The Glenwood post., 1923-09-20
"oh, Uncle jerry" she Called.

through the thin paper covering. She
lifted the window.
"Oh, Uncle Jerry" she called, "come
right in and see ev'rything. It's
just"
'Well-oh-well, Car'line," stam-
mered Uncle Jerry, I'm in kind of a
hurry. I'm come in later. IL got
some news for you"
She looked into his genial face,
ruddy with embarrassed color under
the tan. "Oh, I know" she said
Softly. You've fixed it up with
with"
He nodded happily. "Say, amt I
lucky? Cause she's the real thing
and $3.50 fine l didn't scurcely
blieve she'd take rough old lum-
herman like me-"
Pm delighted she did" responded
Mrs. Penfield warmly. '1ll be glad to
see both of you having home"
She watched him go on up Miss
Hapgood's steps. carrying his shoul-
ders proudly, bearing flowers to the
gentle lady who had put aside her
dreams to live the life of the present.
Then she closed the window and went
back to her work.
There was to be a supper that in
Itself would be house-warming. With
her usual forethought Mrs. Penfield
had told the members of her family
that 1t would be fine spread-this
time with supplementary details that
added overwhelmingly to the weight
of her statement. There were to be
mullins and honey for the first course
and for the second, tapioca pudding.
1t was only the middle of the after
noon, but preparations were already
under way. Crink had been dis
patched to the store to get the
honey. Mrs. Penfield was setting
the table in the dining-room. From
the window she could catch glimpse
of the hills, kissed green by the recent
rains. Last week 1t had been winter !;
today 1t was spring. With the charm
ing caprice that is California's, Janu-
ary had said: Il was trying to give
you some winter, but l couldn't hold
to it."
Mrs. Penfield's heart was full of
thankfulness as she set out the dishes
and placed the silver. She even ar
ranged a centerpiece, small vase
containing n tea rose from bush that
Mrs. Sanders had raised. At last the
children were to have the surround
/ ings that help to nurture the home
feeling, feeling which persists if
1t is Incorporated in ones childhood,
but which is never built up in exactly
the same way If that childhood passes
without it. Thoughts Of other days,
thoughts of the other home that this
one called up, knocked persistently
/ against Mrs. Pentields brain, but she
refused to let them enter. Like Miss
| Hapgood. she would live in the
| present.
The pudding was made. Lettie was
beating the white Of the egg for the
frostlng.
Jimmy. amt this fun!" she ex-
claimed. I've always wondered how
1t felt to beat an egg. I could keep
at 1t till kingdom come"
Crink burst in at tie kitchen door.
"oh, Penzie," he cried, "ev'rybody's so
excited down to the storel l got to
go right back, but had to bring the
here's the honey-and tell you quick" !"
Mrs. Penfield took down the can of
sugar from the shelf above the sink.
what is 1t, Orink2 What's hap
pened2"
, He stood in front of her. breathing
hard. his eyes shining with eagerness.
"oh. there's been a turrible accident,
and the father and mother were
killed, but the baby wasn't and"
"Crink, what are you talking aboutT'
demanded Mrs. Penfeld in dlsmay
"Why, Penzie, the baby. Ev'ry-
body's talking bout 1t to the store.
1t hain't got nobody left-not nobody.
Its folks wasn't related to any other
folks. And everybody that comes in
is talking bout it, Crink gasped for
breath, but jerked out his statements
with wild gesticulations. "Ev'rybody's
saying whatll become Of the baby,
and It'll have to 70 to 'stution, and
so ! thought mebbe-"
Lettie reluctantly relinquished the
eggbeater, but zealously advocated the
infant. 20 Penzie, let's! It'd be such
fun! Golly, I'd love to have a"
Mrs. Penfield stirred sugar into the
beaten white and spread the frosting
over the pudding. Whats your idea,
Crink?" she asked, us she slid the dish
Into the oven for the final browning.
"Well, thought mebbe we could