The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-15
THE EVENING STORY
Getting Acquainted
(By Joanna singIe.)

In the sweet race he knew by heart
answered the glance by a question.
They We're alone, as usual, and the
babies had been long asleep.
Anything wrong, dear? Babies
cross? Katie rampant?"
The young wife laughed at this, for
COOK Katie was as meek as q. rabbit
NO, Katie is perfect. and the babies
are angels, and though 1 must say I
dreaded leaving my own house. this
nat is the easiest place to keep up, and
such nice neighborhood! 1 quite like
the looks of nearly every soul that lives
within blocks!" She slipped at her cof-
fee and sighed.
Ward chuckled. Does the sigh mean
sorrow that the neighbors are nice?"
1t means that they don't seem 10
md out soon enough that 1 am nice,
and will say that I'm lonesome here.
1t doesn't seem that they intend to
make friends 1t isn't as if we came
mere from another part of the city
were strangers even in the state. 1t
isn't even as if we were horrid climb
ers! I don't care for a mere calling
and pink tea list, or for daily bridge
fights as you call them, but do want
to make friends. Most of the neighbors
have called, and 1 have returned the
calls. But that's all.'
oh, well, the minute I can be sure
the business will warrant our stayinv
here for good Well buy or build our
own home, and things will be different.
Flat jewellers are counted transients
In most places. How about the folks
next door? Rancey has been very de-
cent to me-
well, she called and returned. and
she occasionally borrows some coffee
Or something, and do the same. And
we smile over the fence and mention
the weather, and that's ALL 1t makes
me lonesome to see the other women,
mostly about my age, too, running il
and out of each others houses"
Well. he comforted. I've noticed
That things often come in punches.
They'll come round in time 1 haven't
seen any better dressed or hammered
young person than you hereabouts, and
you're miles prettier than any of 'en"
She blushed girlishly at the husbands
opinion. And you're a better house,
keeper than anybody-things always
look just ready for a function"
They are she asserted with
pride. Mrs. Rancey has been clean
ing and stewing for days because of
little luncheon she gives tomorrow
to the women of the neighborhood-
all but me. Why do you suppose she
didn't ask me? And she is the sort of
housekeeper who let's everything get
cleaning! 1 can see her from the sit
ting-room window fussing about IT
makes me wild to show them what I
can do without the least fussl I'm sure
salad
The two went into the den where
the man got his beloved evening pa
per, and the little wife pricked at a bit
or sewing. She essayed more talk, but
he hardly heard her. so she deSisted.
The next morning she sat and
watched her three-year baby amuse
the two-year-baby on the floor and
turned from time to time to her win
dow whence she saw her neighbor
busy with silver and china and cut
glass. A florists boy left flowers, and
a delicatessen's wagon made deliver
les. A smart negro cateress arrived on
the scene. and from the open window
much talk arose. 1t was a clear,
splendid day, for the heavy spring
rains had suddenly ceased, and April
was a marvel of birdsong and green
cry Cook Katie, in the shining
Joanna, looking. and listening, felt
her hurt grow a little. She might
have been asked, she thought, if she
had" been in the neighborhood there
quite the kind of woman she saw at
the Ranceys.
An hour or two passed and before
noon she had worked herself into
mood. She resolved to bide her time
and retaliate. Once in her own house,
the lovely one she and Ward had for
years been planning when they should
permanently in a business city, and
she would not even know these peo-
p1ei She glanced again from the win
dow. Then she heard a crash in the
Rancey house, scream, and then
some scolding and expostulation. In
a moment the smart negress, her hat
on, swung wrathfully out of the
kitchen, still talking.
mo, amt gwine stay, an be
scoldedl wouldn't a-dropped dat
salad nohow eff hadn't been nervous
long a-bein' 'bossed.' an I'm glad 1
done bruk de old dish! I'm gwine
homei" And despite expostulations,
she departed.
Mrs. Rancey stood a moment. ir-
resolutely in the door. and then the
tears rolled down her cheeks. She
looked up and saw Joanna
"Oh, what shall I do?" she walled.
Here I have ten women due for
luncheon in an hour, and everything
at a critical point, and that creature
dropped the salad and broke the best
dish I owni These independent hire
lings-Pd enjoy whipping herl"
Joanna smothered instantly a little
feeling of satisfaction. and with her
usual generosity rose to the occasion.
She let her gaze rest a moment on the
man fixing the roof above her troubled
neighbor, and then called to her;
Let me LEM you my Katie and my
salad dish. and the material to make
another salad have tomatoes and
lobster-and If"
Troubles, indeed. come not singly.
Another crash and a scream inter-
rupted the glad acceptance Mrs. Ran
cey opened her mouth to make. She
rushed inside, and Joanna ran down.
stairs and followed, painting.
The man on the roof had loosened
a lot of plaster which had fallen and
taken the Skylight in bits upon the
pretty table set beneath. Everything
was smashed and damaged beyond re-
pair.
Mrs. Corson put her arm about her
weeping neighbor
my dear, don't waste a moment
crying now! You can let everything
stand as 1t is here in the dining
room"
'tBut how can tell all those wom-
- he