Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-26
Seven dollars week. :"
How much board do you payW
81 Three and a halfv

How much board do you pay"
Three and a half"
"So at the end of four weeks you have
fourteen dollars, not counting your board ;
| just what you would get by doing half the
work, II you had no board to pay. Iwant
| you and Julia to come and live at my house +;
will charge you the same board, three and
half a week, and pay you the same salary
Cor your off week, SO that your two weeks
| work for me would cover your four weeks
board, and your two weeks at the store
would leave the same amount Of money in
| your hand at the end of the month. Do you
see how beautifully my plans work? de-
! clare deserve patentr'
| Il see a great many beautiful things
| about it," said Miss Sophy, with shining
| eyes, ''but don't see where you are to get
| paid for our board"
"Of course am making an outlay; I'll
tell you what for presently. 1 just want to
make you understand first that ID is not on
you and julia; you are fairly to earn your
board. Now for my plan; 1 am crazy to
start cooking and sewing-school for poor
children, because am persuaded that a big
part of the misery of poor homes comes
from the women not knowing how to cook
and sew. l want you and Julia to take week
about managing this for me-"
But, Mrs. Hoffman, we can't cook or
sew ourselves" said Sophy.
That's one more objection than l gave
you leave to make. but pass it by. Pm a
splendid cook, and first rate seamstress,
and can teach you and Julia quite fast
enough for you to teach the school. Now,
don't give me any answer till you have talked
1t over with Julia"
The only answer Miss Sophy could make
was soft KISS On her friends hand. What
she and Julia thought of the plan needs no
telling.
By one Of the little inner wheels, ''work-
ing together for good in Gods blessed
providence, Mr.. Parsons was ready TO accept
the proposal at once. There happened to be
at this very time saleswoman out of en-
ployment, whom he desired to secure; he
promptly accepted the ''two half girls" and
engaged the second woman.
Mr.. Hoffman never again, as long as he
lived, saw his wife look ennuied or dull
Anybody who has tried to cipher out one
page of that great life-book, ''what can l do
to help" knows how rapidly other pages
unroll themselves, clearly and distinctly,
before the eyes. This cooking and sewing
school brought along in its train unnum-
seemed crying out to be done, and Mrs.
Hofman's days were full She kept her
promise about not spelling her husbands
home life with the presence of her pro
teges. A long room that had been intend
ed for her laundry, but viii b she did not
use, as her washing and ironing were
done out of the house, was partitioned
into kitchen and dining room, where
the cooking class took their lessons in pre-
pairing and serving meals. A little table in
this dining-room was set apart for Julia
and Sophy themselves, and though they
could not be expected to devour all the food
prepared, they kept such part of it as they
wanted, dividing the rest for the children
to take home.
The two teachers had bedroom in the
third story, and adjoining it a sitting room,
where the sewing class gathered. This was
taught after dark, and the cooking class in
the afternoon, in order to catch the public
school children, and, as matter of fact,
mothers often came to both. In the morn
ings, besides getting ready for their after
noon and evening work, Mrs. Hoffman
strictly required each girl to spend an hour
or more in the open air; and as there was
material for both classes to buy, and
great number Of protegeS to be "looked
after" this law was readily obeyed. Mr.
Hoffman's part of the scheme was paying
for the materials used and the teachers
salaries, and he emphatically declared that,
simply from selfish standpoint, it was
one Of his best paying investments.
But all earthly plans are liable to interrupt
ton, and it looks very much as if Julia
was soon to desert this charming work
Her "young man" has been promoted, and
declares it is high time she was cooking and
sewing for him.
But that will only leave room for some
other pale faced girl to get her color back,
under your goodness, Mrs. Hoffman," says
Julia, her own cheeks showing at this par
ticular moment red enough for two girls
Elizahe P A Ian IN Interim