Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-02-10
A Plate of Kittie's
Tasters
By JANE OSBORN


isfled faster would always make an
eventual customer, SO she regarded
the slight extra expense of time and
money involved in making daily
supply Of tiny patty-cakes as well
worth while. A plate Of these little
sample cakes was always prominent
ly displayed on the counter Of her
small shop located on the highway
from New York to Graham univer-
sity. Over the neat little white-paint-
ed, one-room cottage was az enor.
nous sign with the words "Kittie's
Kitchen" and the front of the shop
was so arranged that on bright days
It might be folded back so that the
cleaning blue and white Of the little
kitchen might be seen by motorists
passing by.
They could see the stove and the
long table where Kittie rolled out
the pastry that was to be the founda-
ton of her famous pies.
On bright days that promised heavy
traffic Kittie made more cookies.
cakes and pies than she did when the
weather was less promising, and
sometimes when promising day
turned out to be rainy with meager
supply of customers, Kittie had more
samples to offer.
One gloomy day in August--that
had started out with sky SO bright
that Kittie had made maximum sup
plies Of everything-a rather forlorn
car stopped before Kittie's Kitchen.
Even more forlorn were the two young
men who alighted from the car and
timidly approached her shop.
Once in the kitchen they looked
hungrily about, signs Of admiration
cleaning In their eyes, They priced
various good things and after con-
sultation bought half dozen patty
cakes for thirty cents
Gee, I'd like some pie" said one
of the young men.
tits sixty CENTS" informed the
other In an undertone.
Don't you want to sample the ple1"
said Kittle, moving the plate Of
samples toward the young men. "You
see I have lots of samples and we
can't expect many customers on a
day like this" Each young man took
sample-which was only too easy
to swallow. "Oh, do have another"
urged Kittie. Ani each young man
took another and then, at Kittie's
urging, another.
tits very wet outside" said Kittle.
tive just made some coffee for my
self. OF course, don't usually serve
anything-but there is a potful going
to waste and some nice thick cream
wouldn't you like a cupful2"
The young men looked first eager,
then detected.
THE truth Of the matter u.s." said
the taller, obviously younger Of the
two, "the bitter truth is that we are
broke"
Kittle laughed as If being fiat broke
was most usual and q rather pleasant
predlcament. II really didn't mean to
sell you the coffee" she said. ut
would be bad precedent because
really don't want to sell cofree-don't
want to bother with the dishes. I
just thought you might drink some so
1t wouldn't go to waste"
The hungry young men needed no
further urging. Each drank two cup
fuls of the delicious beverage.
well certainly never forget this"
said the older young man while the
other stammerlngly said that he hoped
some day to be able to do a good
turn In return.
Early the next summer Kittie saw
strikingly luxurious roadster stop
before her shop. A young man Of
about thirty strobe easily into the
shop, glanced approvingly at the neat
equipment and then at Kittie.
"My brother happened to come here
last summer" he began, and then
looked intently at the girl before him.
Kate Ronald-as live" he ex-
claimed. "Bruce~ she gasped.
Explanations followed. "You see,
my kid brother went broke after the
end Of his summer school work at
Graham last summer. He had to leave
his good car at a garage az collateral
on loan, and he and friend bought
a wheezy old car for hundred dol
lars to make the trip home He'd had
a pretty good time, guess, but he'd
passed off all his conditions so Dad
settled his debts. He's finishing up
his college course nearer home where
Dad can keep closer watch of him.
That bothered Ted because he was so
anxious to come back and thank you
for the way you treated him when he
was fiat broke. As a matter of fact,
| think he was rather hard hlt-but I
don't blame him. Now, as was COM
ing East this summer, he got me to
promise to stop In and see you-and
thank you-and ask whether he might
write"
"He needn't bother to write" said
KittIe blushing. Hes such a kid"
mot much older than you are"
smiled the elder brother. "But this
is surprlse-Tve often wondered
what you we're doing. Hardly blamed
you for not answering my letters"
"If you ever wrote, didn't get the
letters" said Klttie softly. "You see,
after father died there was nothing
not u thing-and so | worked In a
goody shop to learn the business.
didn't want anyone to know-and l
didn't think you cared. And then
got started for myself-realIy, 1t isn't
so bad"
ats marvellous" Bruce assured her
but not so marvellous as you are