Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-23
Copyright, 1908. By Thomas H. Mckee

the firm of Beauregard, Wallingham, Smith,
Beauregard and Jones. he had the income
for these things. And Mrs Talbot had the looks to
carry them In black velvet dinner-gown she looked
so surprisingly well that thereafter young Joseph
Jones' one of the ppant junior partners, expressed
himself believing Mrs. Talbot Smith the pref
test in the world. In the opinion of Joseph,
all was very snug with Talbot s.
Yet there had been times when Joseph had re-
marked In his senior an unspoken worrment, an af-
Aiction which he brought with him to the Liberty
Street Office in the morning which passed away un-
der the invigorating stress of business, and then
came back again when he turned his face committing
~ homewards
And finally there came a morning when Joseph
leaned over the desk of that elder brother in the firm
and with feeling laid his hand upon his arm.
Talbot S." he said 1.-THE time has come for you to
tell me what the trouble is Is secret grief
wrnging your azure chord? Or is merely the good
old wolf sitting at that Pergoese portico, which you
aliege to be a door,"
."oh" said Talbot Smith, "its just the COMPOUNDED.
withoutend servant prohleml
Just lost en- a?'
"oh. no. We lost them all last week, and we've
Just filed our hand again But they've all got to
learn their jobs; and by the time they've learned.
thereIl be another up and it'll be all off again.
talbot S." said Joseph, this time not merely with
feeling but with conviction "by good fortune which
you in no way deserve It happens that you've brought
your piteous plant to perhaps the person In
America who can help you out. The servant problem
is something I've thought TO finish. often wake
til pen cir mar
too. and never having had any servants. can think
wholly without bias And l know exactly where
you've all gone wrong Look here! Did you ever
hit any servant problem in the good old English novel
from Fielding to Trollope9 No. And why? Because
there they chucked 'em under the chin! They said:
"A dem pretty gal egad!' They asked em where
they got their rosy cheeks-and who that happy look
ing young man was they 'em walking out with
Sunday last?"
Talbot Smiths much corrugated brow sraeothed
out little.
well, Lord. now, suppose
'But have you ever done that7 No, I'll bet mining
stocks. or even real money. that you haven't I'll
swear you leave the whole thing to Mrs. Talbot as
II 1t were within gunshot of possible for
to be able to boss another! No, no. Tabby, no, moi
Try the K1ndlleT, Try Iue Dettei way
well, by Jove, now!" said Smith Il know you're
not conscious of 1t. joey. but there may be good
deal in that good deal. I've thought along those
lines myself you know. little appreciation. little
harmless joying you know. 1t might really work"
ut might really work." repeated Joseph. at might
really work. Oh, ioeHf' He gave UP. gathered in
two cigars which his senior had rashly left within
clutching distance, and returned to his own room.
Yet in the soul of Talbot Smith seed had
been planted A very legitimate doubt of any wis
DOM that came from Joseph ]. kept 1t for some days
below the ground But the ground being slowly
moved and lifted
1t was rather matter of conscience with T. s.,
too. He had long felt that it not quite square to
let Isabel take the whole burden in these Affections
And what had been merely the shyest of contemplated
projects grew with increase of holiness into gen.
erous though unconfessed determination.
Nor indeed was Talbot Smith in any wise a fool.
For example, there slightest danger of his
attempting to chuck anybody under the chin He
did not precisely take Isabel into his confidence. He
thought 1t best not TO do that until he could begin
to show results But he asked her privily it, this time
she was doing anything to keep the bunch.
The question made her stare at him. why, what
would or could do? If they like it, they'll stay II
they don't they won't. | should think dear, that by
this time you'd understand that yourself"
And this response seemed, to Talbot Smiths mas
oune and legal mind, to be insufficient both in logic
and in policy Next mornng-he was hreakfasting
alone-he took occasion to say to Regina that the
coffee was mighty good.
Regina was timd foury-complexioned German
girl And in the matter of English she was as yet
rather tmid in the up-take. She looked at him ner
vously, and he repeated the remark
And though she understood then yet she still ap-
peared to doubt When she went back into the kitchen
he could hear her saying something to old Katy the
cook And after silence, Katy herself came to the
door, stood moment, and then slowly turted her
head through. With that peculiar fxity OF counte-
nance which, in the truly Irish means both dubiety
- ea.xadi I'M