come quicker. It's lucky, you
know"
Belinda held the spray in her fingers,
her eyes lowered over 1t. And the
roses?"
Tom looked into her eyes. Gould ]
tell you about the roses some other
day, pleasc?" He hesitated. "I-l
just couldn't tell you nOw.'
Belinda took the situation in her
own hands and tried to make it casual.
1t seemed better.