The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-12
The Euening Story



Burned Biscuits.
(By Mary Evans.)
Mrs. Osterby emitted q series Of spas
modic sniffs. It." Sniff believe"
sniff, snin-''it's biscuits again. John!"
Her SOL John. taking :-dv: --"~e Of q
| long twilight. was trying to read his
paper out or the 'front.' porch. He looked
up. Yes. mother" he asked patiently.
II say l." enif, Sniff most certain
| ly smell burning biscuits again.
Since his mother seemed to expect It.
John, too. shifted the air. 1T 10 some
| thing-possibly biscuits mother" he
| said.
mo. possibly about it, John" Mrs.
Osterby declared. Il know the smell OF
burning bread when I smell it: and this
is the third time this week. She let
be shiftless whoever she H."
The person in question was the young
| woman who had recently moved next
| door to the Osterby family. The Os-
terbys. being New England to their
bones, could not possibly call until they
| ascertained whether or not the neigh
| bors were respectable. The young
| woman seemed to be at home alone all
day and at night man arrived. The
| man was young. too; though Mrs. Os-
terby had seen him only at dusk. He
seemed to commute back and forth to
the city.
Il wish knew whether it was her
husband or her brother who has to put
up with that kind Of shiftless way o.
doing things" Mrs. Osterby continue
| Though her con had turned again to his
paper.
Il say. John-do you know whether 1t
is her husband or her BROTH 1T
mann" Mrs. Osterby insisted.
John laid aside his paper with a
| touch Of Impotence. mo, mother, I'm
sure don't. But rest assured she is re-
spectacle or Mr.. Chaplain wouldn't
have rented the cottage to her.
Mrs. Osterby FASTENED to add, "Oh. I
hasn't been carefully brought up IL she
burns the dinner every night
| ''PerhGps not. but-she's pretty, moth
err" John ventured. amiling.
| Then you've seen her-close?' Mrs.
Osterby asked.
mot close enough. mother" the son
laughed.
| "John!"
''what I mean is that I've seen her
just enough to want to know more OF
her, and something tells me 1t is her
brother who comes home so late and
him.
! Mrs. Osterby looked serious. This
might be the case, after all. Perhaps
but no--she could hardly venture to
l
a neighbor.
| IF she goes to church well, we
might call on them. John" Mrs. Oster-
by said.
Watson to look her up and invite her
| to church. That will be quite conven-
| tional, eh, mother ?"
His mother looked concerned. Her
| fine smooth brow wrinkled in perplex-
ity. She nodded her head, however
| "Yaa think Nn111d he 6nna that
way, john" she said.
And John lost no time in seeing that
it was done that way. He had known
the parish minister ever since he was
to him, laughingly, as his duty.
On the following Sunday morning
the girl next door started for church
She looked fresh and sweet in a flow.
cred muslin frock, and She carried q
rose-colored parasol, together with hel
prayer book.
''Yes-she is, John-she is pretty
remarked Mrs. Osterby from behind
the awning as she watched the CIR
pass.
"And I'll venture to say she is lone.
ly, mother" John said earnestly, his
eyes following the rose-colored paraso
down the street.
John did not go to church, though
he wanted to this time. His mother
left him standing on the porch as she
hustled of in her black silk gown
with it's fresh white ruchings.
II hope mother won't lose much
time in calling" he said to himself
THAT girl is sweet = that's wha
she isl
1t was almost a week before Johr
actually met Helen London and hel
brother. He found her even prettiel
as she sat in the hammock opposite
the porch railing where he himself
was sitting than she had been in thu
snatched glimpses he had had Of hel
on the street.
saving. at was the smell of your burning
biscuits-or-or something burning. any
way" he FASTENED to add as he saw the
color mounting to the roots of her curly
hair. that really was the means of get
ting Uncover here?'
IL can't cook very WELL the girl
began to apologize; but 1t is a notion
of my brother Bob's that every girl should
know how. And so we took this little cot
tage for month-just he and I. for
never could learn 80 much at home
| where we have a cook-and I've been
doing all the cooking and housekeeping
Bob's proud Of me in spite of the way
mother, and Bob has always undertaken
my bringing up. Father doesn't under.
stand such things. however"
There was . note Of pathos in the GRIT
voice that touched John Osterby to the
her father didn't know-everything-h
had the sweetest girl for daughter tina
he had ever seen: Instead. he said. cir
more than a month to Learnt
'.Oh-." and Helen blushed again. TT
It might, but Bob must go back HI
doesn't like going back and forth to bust
ssMy mother is good cook. Maybe sh
would teach you and-well. was thinking
that perhaps your brother would let yo'