Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 182, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1912 — MADE HIM EARN CHERRY PIE [ARTICLE]

MADE HIM EARN CHERRY PIE

Resourceful and Independent Daugh- ■ ter Gave Old Eph Just the Lesson ; He Needed. Eph Wasson did not believe in the sweetness of bread earned by the sweat of the brow—at least hot by the sweat of his own brow. Sq Mandy, his wife, like many another industrious colored woman, not only took in washing to pay for the groceries, but chopped her own wood, built the fires, and waited on Eph besides. But there was a change when their daughter Clarissa came home. “Clar,” who was an expert cook, had gone to school and become a teacher, and had acquired an independent spirit. She quickly took In the domestic situation. Now all the spring Eph had watched the cherry tree in his back yard with a watering mouth. If there was one thing that Eph liked more than another it was cherry pie ; and Clar was famous for her cherry pie. As good luck would have it, she had come home just as the cherries were ripe. “Clar, honey,” said Eph, in a wheedling tone, the morning after her arrival, "won’t you cook yo’ ole daddy a cherry pie?” “Very well,” said Clar, and Eph shuffled off happily to his usual loafing place. “Law, honey,” said Mandy, when Clar started to make the pie, "dar ain’t enough wood. Yo* mammy’ll have to get some.” “Not a stick!” ordered Clar, emphatically. Moreover, there was no sugar, and only a half-cup of flour. However, that did not disturb Clar. She picked a pint of cherries, put them in a pan, and* poured over them the pint of flour stirred in water. This mixture she put in the oven and lighted the only two sticks of wood in the house. At noon Eph came in with eager anticipation, and sitting down at the table, called for his pie. Clar set it before him. He rolled his eyes at the moss in astonishment It was a queer-looking pie; still Clar was always learning something new. He cut into it and took a big mouthful. “Why,” he, exclaimed, *you done forgot to put the sugar ini’* "No," said the daughter. "You forgot to get it” "’Taln’t half done!” hb grumbled, with the sour, clammy mixture sticking to his teeth. "It cooked as long as the wood lasted,” said Clar, unconcernedly. “And I ain’t had a cherry pie for more’n two years,” Eph said, pushing the plate back and shaking his head mournfully. , “When you get something to make it with and something to cook it with, I’ll bake you a cherry pie,” said Clar. “Huh!” grumbled Eph, in disgust “If Ts got to work for a cherry pie, I’d ruther have greens.” “All right,” said Clar. "The greens are out in the pasture; go eat ’em.” But the next day there were wood and flour and sugar in the house in time for a cherry pie. After niisslng three regular meals, Eph had concluded that victuals of any sort were worth working for—if he could not get them in any other way.—Youth’s Companion.