The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-06-06
SARAH'S
POT-CHEESE
VENTURE

and she was at that moment acute!y
conscious of the dingineSs and the
crack. Her whole being, hitherto COM
aroused by what she had just heard.
From an inner room the sick man,
her husband. called to her.
"Sate! Sate!"
She unclenched her hands and went
to him. Standing at the foot of the
bed, she looked down at him as he lay
there a great helpless bulk with pa
thetic anxiety in his haggard eyes.
"What'd Doc say about me, Sate|
Ira Dawson demanded.
"Why, he seemed to think you were
getting along all right" Sarah an
swered.
"But whend he say I'd be up?'
Sarah thought of the doctors terse
last words, spoken low so that her
husband could not hear.
Hell be all summer getting well,
and even then he's got to be careful
for good while" But she could not
tell Ira that.
'If have to lay here a month, hav-
ing a doctor every day, it'll take every
dollar I've saved up" fretted the man,
Sarah smiled.
ooh, pshaw," she said. You're see
ing lot of trouble over nothing. Now
you 90 to sleep and when you wake
up We'll talk it over"
bo CHI t1pti1
she heard him breathing long and
softly in slumber, then she tiptoed to
the kitchen. She wanted to think, to
think hard. If Ira was all summer
recovering from the sickness that had
attacked him so suddenly and so VIC
lently it would take every penny they
had, even perhaps necessitate putting
a mortgage on the house. They were
poor, yet they had always been frugal.
Ira had worked hard but he had
earned only enough for their needs
and the tiny rainy-day fund, which
would now so soon be dissipated She
had kept the house. For fifteen years
the gentle monOtOny of their lives had
been broken by one event-the death
of their child. That event, however,
had merely proved a great sorrow.
This event of Ira's sickness involved
problem.
SIT looks as if I'd have to do some
thing" Sarah said to herself. "But
what can l do that won't interfere
with my taking care of my MANI?
She looked around the neat, plain
room helplessly. Her eyes fell upon a
bowl standing upon the table. She
had been on the point of taking that
bowl to Mrs. Swans when the doctor
came. Mrs. Swan had been so kind
to Ira, bringing him broth and fruit
that Sarah had wanted to make some
slight return.
"Ill have to take it right over If
she's going to have it for supper she
thought, and, snatching up the bowl,
she darted out of the house.
Her next-doOr neighbor was in her
kitchen and she opened the door smil-
ing.
"Hercs bowl of pot-cheese for
you, Mrs Swan" Sarah said 81 made
some this morning, more than | need.
Ira won't touch it. yon know" This
was her excuse for her offering.
Ms. Swan looked at the contents
of the bowl.
az love pot-cheese," she said. This
looks very nice. How is Ira?"
doctor thinks he'll be a long time
getting WE'LL" Sarah turned away.
She was proud and did not want to
say more than that.
When she returned home she boiled
the teakettle and made a pot of tea.
She could not eat any supper. Her
mind was too full of anxiety.
Two or three times she went softly
to look at Ira. He was sleeping, and
as sleep was what he needed, she
moved away without waking him.
In order to keep the house quiet,
she flung a shawl about her and sat
down upon the back steps. The sky
was warmed by the spring afterglow.
1t was time for great peace and con-
tentment for all save such troubled
ones as Sarah.
There Mrs. Swan found her when
she came 10 EeLuIu Jue empty UOWl.
She sat down beside Sarah so close
that their shoulders touched.
"The pot-cheese was delicious" she
said. 81 never ate such pot-cheese.
Mrs. Corbin had supper with me and
she raved about it. She wanted me
to ask you if you would sell her some
every day. She takes 1t with cream
and sugar"
"Of course I'll make it for her,
Sarah replied, "or any one else who
wants 1t. It doesn't cost anything
but time. Mr.. Armstrong gives me the
milk"
Zone has to have a knack for max.
ing pot-cheese," Mrs. Swan said. 81
never had any luck with it. And you
can't buy it at the groceries. Pve
often thought that a good trade might
be worked up on it. It's one of these
simple things that take"
Was she trying to help Sarah, know
ing how great a need there was OF
such help? Sarah did not know. But
the idea had caught in Sarah's har
assed brain. Pot-cheese 1t seemed
ridiculous, but still, if Mrs. Corbir
wanted ii others might, She woult
see what she could do.
THAT'S a lovely sunset" remarked