The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-09-05
The Lure of Corn
Bread
BY JANE OSBORN

II might not have made your NOUN
w;,ter-that street ear picture OF corn
bread-but Hope Mawson had iuncheu
early and lightly, and the yellow
suuart- OF corn bread. steaming not
with n cup of coffee at the side-aiso
slealning-and two nice, neat Dutler
balls Oh butter plate-all inns was
pleasantly tantalizing to Hope MaW-
son. even though the picture was ohiy
an advertisement for Fogers corn
meal.
Hone was riding homeward on the
srrpei car and the advertisement was
directly opposite her, so II was not
difficult for her to dwell upon the
tempi,ng sight for many minutes. her
,uedifntions ran something like this:
"sfrange that people don't eat more
corn bread-so inexpensive ana so
nourishing, and as the advertisement
assured. so wholesome, even when IL
was eaten hot That Is. OF course IL
made from Folger's cornmeal. FUNNY
WHY il would be any more wholesome
If il were made from Folger's. IL
would be worth Trying.
al was Dana's night to COOK DIN
ner. TO be sure, but Hope would stop
at the corner grocery store, buy some
corn bread and have IL ready by the
time Diana had finished the rest OF
the dinner.
"Thered be a recipe on the SIDE Oh
the box, of course; If there WASH L
LET'S see, how was it that old Sally
used TO make 1t? Two cupfuls OF corn
meal and two cupfus of regular Hour
and some salt and sugar and baking
powder. There would have to De
milk. Was 1t a cupful or two or one
and half that Sally usedf well
Sally didn't measure the milk, she
inst poured II in until she thought she
had got the right batter.
Funny how those old cooks USED 10
get such good results without meas
uring. Must be they had good eyes.
Probably they measured just as ac-
curately rs the up-todate cooking
school guardian. only they measured
with their eyes, not with graded
cups"
Here Hopes meditations were sud
denly cut short The conductor was
calling 'Love-a-lavenue," and Hope
knew that Lowell avenue was hve
blocks beyond her own street.
She glanced once more at the ad-
vertisement, got what nourishmeht
she could from the depicted golden
square of corn bread and hurried to
the door.
Brandon Jones, who had been SIT
ting beside her, rose with her and also
went toward the door. Hope hesltat-
ed for feeting moment and then de-
cIded not to take a car back. because
she would pass grocery store on her
way and could buy cornmeal-Desides
savirg the extra car fare. 1t was
that cornmeal advertisement that had
made her ride past her street-that
must be sign that her system really
craved corn bread for supper.
She walked three blocks and then
stopped at the grocery store. Oddly
enough, Brandon Jones went into the
grocery store, watched her as she
made her purchase and stammered
out with considerable embarrassment
"Dog biscuits. please" when the gro
GERS clerk asked him what he wanted.
Then Hope proceeded, and the man
proceeded. She saw him from the tall
of her eye-saw with approval his
good proportions and easy stride. If
ne was following her, as 1t seemed
quite likely that he was, he was the
first man who had ever had the nerve
TO do such thing.
Hope concluded that 1t was quite an
interesting experience, as long us 1t
was broad daylight and the man
looked so harmless.
Then he walked faster and overlook
her, thus putting her in the position
of the pursuer rather than the pur-
sued. But Hope couldn't help pursu-
Ing because he went exactly where
she wanted to go. He even crossed
the street where she wanted to, and
preceded her into the hall of the apart
ment where she and her companions
Diana and Daphne. lived. The kall
boy spoke and let him pass. Obvious
~ he was a resident. Yet why, If he
lived in that apartment, did he ride
on to Loyel avenue?
Hope was Interested in this appar-
ent mystery. but not so interested as
TO forget her cornmeal. She quickly
changed from her office clothes to a
washable house frock. AMI in five min
utes more had the cornmeal and flour
and milk beaten up as she had seen
old Sally do so often In her child
hood.
After the bread was In the oven and
Diana. now arrived on the scene. had
been cautioned to watch IT, Hope
slipped out of the kitchen and into the
hall. She simply had to solve the
problem Of the pursuing and pursued
young man.
She rang the elevator bell and when
the elevator boy appeared slipped a
quarter into his hand and asked him
who 1t was he had brought up In the
elevator with her that afternoon. HE
Iooks On much like q sort of q cousin