Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-07-11
MYSTERY
OF THOSE
SPICED
NUTS
IA .s.S.s-S-s-S-s-o-s-~C o.s.s-s.~.s.e-s.e.s-~Rfl
20 by D. J. Walsh.)

NYLvESTER MERRIWEATHER
had been a brilliant, but IMPROVE
~ dent lawyer. He had died sud
denly a year before and had left
old-fashioned home, a loving memory
and practically nothing else. His wife,
In desperation, Immediately took upon
herself the support of the seven young
Merrlweathers.
Mrs. Merriweather had acquired
nelghborly renown for brand of
spiced nuts that she made for home
consumption in more afiluent times.
She determined to capitalize their
popularity and soon the charming old
house on the edge Of the conservative
New England town Of Durham was
converted into confectionery shop.
The idea came to Mrs. Merriweather
one day when Natalie, the four-year-
old baby girl, engaged In fray with a
neighbor child over possession Of a
ragged, the little girl kept shouting,
"Natalle's nutsv Finally the neigh
Dor child went into the house, came
out with nickel and purchased out
right the handful of nuts.
Mrs. Merriweather called her small
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in, chided her and
made her return the nickel. But the
germ of an idea had been born and
as a result "The Natalie Nuts" were
put on the market.
The mother worked day and night
to fill the orders until her health was
threatened from overwork and worry.
All the children helped at times. In
summer they worked on the big, COM
Portable, screened veranda at the rear
of the house and In winter in one or
had converted into shop. There,
with much laughter and badnage, the
children cracked, sorted and packed
nuts while mother did the actual spic-
ing.
Elsie, the ten-year-old daughter, at
the time of her fathers death had
foollshly given up school and had
put her slim little shoulders to the
wheel. She made but one stipulation
that secrecy be maintained as TO
who made the Natalie nuts. Fidelity
to her fathers memory, humiliation
that her mother was so hard pressed,
and youthful pride combined to make
her very sensitive about this family
venture. Two pastry shops handled
the nuts exclusively and obliglngly
maintained silence as to where they
obtained them.
There was a general conspiracy in
the family that Phil Reasoner of all
people must not know. So when the
tall, athletlc-looking Phil came to call
on Elsie Or take her out, rigid silence
was maintained on the subject Phil
was good many years older than
Elsie and his wealthy widowed mother
was the social leader of Durham
Elsie knew well how that naughty per-
son would feel II she knew her son
was counting a toiler.
The Merriweathers made pitlful
little efforts Mt secretiveness. They
kept on hand a supply of cheap wicker
suitcases In which they packed the
candy boxes, six to a suitcase. They
paid a special drayage company to
relay the suitcases back and forth,
rather than have the regular delivery
wagons from the pastry shops stopping
at their door. Sometimes In an
emergency one OF the children had to
make n quick delivery.
Such an emergency arose one
spring evening about dlnnertlme. The
pastry shop six blocks away had tele-
phoned that hostess was going to
give a box Of Natalie nuts to each
guest that night as bridge favors.
Elsie, being the most reliable mem
Der of the family, was chosen to act
as messenger.
She was making the fourth and last
trip carrying her camounaged pack
age when the unreliable fastener Of
the suitcase opened and out tumbled
six boxes on the sidewalk. TO Elsle's
Phil Reasoner was drawing
up. to the curb In his touring car
Franklin YOuman was seated beside
him and both men, seeing Elsle's pre-
dicament, sprang out to assist her.
"You must like the Natalie nuts"
Phil said in an Offhand, reassurlng
as he picked up one OF the
boxes and looked at the name.
"Yes--yes. ! do. I'm giving a
bridge party tonight and Pm using
these nuts for favors." Elsie blushed
furiously as she uttered the fb.
sven give you lift home, Elsie"
lie said, and before the distressed
girl could decline, he had tucked his
free hand under her arm and was
steering her toward his car.
Once in the car, Phil made Franklin
hold the suitcase TO keep It closed.
There was an uncomfortable silence,
broken at last when Phil said. "IClsle,
there's quite mystery as to who
makes those Natalie nuts"
"Yes--I know-that Is ! menn-"
poor Elsie, nounderlng hope
essly.
But her attempt at speech was
drowned utterly ohll had thrown Oh
his brakes and shifted gears with
noisy prctcnse Of avoiding q purely
collision. AS he went
through the elaborate deception he
urned quickly and gave Frnnllln
wink over flsic's bead.
trnnEliu bnde Elsie and PIN COCO
nm - I'm AENH nUtE1l