Jane Lends A Hand

molasses," said Aunt Gertrude timidly, reading from the yellowed pages of the century-old book of recipes, in which were traced in brown ink,

r, I have to sho

larly at a loss with this strange pupil on her hands, and she had her own grave doubt

ission, and that permission was never given while she was engaged in preparing her doughs and batters. It was a cheerful little room, snug and warm, lined with the old, well polished cupboards in which the tins of spices and dried fruits and crocks of mysterious, delicious mixtures were kept safely locked. Seated at the table,

me less austere; and as he unbent, Aunt Gertrude regained

way," she said, gaily, peeping up into his swarthy

rin of a comic mask. "Only I can't remember to grin while I count out spoonfuls of

re measuring your ingredients. I do it by instinct," said Aunt

arkable person, Aunt Ge

scovered a vein of gaiety in her unsociable nephew. His slight smile, the first spontaneous expression she had seen on his face, was like a light thrown across his harsh, aquiline features, giving the first

s room for hours every day without anyone to talk to." Indeed, there was nothing that Aunt Gertrude disliked more heartily than solitude and silence. Like Jane, she adored people in general, she loved chat and gossip, she l

s back from her strong, white arms, she proceeded to give a demonstration, while Paul sat by, with his elbow on

f an awful trouncing, Aunt Gertrude. Do

. Lambert, seriously, "I n

are, Aunt Gertrude! Here, do yo

redoubled energy. The exercise brought a deep flush to her smooth cheeks; a lock of brown hair barely tinged

are my very favorites, though I know I shouldn't eat so m

u in the window as

thought this

er, too. Then people will say, 'Do you see that fine, stout, rosy, cheerful man? W

ished kneading and rolling the dough, an

e exactly how it i

his pocket, the future baker was sketching busily on the smooth round top

at are y

seeing Mrs. Lambert's

u, Aunt Gertrude. I've been wa

ands with a gesture of indignant reproach. "Here I've been working

Aunt Gertrude could not fully appreciate, showed a woman with her arms in a basin of dough-Aunt Gertrude herself, in fact. In arrangement, and in

ever. Where did you l

gged his

n't k

emembering the business in han

you learned to-day from me? Nothing!

know all about those old

akes,

unt. And then, I'll tell you what-I'll finish it in colors, and I'll give it to you. Yo

flattery as a girl of sixteen, and found it impossible to r

l of dough again, and Paul chatted artfully, to distract her thought

aunt and nephew. But Paul was very slow to drop his aloof curt manner with the rest of

iar, affected accent in his speech, and would use very grand language; then Paul would mimic him perfectly gravely, until Carl was fairly writhing with suppressed rage. Again, Carl was rather given to boasting about himself in an indirect way, and Paul would promptly cap these little bursts of vanity with some outrageous story about himself, making himself out the hero of some high-flown adventure, and modestly descr

Saturday nights, while Elise read "Ivanhoe" aloud, and the family gathered around the big fireplace in the dining room, he used to make them the most wonderful paper dolls, beautifully drawn and colored, and in the greate

liked nor disliked him, and was perfectly indi

e showed the slightest signs of the gift which Mr. Lambert believed that Johann Winkler had bequeathed to all his descendants; and so far not one of his attempts had b

those wintry mornings to knead his dough, and see that the ovens were properly heated, Mr. Lambert chose to believe that his nephew was deliberately t

ng patience altogether. "All of us have got to earn our own salt. I'm not a rich man, and I

le-'" quoted Paul serene

hat it is high time that you proved yourself in earnest, or at least t

r a moment, the

t succeed. Ask Aunt Gertrude whether I've worked hard or not. But I don't want to be a burden to you-you've been very kind,

hastily, changing his tactics immediately. "It merely occurred to me that you

ance in a hundred that Mr. Lambert could be made to understand his ideas or sympathize with them in the least, and Paul, financially, as well as in other ways, was too helpless to struggle just then. At the same time, it had occurred to him, that from one point of vi

nt, when all of them are depending on my being a fixture. It would be better to put the whole

that followed Mr. Lambert's last remark,

," said Mr. Lambert, coldly. "Ag

lf. And what's more, it isn't as if I hadn't tried. I don't want charity, and I thought that if for a while I could be of some help to Aunt Gertrude, it might be one way of paying for my

was how the land lay." He was silent for a moment, and then, carefu

do you w

the music starts," thought Pa

arged in his ear. For fully thirty seconds he was quite s

wha

r," Paul

ised his eyes to the ceiling as if invoking the mercy

I mean an

rough a tragic pantomime of paintin

aid Paul

to assimilate this preposterous idea. At last a tol

l get over this nonsense. Meanwhile, be so good as never to men

ch. Where do I stand, anyhow?" Again the picture of the cr

us attempt at flight, "because I was afraid of being cold and hungry, and now, I'm in a worse fix than I was before." For while he care

choose to regard them seriously, that was his own affair. Pa

lihood of Paul's not getting over his absurd notions; but he was quite determined that they should be suppressed with a firm hand. He made no reference whatever to their conversation, and continued to act as

iscovered that these sympto

Sunday, not as a day of rest, but of strenuous inactivity. All out of door games were forbidden, any books not of the most serious character were sternly prohibited, and laughter was frowned upon by the worthy old merchant, who ruled his household with a rod of iron. Furthermore, he had not accomplished all that he had

xcitement. What they were talking about, and exclaiming over, Mr. Lambert did not know. The window shade was run up as far as it would go, admitting the wintry twilight, and under the window,

ither. What it needs, now-" here he broke off abruptly, as Mr. Lam

, as if they had been caught conspiring to rob a

to show very plainly in his face, through the chill

ll you tak

warm, while I see about suppe

id Mr. Lambert, walking over to the window. Paul, with a rather defiant

times on this day of the week," said Mr. Lambert calmly. "Gertrude, I am surprised that you allowed this inf

didn't know-y

oked dreamily out of the window. Granny, who was rather deaf, had been very little disturbed, and went on brazenly with her knitting. Elise had hastened o

merely a school-boyish production; and, in fact, the very skill it revealed increased his determination to put an end to his nephew's efforts once and for all. He did not overlook the fact that in lieu of proper materials Paul had made a surprisingly successful use of a piece of raw wood, and a few

flush showing on his chee

myself understood. I cannot and I will not have you wasting your time on this tom-fool

y told m

respect! Let it be enough for you that I forbid-I forbi

hes and tubes of paint, but when he started to leave the r

where they were, please."

row them o

obey without as

tterly unlike the moody, disagreeable boy that he had been for so l

e mine, uncle,"

t, pointing to the picture. Paul hesitated for a moment, an

" he said, and walk

hether it too, were guilty of some heinous crime against his rule; then, he took

war was brewing in the household, and with varying degrees of curiosity or anxiety, made their private conjectures

hoe" on the dining room mantel piece; she felt also, that an apple or two was just what she wanted to subdue a certain mild emptiness. The househ

int glow of fireligh

art beating violently, peered about her. Then she saw that someone was sitting in Granny's ch

ho is

a violent start, then with a

at you

e gave a great

you?" Paul ask

tained that she was not afraid of ghosts or burglars-ne

d Paul. "What

," said Jane, suc

ngry. What are y

fix up the fire a little, I could make

ing ashes, and in a few moments, a bright flame crackled

le natures, and over their cups of cocoa, Jane and Paul, who had never been really hostile, began to see each other in a new light. For the f

ggadocio with which he had teased and disgusted Carl. It was not strange that Jane, who had never seen any part of the world save the few squ

rning his own affairs he had been particularly reticent; but now it was as if he could no longer smother down all that was pent up within him. In the

h Jane a

ere and take over the bus

baker would I make?" respon

to be an

ny idea of looking for help to anyone but myself, and as a matter of fact, I very nearly went on to the city to look for work instead of plumping myself on uncle. But I didn't.-I did happen to be 'broke,' and the city was thirty miles away, and then I hoped that uncle would advise me. I had no one else to turn to, and it seemed natural to come to him. Then, when I got here, I found that everything had been arranged for me. What I was to do was all mapped out-for

was s

nk differently as soon as they've got some sense. And Uncle thinks, I guess, that I'll do the same. If I could only show him how much it means to me! If I could only show him that I've got something in me besides a lot of high-falutin notions! I have tried to learn how to bak

ic tradition about the Winklers. I never heard of-" he broke off and began t

you're a wise little worm." This sincere, if rather inelegant tribute brought

d a moment; t

get up and go-yet.

tiently, and frowning as if this piece of advice w

it. His startled, resentful look said plainly, "I thought that you understood me!" But Jane neither retracted nor explained. "And then," she went on, calmly, "Daddy might change his mind a little, if

s in absolute silence. Then he honored the

y and resumed his restless promenade around the room. Jane shrugged her shoulders. A rather long and chilly pause followed. Paul was disappointed in her; but his silent indignation seemed

care about painting as

id, I'd wait and see,"

hink Uncle might

mi

ther Winkler showing up, I'd lik

e of the table, and glowered at the back of her head. Th

e one to prea

ite patient

ut I'll tell you one thing-if things don't

g up. Paul stood up, too. Then

ugh and short. You've got more sense than I have,

e, sincerely amazed. "How can you say that? Why, you're

her hand into Paul's big paw; she felt that rare, happy pleasure that is stirred in a responsive young soul when it is first c