The Storyteller
THE JEWEL
(Concluded, fram, last jweek.); .-'Making a . cake ?' , "- ' - ," '-'.Yes. 1 " -.. • ■ - X' - -.'.Oh, -say,-- as if il had -vist occurred-to him, ' ' make- a i try-cake for us.' r[\ 'd- can't, I^—' .r ' -:.»?-.■/;; -.--„,, -- ' Oh, please, please, Gracia ! ' -'■;.- ' Well ' - , - - ' ' ! Thanks ever so^ much. Put* it right in the oven, Gracia, 'cause we'-liave'to be at Harry's in three _mm- . .utes. Let me _p_ut the stuff in the pan. My Art, isn't U lumpy '.' Look, at" the- lumps, would you ! Martha '-■ ■- -""' _~~V- • - ;ru - . . -'' Bob ! .'> ,: , -.»■" -.- ' "*. <\ -a«| . ,' I guess you -didn't beat- it enough.'V*V „ - ' Bob, go out of the kitchen.'at once;' - " ' Wcli, hurry -with the cake. Cdhie-on, Art. Say, Gra ' - / ~ 'At once.' ._--., ,-. ___, •- ' Oh, I know she will hurry,'.said Bob diplomatically 1 over his shoulder. - -." .'..,• ,-,„ ::; you dare to come- hack this" afternoonTDo you hear?' 'Theu,^ as th.ey meekly -departed.",^ she closed the door after ihenY, -murmuring as she did so :'^ ' Poor dear Martha.' - According' to Bob's instructions, .she proceeded • to beat- the batter again. ."Suddenly -her vigorous stirring slopped. 1 A letter ; the very tiling.' Then she continued beating more hear'Aly than ever. ' I cannot stand it for two long mortal weeks. I -wish why,-.--I'-ru actually—pining for- .the'" three -VR's;" -probably because. I have had an overdose of dus I, dinners, and dishes. 1 Gracia emphasised her^scn- • tehees by heavy strokes with the batter spoon.. Four last~ strokes were usetT to underline - the^rVheartfelt words: 'Poor, dear, sweet Mar t/ha,'' with VneTsmaH'tear . to. punctuate it. - -'-*. * ' c 5c 5 -- .- '/.' As. soon ,as the batter was transformed into that species of .eclble called, cake, .Gracia slowly * ifTaide^ her way up-stairs. ,She r entered her pretty room /and-seated,-herself at her deskr There 3vas "c 0 d°~or ~ \die~ expression ou her face when she-resolutely"^' took _-her pen to"--write the following on her best monogram '-^Paper:-" .' - ' , ff'f :,""""' "'"' /"My Dear Martha,—l . humbly .tfeg your pardon ' for sending >s you away as v I did. Please,, come back, Marina. '-What .1 thought were, faults '.in. you are only ■>): imperfections (spots on _ the, sun), of which - tliei • best cooks ..must sometimes be' guilty. 'I K was guilty of them, and- more, too., I said you were slow, but the 'tilings \\hich you accomplished before-breakfast I. did hot finish till the afternoon." I said youiri "aprons we're not clean at, times—dear Martha,' i| you^had. seen the- - one I had on the other night—l -think?you -are perfectly wonderful., I don^t know.-the first thing about - rjeal housekeeping. It is -a great imposition to ask you, when there is so 'much work here,-but,.l would like you- to;, teach me how you do it,-.a;ll. Please, please,; come back to this belated house. In. hope, .. • * * , GRACIA :HOBBS. "if.jbhat doesn't bring her .we'll go to a- hotel.' This humility .made Gracia a bit savage. In the library that -evening ■ .Gr,acia"'?was to her father. "Abruptly she "ended" her paragraph : ' Father'! ' "' ' - - -, Mr. Hobbs guiltily dropped • his hand, which ' was tracing his name in the dust on the table. '-Forgive me, my dear-: —' ■ . i. " ' Never mind, father. I—l'm no>t a great success at this, am- I?' - ,-..-." ../•%.,' /..'' -~ " 'You 'did fairly well. - T kmean • very well; of course. ' Would you.s^ll like to study"' domestic science ? ' ' ~ ~" At present only by correspondence, -.father ? '.. "■ - - ' Yes./ - ; v ' r~*- ■' 'If I wrote a > very humble lettej: to Martha, do .' you; think /she would return to us? vl"vr . • - " s '"Possibly.' Mr. Hobbs 1 eyes twinkled^ ',Bui don't 'send it till to-morrow morning.' '""' :J: J 1 Why ? ' ■ V Z ~ -.•-' "' ' -' "HVlartha told me she wo.uld. come back to-morrow on her word ' - •*?' "'■"•'■; ' Oft, vfather, dear, I've sent ,it ! ' . , - • " * * ■ iArid the nex.t day the Jewel was "reset. —' New . World. 1
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New Zealand Tablet, 20 December 1906, Page 3
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594The Storyteller THE JEWEL New Zealand Tablet, 20 December 1906, Page 3
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