Evening star., 1927-11-06

my way with his father gave him
warm. pleasant feeling, but just under
it he felt that he could cry. This was
partly because his father spoke in
such n CHEEKY. chummy way, and
partly because the kitchen was
strangely vacant and unlike itself
without his mother. 1t was not like
their kitchen. 1t was like being in
some deserted kitchen and trying to
he cheerful about it. He did not talk
much If his mother had been getting
dinner he would have told her of
knocking a home run and letting
in three other runs, and she would
have said why. Ben, how splendid
Hand me that spoon which was all
that could be expected from a mother,
mothers not knowing much about base
ball. But he did not feel like telling
his father. He had an intuition that
his father would make too much Of 1t
and be too joyful over it. and that one
shouldn't he so joyful when mother
was sick in bed upstairs.
X X \
UTHERE, now" Joe exclaimed,
when he had taken the rice
from the oven. handling the bowl
carefully with a towel and the coffee
was squirting in the pot. "Ill say
that's some dinner for two helpless
men to get! You sit there, son. Dig
in"
His father talked AS they ate, in a
cheerful sort of way that somehow
seemed not quite sincere. He asked
what Ben had been doing and dug
into the ball games lesser details in
way no father ever digs normally.
They both were aware that they
VIZ Ii fnn al
They both felt shy so they ate far
more than usual. with Have another
piece Of bread, SOM" and well, all
right; + guess So; and 'This rice
seems sort Of cold when you get to-
ward the middle Of 1t. don't it?" and
Yes, l guess so; it's all right, I guess.
Il do hope your mothers not going
to be sick" Joe said once, serious and
frowning
"Yes. sir" Ben said, and choked on
his bread.
At length, they could eat no more.
and Joe pushed back his plate and,
for moment, looked out of the
window.
II think III just run up and see If
there's anything your mother wants"
he said. and pushed back his chair.
He went toward the door. Il wonder
il she wouldn't like some ice cream?
How'd you like to chase up to the
store on your wheel and get pint?"
IAN right. Yes"' Ben exclaimed.
his eyes frightening.
You know what kind she likes?"
Yes, strawbry." said Ben eagerly.
Joe put his hand in his pocket.
But Ben was already on his way.
He wasted no time, going or coming.
He did not sit on the seat Of his bi.
cycle at all, but wove from pedal to
pedal, making the bicycle fairly jump. |
He entered the kitchen, his face beam.
lngly proud. He had never made such
time to the store and back.
''She says we can make her some
tea and toast" Joe said, as Ben put
the paper bag on the table. you get
that tray from the dining room, SON."
Ben asked
Il asked her." confessed Joe. 1--WE
got the Kettle boiling already. "You
Doll the water and then fill the teapot
half full and put a teaspoonfui of tea
in it. 1 always thought there was a
lot more to making tea than that. Is
this the teapot"
Yes, that's it,
"She ought to have a better teapot |
than this; We'll get her one, Ben. DO |
you know where she keeps the tea?"
Yes, it's in that gray Jar. I'll get
it,"
"All right: put spoonful of tea in
the pot. will you?"
Joe was slicing the bread for the
toast. He lighted the oven again and |
laid the toast on the bars. pressing il !
FIRMLY down with the bread knife. |
watch. over it. Ben meas. |
ured spoonful of tea-honest, full |
put it in the pot.
There's one thing about this toast"
his father said; we've got plenty of |
bread, and, il the first don't turn out |
right, we can do some more How |
does Mother like it, do you know
crisp or soft?"
Il should think she'd like it soft, if |
she's got sore thoat," the boy said.
That's right. And, say-see If you
,an't linda napkin or something to |
spread on the tray. And get couple |
If little dishes; we want one for the
ce cream, and We'll take up a dish of
'aspberries. They ought to go fine
With the ice cream
Maybe / could "a got res'b'ry,"
said Ben
Il guess that don't matter" said |
MS father. Have you got a knife and |
fork? Or, hold on-she won't want |
4 knife and fork. Three spoons. Wen |
butter the toast down here. Get |
clean napkin. Ben"
Joe turned the toast. The one side |
was done to a delicious brown.
What you looking for?" he asked.
for Ben was rummasing in the ice |
box.
Some cream" said Zen.
We'll. come now said Joe. II
YOU knew better than that,
Zen. Your mother don't take cream
in her tea
II know that. / wasn't getting it
Tor her tea. / was getting it for her
ras b'ries. if she wanted to eat them
that way"
We'll, that's good idea, too" ad-
mitted Joe. THE creams there on the
table, where | was using it for my
coffee. Only how about putting it in
a pitcher? That little pitcher, with
the fioWers on it. Look sort of better
for sick lady, wouldn't it?"
Ben got the little pitcher and wiped
its interior carefully with a clean spot
on the hand towel and put the cream
IN it. He found a small saucer and
put dozen humps of sugar on it,
Mr.. Miller peeked in at the toast and
n"iItehIE poured boiling water into
the teapot and FASTENED back to the
toast. Ben put the napkin on the tray
and put the spoons and the cream and
the sugar on it. with the teapot beside
them He got a cup and saucer and
put them on the tray. The tray was
beginning to look like something.
X k,k X
IT WAS very sweet and satisfying.
there in the kitchen. with his
father, getting ready tray for