Evening star., 1926-09-18

ii nODeQ Indt IHSIC WOuiN " -
letter from Stanley'S sister
II would cheer him SO much. But in
stead there was only her monthly
woman's journal.
She went with it to the door OF the
bedroom, intending to give 1t to her
husband to read, but when she looked
in she saw that he had fallen asleep
So she tiptoed back to the Kitchen
with it and sat down to look at II
herself.
Absently she turned the fresh pages
seeking distraction in the advertlse'
ments from her harassment OF mlno.
A pink slip fell out and she noteo the
usual warning, Your subscription eX-
nires with this number" Well, she
could not renew her subscription.
There was no money for any put the
smallest necessities, now that Stanley
was laid up.
He had been hurt at his work three
weeks before, and the doctors agreed
that it would take a long time Tor
hone and sinew to mend. Besloes'
there was the shock to his nervous
system. Because he worked lndepeno-
emily at his trade of carpenterlhs
there was no outside help. not even
insurance. They must draw on their
small savings for everything. ;,
II wish 1 could do something
Priscilla sighed.
She turned another page ana sa"
the following advertisement:
"Cood housewives, all. Send In
vour hest cake recipes and receive a
prize
A prize! Priscilla's interest quick
ened somewhat. She read on eagerly.
There were other priZes--siX' others
but it was upon the first prize that
she fixed her wistful gaze. A thou-
sand dollars. What would thousand
dollars not do for her and Stanley In
this unexpected stress?
The advertisement fascinated her.
She could not get away from II.
When she had read 1t until she knew
It by heart she got out her recipe
book and studied that. In it, written
in faded ink with a tremulous hand.
were her grandmother's famous cake
recipes. A dozen eggs--half-dozen
eggs they called for. Eggs had been
nlentiful and cheap those days. NO,
none of these would do. She brushed
over the yellowed pages swiftly. Here
her mother had begun to write, Tor
the cook book was a family analr
The delicate, sloping handwriting did
not all for so many eggs. but 1t de-
manded expensive fruit and cream
and heavy icing. She shook her head
over these also. Then began her own
culinary record, scribbled in pencil,
My own loaf cake" Economy layer
cake" "Shadowshine." She paused
there reflectively. recalling the morn
ING when her stores were low and she
had needed a cake. All. that was a
call for her wits! But she had made
the cake, and looking at it she had
been inspired by the shadows flecking
the sunshine that lay upon their bit
of open lawn to name 1t Shadowshlne.
And at the church supper where IL
had been eaten and praised NOBODY
had known that she had taken a little
of this. a pinch Of that, an atom of
the other thing-whatever remained
in her spice box and sugar bowl-and
made the cake.
since then she had made the
Shadowshine many times and per
fected It. It came to her that TINS
was the recipe she would use ana sne
would send it in. She could no more
tnan fail.
Carefully she copied the recipe.
added her name and address and in
closed the sheet of note paper In an
envelope. Then. slipping out. she
dropped it in the letter box on the
corner. j.,
She did not forget about 1t. but
after that one burst of inspiration 1t
ceased to mean anything to her. There
was her work and Stanley to be taken
care of. Then, too. Spring was at
hand and the garden must be made
and the house cleaned. Oh, there was
plenty to do for one small woman.
All the time the savings account
dwindled, although Priscilla econo'
mized more than ever. She was an
adept at economiZing already. but
now she planned and puzzled. 1t
takes a genius to get four good din
ners out of a cheap soupbone. But
Priscilla did It and smiled over the
achievement. and Stanley ate and Sc
cretly hoped that she was not being
extravagant.
Stanley de- not mend as he should.