Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-05-31
Frosting First
or Last
By MAE LOUISE FOSTER
G. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
WNIJ Service


~ red-thatched head around the
door of the tiny apartment which Alice
shared with a girl friend
Perfectly punctual." Alice didn't
look up. Bubbles seemed to burst in
Glenn's heart and puff away his breath
lous frill Of an apron. preparing din
ner-for him.
He hoped fervently that this one had
turned out as desired. Others, several
others. hadn't. Glenn loved that firm
little rounded chin, but Alice was quite
as firm as her chin. No amount Of
coaxing could change her determine
ton not to marry Glenn until she had
learned to cook.
Up until year ago she didn't even
have to comb her own hair. Then
crashl the family fortune vanished and
much to her surprise she found her
self holding a job. Glenn had urged
that If she'd marry him she'd find her
self cooking just as she'd found her
self working.
w udl IL Sic Sdlu uO ILLS
Glenn's heart seemed to part In the
center to let an ce-cube through. She
couldn't say no today because the COM
pany was sending him to Argentina Sat-
urday. He wouldn't be back for two
years. Two long years without her?
Impossible! She must 60 with him.
The salad was good. So was the cold
meat. The asparagus was scorched and
after the first taste he neglected 1t.
But the jellied fruit and coffee proved
in turn delicious and when Alice pro-
duced a cake dotted thick with pecans,
ne leaned over and kissed her. per
feet" he declared.
~Which?" asked Alice. with little
smile that shouldn't have looked mold
ed but did.
Both" he asserted, land the next
time you see me I'll have a marriage
license in my pocket" Gathering his
courage he explained quickly. THAT
export Job materialized Unexpectedly.
We are leaving for Argentina Satur-
day."
Alice ignored his remarks. Ripping
little laugh, she asked. Didn't you
like the asparagus?"
1T wasn't bad" he said lightly,
wishing he'd had sense enough to eat
1t. ''Why worry about the sidedish?
The rest was perfect"
1.-THE rest" replied Alice slowly,
"came from the delicatessen."
Alice's mouth twisted. "Once," she
said, 81 overheard a conversation In
which you declared can openers were
the first step to the divorce court. Re-
member"
But Glenn wouldn't listen this time
He caught her hands tightly. Just
because this dinner went phooey is no
sign another will. Try again. Try
now. This Is matrimonial crash.
Let's lick it. Is cake hard to maker"
81 never tried, but I'm sure they are,
why?"
Lets try one now and II it's okay,
we'll say its written In the stars, all
signs favorable-and Mrs. Glenn will
learn to cook In Argentina"
They were In the kitchenette, ex-
ploring shelves.
There" she checked carefully with
the cookbook. Now go away and don't
come back for an hour"
"Tll CO." he told her, stealing a
fiour-dabbed kiss. land get the license"
All the way to the license bureau he
was remembering cakes. Cakes his
mother'd made, cakes he'd pilfered
from pantry windows. He saw one
In a bakeshop window. three layers
with crinkled frosting. It looked COM
plicated He suddenly hated all cakes.
Back in front of the apartment he
shifted from one foot to the other
Half an hour more to wait 1t couldn't
do any harm to sniff outside the door
One sniff was enough. He opened the
door, the oven, the windows. Then he
carefully sealed the marriage license
and put it in his pocket.
"What a mess?" he groaned, survey
ing that thing which should have been
q cake and was cinders all over the
oven. He found a note on the table
dleuu, uedT, IL Tcdu. Tue COOhDOOh
says 1t should bake forty minutes. I've
set the alarm and am resting" Glenn
snatched up the clock and praying she
wouldn't notice set 1t back ten minutes
He swept the debris from the over
into a newspaper and dashed out. Or
the way to the bakeshop he tossed Il
behind billboard.
Half an hour later he held his breath
while Alice opened the oven door
There on the rack was three-layeI
cake with white crinkled frosting.
Perfect" he cried, holding hel
close.
It was Saturday and they were
standing on the top deck Of a linel
watching New York sag irregularly
into haze-flung sunset. Glenn's arm
was about her and her scarlet bere
snuggled against his shoulder.
"Glenn. DEAR" she murmured in Z
fessing-up voice, You don't know
how near came to spelling that pretty
crinkled frosting. The recipe didn'
say whether to put It on before bakin,
or after and 1 almost didn't put it on
Wasn't It queer though" she added
that 1t came out white when I mad,
.chocolate?"
81 saw that mess" she whispered
"and hid because / couldn't face you
put ~ vou'd fakp RI ar much fro,,hIo =,