The Topeka state journal., 1903-03-14

You see,' Clorinda explained to me
as we proceeded, you pay your fee,
and if you don't get a servant to suit
you take it out in vegetables. It's their
1 system"
assented cheerfully, although to
load ones self with caulitiowers and
savoys seemed but an unsatisfactory
substitute for a cook or hOusemaid- Il
dislike your high class registry offices.
I remarked amiably and tactfully. The
last time L went to one of them the hall
porter said, cruShingly Servants this
way 7 had on a shabby waterproof,
it's true, for it was raining; but all the
same / felt snubbed."
Il wish you would remember to put
4 on your gloves CIOrinda here mutter-
ed in an irritated parenthesis; Its so
/ important to make a good impression
And she let her silk skirts trail in the
dust with an aristOcratic swish
1t seemed to me that the ordeal
! promised to be far more trying to US
than the servants As Clorinda and
advanced between a double row of
them we felt distinctly nervous. But
were they really servants2 Some of
them seemed aged and infirm; they sat
/ like avenging Parcae, or like the dread
/ ladies of Nine. la GuillOtlne, each one
with her knitting. Could it be that any
one in her senses would engage these
decrepit old ladies2 1t seemed extra
ordinary. Where they relatives of the
mysterious greengrOcer, or were they
merely decOy ducks, stage supers paid
to sit here Tor the day ana pose as
servants or mistresses, as occasion re
quired2 Or it might even be that they
We're going through a greengrocery
cure" and found the pervading aroma
of the surrounding vegetables bene-
fetal
Anyway, they all took great interest
in ClOrinda. A bland lady who sat at
desk beyond the knitting tribunal beg
ged to know her requirements. ket-
= AT- 4Trr "a
the aroma of hot toast was waited in
from some adjoining room Clorinda
played with her sables. and explained
her wants at some length. with a little
unnecessary detail and perhaps d few
trifing divergences with respect to
/ cook" creaking shoes, the policeman
and the crumpets-
The bland lady intervened. There was,
/ it appeared a sudden and most regret
table dearth OF cook generals that
day. Only yesterday they had come in
shoals; but today the influenza had
played havoc with their ranks.
So unfortunate! There was. thus it
seemed, only one possible cook. or one
damsel who passed as such, among the
waiting phalanx of elderly ladies. OF
this person there was very little, and
that little was more aggressive than
/ lOquaeiOus. She looked at Clorinda and
me with suspicion latent in her eye
Business 'ouse2" she inquired me-
chanically, somewhat as If the question
No, we disowned the business 'ouse' -
''Boardin' 'ouse?" was the damsel's
next query.
Certainly not" said Clorinda with
dignity 7 board no one but my own
immediate family. Not even police
men," she added, with spasmodic recol-
! lection. You are not fond of police
men2" (this with sudden doubO-
Policemen" said the cook applicant
with some hauteur: why, I'm walking
out with young man in the 'airdress-
ing line. an e don't want me to go
too far from is custom. No, I amt
fond of policemen, nor vet of open ran
ges Did I ear you say open ranger"
Here. seeing that it was to be a long
business, I discreetly turned away and
admired the cabbages. BY the time 1
returned Clorinda's applicant had taken
/ a back seat" and she herself was the
/ centre of an admiring audience-an au-
dience. in fact, of the Parcae. who. drop
/ ping their knitting. were freely offering
disinterested advice.
What L says is as I says to all young
/ 'ousekeepers,' one was remarlHng, be
gin as you mean to so on; ave clear
rules then you won't ave to stand no
nonsense"
I always write out a neatly tabulated
list of the cooks daily duties, said
ClOrinda, and 1 hang it up in her bed
room"
quite right. like to see a young
I merried 'Ooman so pertikler,'' comment
ed another approving member of the
tribunal.
But during this conversation the cook
applicant had walked away. The cab
bages had her retreat. Was she-hOrri-
Bile thought-herself a perennial ser
want. a mere decoy duck2 And was the
" 'airdressin' young man" himself a IA
brieation of thin air2
Il wonder why she did that?" said
Clorinda puzzled she seemed so
promising. she agreed to everything;
even to clearing the breakfast things
And don't think that even AIarmaduke
could object to such a very slight
squint. But (hopefully) she knows
where live. She probably had to catch
her train"
1T may be the hairdresser's day out
Or perhaps her shoes creak' I sug-
gested.
"she viii doubtless call on you to-
morrow" said the Head of the Tribunal
Then (as I waited to adjust my veiD
in a quick change" and undertone:
Don't You think o. stirrin- yet, Mrs.
Jones. I thought we was never gOin'
to git rid of 'er; some of EN- do worrit
SO. The teas on the ob, and it's
drawed somethink beautiful. and
Mria, she's nipped out to git a pat o.
the best fresh an some s'rimps."
Thank you kindly, Mrs. Moss. do
like the loneliness of these 'ere little
parties. They 'elp to pass the time away
somethink wonderful, an we all says
stoclSin' a fair treat. She was a pretty
young thing. too! but lor'! she don't
know much"
while waiting for me by a pile Of blush