The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-25
The EVENING STORY


To Let-A Bachelor Apartment.
(By Martha C. Sanrord)
At last Gerald Mason felt himself
safe. No more dinners, formal dinners
that is-no more anything. He had de-
| Hberately made his final bow to society
| as an "elgible''-how he loathed the
| epithet!Land had retired behind the
! curtain an unattached and unattach-
/! able man.
| OF all the many clever business
strokes he had effected in his brief
| career, this whereby he had subverted
his whole manner Of living without the
| consent of either his family or his
| friends, was the coup d'etat Of them all
| The idea Of buying Arlington court
! had been suggested to him by bach2-
| lor friend who lived there and who as
sured him that it was an unusually
good real estate investment. Mason at
! tracted by his friends description OF
| it, went around to look the property
| over.
Next he bought it. Then, incidently.
| "recluse." Brother Mason. other
obvious nicknames had been hurled at
| him in consequence. But he could
stand 1t. He had been SO downright
comfortable. It was jolly. Why were
| men such fools as to live any other
latent appreciation of what life really
was.
Six months in this luxurious hermit
age apparently only increased his de-
votion to it. The women OF his former
social sphere despaired of retaining
him. and with much reluctance, drop
ped his name from their individual
"blue books"
The men made no effort to reclaim
him They rather enjoyed dropping
| in on Gerald" and, If the truth were
known. used this privilege with uncon-
scionaln1e frequency as an excuse for
declining formal invitations. In Iact'
Arlington court had acquired a walt
inc list of prospective tenants that
must have gratified the business ac-
umen of its new proprietor
When it happened therefore, that one
Of the suites was unexpectedly vacated,
tJcre was no use OF advertising the CIR
cumstance. But the janitor, unminolui
Of this, hung out an allurlng slgh, as
had been his custom under the 1orIher
regime
Nan Stevenson saw it on her way
home from an afternoons shopping In
town. without waiting to count ten
| discreetly. she followed her hrst I'M
puIse and rang the janitors peii. II
REQUIRED considerable diplomacy OF the
feminine quality to overcome tnat III,
dividuars stubborn prejudice TO the
presence of ladies in Arlington court.
| But he was at last prevailed upon 70
conduct his inQuisitor to Masons
apartment and to Introduce her TO the
| latter's houseleeper.
you will show pc the apaItnlsn5.
won't YOU. Mrs. Mcqueen" pleaded
Nan with an earnestness well planned
| to be irresistible. 1.-THE janitor was
inst nlain obstinate. But you will I'M
| derstand. know. You see, my-my
| brother is very anxious to hnd JUST
| such suite as this. isn't II TOO coy
| for anything here? And he has so very
little time to go around hunting for
APARTMENTS So when I saw the sign
| thought I'd come right in and find
| out all about it. 1t might be taken be-
| fore he could get around, you see NOW
Mcqueen"
THE stolid scotch housekeeper watch
ed Nan with amazement and fascina-
| ton as she fitted about while she talk
ed. examing the place at her pleasure:
.'Weel," she began. I fear
"Oh YES YOU could" broke in Nan
wheedlingly.
1T couldna show you the other apart
rent that's to rent. Miss, but" she
added. her face lighting with genlal
inspiration, "tis a the same as the s,
masters, and that IL siio" 'o0
pleasure"
Nan all but embraced the aston1sned
Mrs. Mcqueen. In fact, the glrrs genu-
inc enthusiasm, as they went from one
room to another, SO completely won
the houseleeper's heart that she threw
her native caution to the winds and
allowed Nan to gaze upon the mousse
holds inner shrines-shelves piled hlgn
with snowy linen cupboards hlled with
homemade preserves and Jelhes, ana
(pardon the indecorum OF I'D "aro.
robes hung with rows of immaculate
and neatly pressed masculine attire
oh" gasped Nan. taken aback for a
moment at the unexpectedness OF this
last disclosure, my, my-brother would
simply love all these closets Do you
press all his-aH Mr.. Masons clotnes'
Mrs McQueen?'
saThat I do, Miss. You see was
seven years lady's maid
AREN'T you a treasure" Nan ex-
claimed, smiling upon the modest little
housekeeper with open admiration.
"Ry the way" she asked suddenly,
what is the rent Of these apart
ments?"
Il dinna ken. miss. but high, nae
doot," Mrs Mcqueen replied, her tenn
porarly discarded canniness reasserting
itself defensively. You could write TO
the master. miss"
mo. I'll wait for him. Nan an
nounced. decisively. what time DO
you expect him?'
"Ony meenute moo, miss"
"Well I'll 'bide a vice.. laughed Nan,
and settled herself in Gerald's COM
Portable armchair before the fire.
Mrs Mcqueen had nothing to do but
acouiesce, but this she did so graciously
that Nan almost forgot that she was an
impostor and intruder and allowed her
self to be treated with the hospitality
Of an invited guest. 1t was great fun.
Have a bit O. tea. miss urged Mrs.
Mcqueen, appearing suddenly with a
shining silver tray bearing dainty tea
service and a dish Of freshed baked
scenes e Twill refresh you. miss. The
master would wish 1t, I'm sure
As Nan slipped the tea and nibbled
the scenes she took the liberty also OF
opening a book that lay on the table
near her. turning its pages casually