Evening star., 1927-11-11


V kitchen table rolling out pie
4 i crust. The sunshine came
into the small, neat room, the
canary chipped seeds and twittered,
the geraniums bloomed redly. And
the oven was just right. Malvina had
tested it by putting her hand in.
Malvina was making mince pie and
she was doing it beautifully. With a
knife she cut fern leaf on the evenly
rolled out dough that was to be the
cover, then she fitted the cover on and
crimped the edge with fork. When
she had cut away the unnecessary
dough from the edge she thought that
the pie was as perfect as she could
make 1t.
"a lot depends on the baking" she
sighed. "Well, good luck go into the
oven with it, and she shut the door
upon it.
Then she sat down to watch its
baking and crochet a bit on her pill
lowcase lace. Malvinas hands were
always busy.
II hope Lulu will like It," she
Thought "She is so fond of mince
pie. AS soon as I get it baked so l
can be sure that it will be all right
III run over and ask her. don't
usually have pie for supper, but this
is an unusual oCCdSlofl.
Malvina was small, pink woman
with gentle eyes full of blue childish.
ness that instantly indicated her in
genuous simplicity. Life had dealt
rather miserably with her, taking
everything she had loved away from
her and substituting something that
would answer, but was not nearly so
good. For instance, she had married
Obidah Ward, when she wanted Syl-
vanus Gardner. She had lost her own
child and had been obliged to have in
it's stead a nephew Of Obidah, rascal
who no sooner than Obidah was dead
ran away and left her. All her life she
had wanted Della Burman as her
friend, but for some reason Della did
not take to her, and so she had had
to do with Lulu Soper. Lulu was well
enough, but she wasn't Della.
The pie came out of the oven crisp,
sizzling, fragrant. Joyfully Malvina
flung a shawl over her head and ran
across to Lulu's. Lulu sat toasting
her large feet and stroking her little
dog that had crept up on the arm OF
her chair.
whats the excitement?" she in
quired as Malvina appeared.
81 want you to come over to sup
per, Lulu. I've got something know
you'll like"
Lulu laughed happily, leisurely. She
was big, soft, sleepy-eyed woman.
widow like Malvina, but very we'll
provided with worldly goods.
''I bet it's mince pie" she said. "All
right. I'll come. When do you want
me?"
"Any time you get ready"
Malvina was happier than ever. She |
few home and arranged her table. She |
clipped all her geranium blossoms to |
make a little bouquet. She creamed |
potatoes and sliced meat and opened |
q lar Of peaches. Lulu loved to eat. |
Afterward they would sit by the fire |
with their crochet-work and talk. Lulu |
would tell about Mrs. Bright, whom |
she admired very much, and how she |
had bought this or that, or done some. |
thing or other. Malvina did not care
for Mrs. Bright, but she didn't mind |
having Lulu expatiate on the woman. |
"I should think Lulu would come"
she thought. 'I can't think what
keeps her." She looked anxiously from
the window. Maybe she has fallen or |
something. I guess I'll go over and
see."
Again she threw the shawl over her
head and ran across to the Soper
house. A dim light showed within and
she heard Pluff, the dog, yapping, but
WnSu Sic tTlSU lHS OOOI Ak was
locked. The door was locked! As she
stood wondering what it all meant a
woman who was passing called to her.
Lulu isn't there, Mrs. Ward.
Just met her at the corner of Wright
and Whitcomb streets. She was hur-
rying to Mabel Bright's. Mabel had
asked her to dinner and she said she
didn't get the telephone message in
time to fix up as she wished"
"Oh" Malvina found she could
speak. Cali right then, Mrs. Hood"
she called and returned home. The
festive outlay of her little supper
Knocked her as she looked upon it.
Lulu had turned her back upon NAL
vina's mince pie for the sake of Mrs.
Bright's fricasseed chicken She had
no doubt it was fricasseed chicken.
Another woman would have been
uproariously angry, but Malvina was |
only hurt. She stood beside her |
kitchen stove, twisting her hands and |
trying not to cry.
How silly 1 am" she thought. |
"But she had accepted my invitation |
first. 1 never dreamed Lulu would |
do such a thing" |