The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-23
The EVENING STORY

(By Harriet Lummis smith.)

T.
said soothingly
| Cornelia herself was not at all ex-
cited. Her serenity was in most agree
able contrast to Aunt Nancy's flutter-
ing perturbation. To be sure, it was
Aunt Nancy's silver closet to which
/ Cornelia had lost the key.
If it falls into the hands of a dis
honest person." observed Aunt Nancy,
on the point of tears, then goodby to
the silver, including the loving cup
and the tablespoon on which your
Great grandfather Bennett cut his
teeth.
Dear Aunt Nancy" Cornelia rea-
soned kindly, unless the dishonest
person were a mind reader, too, he
ticular key fitted your silver closet" "
! She was about to continue her argu-
ment along this line when Aunt Nam
cy executed one of her illogical fiops-
TT will be necessary to cancel our
invitations for Friday" remarked Aunt
Nancy. with the silver locked up and
only half a dozen spoons and three
forks available it is out of the question
to entertain a dinner party
Cornelia looked at her watch. Il
will get a locksmith at once" she re-
piled. 1.-The key will be ready by to-
night, and Mary can clean the silver
in the morning" She went to put on
| her stree< things, wondering that Aunt
it was to be calm and philosophical in
case of some trifling annoyance like
losing the key of the silver closet.
Cornell is an observant young wo-
man. Weeks before, when nothing was
further from her expectation than the
need of such services, she had noticed
the sign "Locksmith' in a window of
a little hardware store near where she
was waiting to take the car. In the
direction of this hardware store she
now bent her steps. bell changed
| loudly as she opened the door, and
wizened. elderly person swooped out
from a back room and asked what she
wanted.
Cornelia explained. ST should like
to have you see to the matter at once,
| if you please she said, for my aunt
| is in a great hurry for the key.
cant do thing before Saturday, "
snapped the Iocksmith. seemingly Of
Tended because she had not wished to
purchase a range for the kitchen.
but you must, you know" Cornelia
answered him kindly. 81 must have
the key tonight. My aunt entertains
at dinner tomorrow
Il won't have nobody to leave the
store with before Saturday," persisted
the locksmith obstinately. '"Then my
grandson'll be out of school, and. if he
feels like it, he'll stay here while 1 get
the impression of your lock. Them
jobs is more trouble than they are
worth"
Eyes, but you see I can't wait for
your grandson" Cornelia explained
you will have to go at once. l viii
stay and take care of the things until
you are back"
She seated herself on a stool behind
the counter as an evidence of good
faith.
Anybody in charge of this here
store has got to be on to the job" the
| owner explained "Only last week a
rake was stolen out front while was
waiting on a customer. There's an
I ice cream freezer by the steps now
| that's worth three-fifty. If somebody
was to come along and snatch that"
! Nobody will snatch anything while
/ I'm here" said Cornelia. THE address
| is on this card and please say to the
servant that you are the locksmith
| Miss Halves was to send She folded
her arms and gave her attention to a
shelf of cooking utensils several feet
above the 1ocksmith'S head That in
dividual, after several half-hearted at
tempts to distract her attention, put on
his coat and departed on his errand.
The echo of his footsteps had hardly
died away when the customer ap-
peared- At first view, Cornelia had no
thought that he was customer, for
he seemed to be strolling along in a
somewhat ainless fashion
| GOOD morning" said Cornelia ris-
| ing "Can I do anything for you to-
day - Then with sudden dismay she
realized that ont of the stock m the
| hardware store, she knew the price of
but one article. It happens, however,
that Cornelia is young woman of re-
sources. Perhaps I can interest you
in ice cream freezers,' she said with
her most busineSslike air
Oddly enough, this was exactly what
] the young man was looking for 20,
yes' he exclaimed, with seeming re-
! lief, 81 should like to look at some
| thing first class"
Cornelia led the way to the door.
This is our best freezer" she said,
indicating by a gesture the article in
question. eff you'll just set it aside,
please-it's quite heavy"
cts a trif1e large for the average
family, isn't it?" asked the young man.
| Cornelia took alarm. She would
have had no objection to selling a
smaller, freezer had she known the
price of the others in stock.
/ Il shouldn't advise you to get a
smaller size" she said firmly. TT is
much better to have freezer large
enough to meet an emergency Your
wife might wish to entertain several
+ at luncheon, YOU know. And there is
nothing to prevent making a small
amount of cream in a, large freezer
The young man was impressed
That's a good idea" he exclaimed
perhaps still larger one would be
even better, in case we wanted to give
a regular party"
1t was necessary to head him off
again. NO" said Cornelia with de-
cision. eff you give party you Will
need caterer. A freezer larger than
| this would be in your way
That's right" agreed the customer,
who for tractability left nothing to be
desired. ''Ills take it; what's the
price ?''
Cornelia had no idea that business
success was so simple matter. 1t oc-
Cured to her that the ability of the
men who had made fortunes had been
: ore a tIv overesfiunated Then a sudden