The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-09-12
ROAST BEEF, MEDIUM
4 Business Adventure of Emma McChesney
SSSSSSSS22
By Edna FERBER
Author Of "DGSn OHG,a. - Battered Side Doom. . etc.


erwards, In telling about It. i've seen
matinee idols, and tailors' supplies
statesmen, and Julian Eltinge, but this
boy had any male professional beauty
l ever saw, looking as handsome and
dashing as a bowl Of cold oatmeal.
And he knew It,"
Now, in the ten years that she had
been out representing T. A. Bucks
featherloom petticoats, Emma McChes-
ney had found it necessary to make
a rule or two for herself. In the strict
observance Of one of these she had
become past mistress in the fine art
OF congealing the warm advances of
fresh and friendly statesmen of the OPP
posite sex. But this case was differ
ent, she told herself. The man across
the table was little more than a boy
an amazingly handsome, astonishingly
impudent, cockily confident boy, who
was staring with insolent approval at
Emma McChesney's trim, s~hirt-waist.
ed figure, and her fresh, attractive col.
oring, and her well-cared-for hair be-
ANuNA II ZIG uAlA4GA udAs
ut isn't in human nature to be as
good looking as you are" spake EN-
ma McChesney, suddenly, being a per
son who never trifled with halfway
measures. III bet you have bad teeth,
or an impeachment in your speech"
The gorgeous young man smiled. His
teeth were perfect. Peter Piper
picked a peck Of picked peppers" he
announced, glibly. Nothing missing
there, is there?"
Must be your morals then" retort-
ed Emma McChesney. My! My! And
on the road! Why, the trail of bleed
ing hearts that you must leave all the
way from Maine to California would
probably make the Red sea urn white
with envy"
The fresh young kid speared a piece
Of liver and looked soulfully up into
the adoring eyes of the waitress who
was lowering owe him.
Got any nice hot biscuits tonight,
g%irlie?" he inquired.
I'll get you some; sure" wildly
promised his handmaiden, and disap-
peared kitchenward.
Brand new to the road, aren't you?"
observed Emma McChesney, cruelty.
What makes you think
Liver and bacon, hot biscuits, Wor-
ce~stershire," elucidated she. mo old
timer would commit suicide hat way.
After you've been out for two or three
years you'll stick to the Rock of Gil
braltar-roast beef, medium. Oh. 1
get wild now then, and order eggs
II the girl says she knows the hen that
laid 'em, but plain roast beef, un,
chloroformed. is the n best bet. You
can't go wrong if you stick to it,"
The god-like young nan leaned for
ward, forgetting to eat.
You don't mean to tell me you're
on the road"
why not?" demanded Emma Nc
Chesney, briskly.
"Oh, fe, fie!" said the handsome
youth, throwing her a langulshing
look, ANY woman as pretty as you
are, and with those eyes, and that
hair, and fgure-Say, little one, what
are you going to do t~onight?"
Emma McChesney sugared her tea,
and stirred it, slowly. Then she looked
up. Tonight, you fresh young kid,
you!" she said calmly, I'm going to
dictate two letters, explaining why
business al rotten last week, and
why it's going to pick up next week,
and then I'm going to keep an engage
ment with a nine-hour beauty sleep"
Don't get sore at a fellow. You'd
take pity on me if you knew how l
have to work to kill an evening in one
Of these town pump burgs. Kill EN-!
1t can't be done. They die harder
than the heroine in a ten. twenty,
thirty. From supper to bedtime is
twice as long as from breakfast to
supper. Honest!"
But Emma McChesney looked mex
orable, as women do Just before they
relent. Said she: "Oh, l don't know.
By the time I get through trying to
convince a bunch of customers that T.
A, Bucks featherloom ~petticoat has
every other skirt in the market look
ing like a piece Of Fourth Of July
bunting that's been left u in the
rain. I'm about ready to turn down
the spread and leave a cal for six
thirty"
BE a good fellow" pleaded the IN
quenchable one Lets take in all the
nickel shows, and then see if we can't
drown our sorrow in-er-"
Emma McChesney slipped a coin un-
der her plate. crumpled her napkin,
folded her arms on the table, and re-
garded the boy across the way with
what our best talent calls a long, level
look. 1t was so long and so level that
ven the airiness of the buoyant young
ster at whom it was directed began to
lessen perceptibly, long before Emma
began to talk.
Tell me, young 'un, did any one
ever refuse you anything? I thought
not. l should think that when you
realize what you've got to learn 1t
would scare you to look ahead. l
don't expect you to believe me when
l tell you l never talk to fresh guys
like you, but it's true. l don't know
why I'm breaking my rule for you, un-