Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-14

one who was willing she couldn't learn
to make anything fit to eat. just
gave UP the ghost after that. My.
these are like the rolls my mother used
to make She took i1er fourth. only
better" she added honestly. Mother
never used cinnamon"
don't believe Cousin Effle had had
compliment in years. She got all red
and pleased, like a girl that's just had
boy friend bring her her f1rst box OF
candy.
my stars!" she said, actually hus-
tered. 1T can't see why any girl would
mind baking a few rolls. Why, bread
is the easiest thing in the world to
make
That's just what mother always used
to say" said Mrs. Curtis.
I got into a conversation then with
Mrs. Jackson and her sister, and
didn't hear all that was going on be-
tween Mrs. Curtis and Cousin Ef6e, but
In the scraps did hear-incredible as
it may seem-Cousin Fife was still
talking about baking. I didn't hear so
much as preliminary symptom men
toned!
THAT night Will was pessimistic when
l. told him what I'd done.
But it really turned out all right"
assured him.
Maybe it did this time" said VIII.
"But what about next time? And
next? How'll you like 1t II she puts IN
an appearance next Thursday, or when
ever it is we're going to have the Kir-
steds and play of the five hundred
scorer"
It actually Shocked me to hear Will
talking so callously. didn't remember
at the time that that was pretty much
the way I had talked up to today.
tried to explain to him what had hap
pened that had made me feel different,
but the trouble was that really nothing
had happened.
"Of course, I'm sorry for her. too"
he said, land we want to do the right
thing by her. But that doesn't mean
that we want her dropping in on US all
the time"
It was very queer. Any one hearing
us would have thought Cousin Ef1e was
my relative. didn't blame VIII, but I
couldn't get away from the feeling that
he didn't really understand. However,
we dropped the subject, and to my re-
lief Cousin Fife didn't appear the night
we had the Kirsteds She didn't come
the next Sunday, either. In fact. 1t
was nearly two weeks before I saw
Cousin Effie again. Then ran into
her in the bakery.
To my amazement she was ordering
hundred pound sack of flour.
"Merciful powers!" exclaimed.
when do you ever expect to use q
hundred pounds of flour all by your
self?"
Cousin Fife beamed.
I'm baking rolls to SELL" she said.
isn't that funny? You know, the day
after your party baked up a couple of
dozen as little surprise present for
Mrs. Curtis. She was so pleased! And
after a while she hemme6 and hawed
around, and finally asked me If I'd be
insulted if she asked me to bake her
some every week and let her pay me for
them. Insulted! There's nothing in
sulting about honest work. I said
would. And then Mrs. jackson said
she would like to get some regularly.
too, and Mrs. Jackson's sister"
The funny thing, though, was the
way that baking those few rolls grew.
Why, inside Of six weeks Cousin Ehie
had so many regular customers that she
had to hire two girls to help her SRtur-
days.
It suddenly dawned on me one day
quite some time later that she hadn't
dropped in on us for such q long time
that felt conscience-smitten. called
up and invited her to come over to sup
per that very night. She seemed very
pleased, and said she'd have been glad
to come, but that she'd had a special
order for a luncheon the next day and
she'd got to say home and set her
dough that night Her voice sounded
awfully apologize, too.
81 don't want you and VIII to think
i I'm neglecting you, Dottie," she said,
but I've been so busy. If I've said to
myself once I've said hundred times,
I must drop in on those children.
But I'm never just ready to start that
somebody doesn't call up or drop in to
order some rolls"
"IIow are you feeling?" asked anx-
iously. "You mustn't overdo and get
sick, you know
"Oh, I'm feeling fine" she answered
absently, as though she hadn't time to
be bothered by little thing like dys-
pepsia. I'm branching out in dough-
nuts. want to talk to Will-he has
such good business judgment-and see
what he thinks about my taking in
Matte Whitaker to help me. / had a
call just yesterday from the Verblan
Country Club to ask il could make
them six deep-dish apple pies for a
special party they're having next week.
"Well, wouldn't that knock you for a
goal!" Will exclaimed when / told him
about 1t that night.
And she said" went on excitedly,
| that she hopes not to have you send
her monthly check much longer"
| Honestly, it's been like a fairy story
on small and very business-like scale
She went a few days later to see Will
about ordering some tin boxes to send
f, things out in. And when saw her in
at Mats the end of the next week ]
actually didn't know her at first. She
had on nice new blue dress and an
almost stylish blue hat. She looked at
least 10 years younger. She was getting
special price on eggs on account OF
| using so many.
She was awfully glad to see me and
was more apologize than ever.
st promise you that ] positively will
drop in on you some day this week, y
she said. MY going to Wills office the
other day was just because was In
such hurry that didn't have time
to come clear up to your house. II
wasn't that didn't want to see you
too. You low tsl:...."
She leaned over and patted my hand
/ "You know, my dear. I'm not the
kind of person who thinks all in-iaws
| are nuisance. Why, / couldn't be
fonder Of you II you were real rela-
tive instead OF just my second cousins
49, ...s...a.