The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-08-08
By
OCTAVIA ROBERTS


you are 10 eat in the kitchen. This
morning after I left 7 saw you come to
the dining room. / don't allow that"
She stopped, startled by the girls
white face. You ate in the kitchen at
the farm, didn't yOu?" she insisted.
If we did, everybody did We didn't
make no difference between. folks"
My little kitchen is very clean and
pleasant" Mrs. Meeker continued. and
receiving no answer left the room. wish
ing that il were eXpedient TO discharge
this rebellious spirit instantly. but IN
fortunately, she would have difficulty
IN replacing her. Strangely enough, the
general domestic had grown almost as
extinct as the dodo.
An hour later. with white face and
reddened eyes, Myrtle entered the dining
room.
MT Meeker, tall, thin man with
drooping mustache had returned. and
lot an appreciate instant Myrtle wait
ca Tor the Introduction which she sun
posed would follow her entrance; but
no notice was taken of her presence.
As she moved about the table sui
leniy obedient to her mistress direc-
IONS, the Meekers in their conversation
car7lessiy ignored her presence. Once
MIS-. Meeker spoke with deep pitv of
some friend who had been forced 10
10 ner own work. and of her pitiful
efforts to disguise the fact from 9th
eIs' While soon after Mr.. Meeker raised
eIle siooIn OF his eountenance to de-
lndnd; Why can't we have steaks
cooked properly in this house"
His wife's plaintive defense of Don't
ask me- I don't cook the food " left
Myrtle quivering with indignation even
AFTER the conclusion of the meal. She
was quick TO feel that her empIovers
lar from adding gratitude to her wage.
a. Her nelghOors had done, left nothing
Dut scor0 for the necessity that led
ner to relieve them of the bousebo1d
1rudgery. Consequently she began 70
plan some way Of securing herself v-orl- |
more respected and that. at the same |
lHIle' would give her the privilege of an I
independent home life.
Duflng the solitude Of the evening she
-ook the morning paper to her little /
UoHi ana scanned the column of vacant .
situations. az f'i'
none OF them was within her powers.
Except positions similar to the one ebe
low occupied. Lines and lines of tbero
net her eyes. Some of them. remote
rom the country, promised the occa-
4ollal privilege Of automobiles. car
lckets were freely promised: even her
' w, Washing TO be done by some one
,'iIl lower on the rungs of labor's lad
,el' But 10 Myrtle none of these prix,
reyes removed the objections IN ber
resent situation, nor offered the home
Ire, the sociability, or educationaI on
'ortuniues which she sought. In the
Iearth of any other friend she deter
.lliled TO consult the grocer's bov in
he morning. wy III
he dld not appear, however untiI oft
rhoon, and in the meantime the situa-
, Hdd grown still more strained. -NIvr-
y iitu summoned courage to ask Mrs.
ieTAe[ TOT music lessons as she rever-
HIly busted the piano. and had hoe,
romptly refused. Later Mrs ssoo.-oI |
ad requested Myrtle 10 use the saIver
No the girl feeling dimly that il was a
marx OF service, which she hated an
Wered sternly, My hands are cjear ,
iIu tIamped defiantly to the door de- ,
ard?" 4''liIe OF /
The boy from the grocery was +ba ,
MY visitor to the kitchen during +bo !
'ng afternoon. Mrs Meeker from ber
pom saw him jumping boyfshlv over Z
ct low fence, and hoped he wouldn't I
TOP the eggs poised boldly on one ont 5
-Ietched hand. To her he was but an [
-her FeXation in the many trials of t
DuseKeepng- but to Myrtle Rowe. as he {
rang sayly into the kitchen. he was 5
nd light u ne a
Here yit, amt YEP" he grinned soof- 2
bly,. e'ii'iieu Soci- 7
y m trying to get away" she sighed t
AN you help me? I don't l5DoU- q
mere to turn for help. A bow like vo,, f
es good many folks. Amt there
1Dody would want me? I've Thought I
trying at the mills" h
Ever done mill work2''
No; I've just worked on the farm,
Do you have to live on what vou a
ake?" you
res, should say I do 1 not only o
alI 10 support myself, but nv little Q
ser. wish you had time to listen C
Ieel ike I've got to tell somebody" S
ne Doy retreated to where he could
e tne clock 1 tell YOU" he began. = f
ia get these anchOvies to Fielder's Fl
1iIey De rowin' over the telephone: t
, 1oDg l can stop on the way back. h
ley re givin' dinner tonight; y
Inc girl looked curiousIv tbrougb tbo p
ass top OF the jar he held. NV ain't Ct
ey awful! What are they ferq,' h
er search mel Ffelders' girl saws
~ eat en- SO they'll have an anne II
e Ior tnelr dinner, but she saws tbe a.
5 appetite they have the better she's d
7ased, ef she does the cookin' II
'ulqn I be caught dead a-eltin' 'en7 cl
yseIL. Don't happen to have a dough st
u ABOUT, do yOu?" He seized two re
pm the crock she opened. NV, but m
ese Is great Eff you could GET some. IL
leres where you could make tbeee
res you'd soon get along. I tell Won ii
eryboGy nowadays is a Specialist n
most wish I hadn't took up the gro- a
~ business"
ne glanced apprehensively at the hi
OK seized the jar of ancbovies on di
table and disappeared. ia
quarter of an hour later his y,,a5,. VI
'e' sprayed with the spring rain an fr
area at the open window. Il cant ~
ne in. F1elder's gotta have some ps
YES, I'm a-hurryin' back. fust
ne IN 10 say you mustn't try the mills hr
dLiy all the girls have homes. m,
[ nave 10 Pay board. You couldD;1 Al
~ make enough for two Besides
u re good cook. OF course Vol, VI
NJ want TO stay here; I seen Won
uldnt the first time I come ant 81
re are stores that have cake bakers r.
I pie bakers. You ought to per in -
@. them You'd have every evening ~
I all day Sunday" He retreated IN =,
waiting wagon I'll keep thinkin'
nnn-