The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-13
ROSES---AND POTATOES.


1.-THE carnations and srnilax and ever
greens are coming down in the carriage
with the Japanese lanterns and the
funny little tissue paper CAPS.
We were getting ready for the char
ity dinner at the mission chapel, and.
of course, Polly was doing the trim
mings. Polly always does the trim
minRs.
great masses of green and pink, will
they find room for-the potatoes. for
potatoes" said Polly, scornfully, as
she took a mass of blue forget-me- nots,
which she calls a hat" off her pompa-
dour. and laid it on another grocery
box. Those, Mr.. Heavyfeather, Will
be nsidered-afterward, of course"
Like matrimony. after courtship. /
suppose" 1 sighed picking up long
stemmed rose and holding it gingerly
by the tin end.
"Yes," said Polly, cor housekeeping
after the honeymoon"
''Or the bill after the dinner"
''There won't be any bill after this
dinner" said Polly, because the
deacon donated the potatoes and
things. and kind lady donated the
roses and lent US her teacups."
How thoughtful of her" I remarked.
II am sure those starving little slum
youngsters are just yearning for-roses
served in china teacups. Who was the
lady. Polly? a Delsarte pupil with
ION the contrary" said Polly, pull
ing the thorns off a long green stem
with the deXterity of an eXpert. "she
was nice, commonsense little thing
interest in her meals. I distinctly saw
her take three helpings of chicken salad
at the ladies' aid meeting"
1.-The kind" suggested, who would
spend ten minutes before breakfast
curling her hair and two minutes max
ing sloppy coffee"
YES" said Polly land who would
spend the whole afternoon planning an
evening bonnet for herself instead of
planning an evening lecture for her
husband and the whole evening say
ing pretty things and flirting with you
instead of going over the grocery book;
and her whole life making thing in
teresting and pleasant instead of cut
ting down the expenses"
And her declining years." I added
''in the divorce court instead Of
''Darning socks!" broke in Polly. Not
half so many divorces she went on
ARE caused by cold coffee as by cold
dispositions. Whoever heard of q man
seeking a separation because his wife
let the biscuits burn while she kissed
him in the morning? Nobody! But there
are dozens Of good cooks signing for
the husbands they forgot to kiss while
they were busy making batter cakes
1t is never the woman who makes good
biscuits who lures a man away from
his fireside and his bachelor comforts,
but the one who wears a rose in her
hair. Potatoesi" and Polly damned a
rose down into the epergne with a
scornful shove. you keep potatoes in
your kitchen, don't you-on the shelf?
Potatoes are cheap. You can get them
and hire Mary Anne to cook them for 81
a week. But you don't want them
hanging around your drawing room,
nor your dressing room. nor your den.
Now, roses are acceptable anywhere;
you like them at the breakfast table
in the morning, at your desk at noon,
and in your bottonhole-''
Il didn't know" said l. that the
modern woman liked to be carried
around in mans buttonhole-like an
adjunct"
she doesn't said Polly. care to be
done brown and digested or left on a
plate-to be forgotten the moment she
ceases to be useful
And" I went on, ignoring Pollys
outburst, if she does want to be orna-
mental as well as useful-even a potato
has a blossom, you know"
"A sprouti" interrupted Polly.
Which" I continued, "a king once
thought lovely enough to wear in his
button-hole."
Polly picked up a full blown rose
with jerk that sent a hundred leaves
f1uttering about US like a pink snow
storm.
Roses" said I, looking at the empty
stalks significantly, are SO apt tc
fade and wither."
And potatoes" replied Polly. 'get
hard and old and knotty and develop
eyes"
That's So" said I. land it isn't wei
for a woman to have too many eyes
Besides" said Polly. gathering W
the fallen leaves and putting them ant
the stalks in a little pile, "a rose has
heart"
80 has potato" I remarked.
But you have to dig through 81
much exterior to find it." declared
Polly. "And the average man is toe
lazy to dig He wants the good thing:
in hfe's repast set out on his plate, no
hidden under it,"
And yet" said I, discovering the
heart in a woman who doesn't wea,
hers on the surface, and who seem,
cold and unfathomable, is like discov
ering birthday gift under your plat,
in the morning. The surprise is yer!
sweet"
Perhaps" said Polly, meditatively
holding rose against her cheek. S
that you couldn't tell which was which
out now many men are going to hun
for the surprise? Nine times out of te
the poor little potatoes virtues renal
hidden to the end of her DAYS. whe
she is left on the matrimonial kitche
shelf along with the onions and tn
cabbages. A woman" and Polly pu
the last rose in the epergne and stoO
=. -. NAiS ellSStf IKE d TOSt
is meant to be ornamental If she ca
be useful, too, so much the better b1
it isn't absolutely necessary There ar
so many potatoes in the world-2O I
every rose. Why. look at the woman
clubs; they are full of potatoes. nice
solid, useful ladies, who make the worl
good and intellectual and-stupid an
embarrassing. Look at the reform or
CARNATIONS and the woman's rights as
sociations, and the working girls asso
Citations, and the working girls unions
potatoes! potatoes. nothing but pota
toes. But when a man wants a u-if
he doesn't apply TO the intelligence OF
fee, nor to the secretary of the reforr
club. He doesn't go about searchin
for nice. hard potato in short skirt.
eyeglasses and boots. He doesn't as
woman If she can make good nj
erusts and darn socks so that the
won't be knotty-not nowadays, at an
rate. He just goes blindfoIded into