Putnam patriot., 1915-05-28
Porch, Making Talk as They Went.

Porch. Making Talk as They Went.
little laugh.
I've been a pair of pink tights so
long" she said. that l guess I've al
most forgotten how to be a woman.
But once | get this ON I'll bet / can
come back"
She proved it from the moment that
she measured out the first cupful of
brown sugar for the caramel icing.
She shed her rings, and pinned her
hair back from her forehead, and
tucked up her sleeves, and as Emma
McChesney watched her a resolve
grew in her mind.
The cake disposed of-"Give me
some potatoes to peel, will your" said
Blanche LeHaye, suddenly. Give 'em
to me in a brown crock, with chip
out of the side. There's certain things
always goes hand-in-hand in your
mind. You can't think of one without
the other. Now, Lillian Russell and
cold cream is one; and new potatoes
and brown crooks is another"
She peeled potatoes, sitting hunched
up on the kitchen chair with her high
heels caught back of the top rung. She
chopped spinach until her face was
scarlet, and her hair hung in limp
strands at the back of her neck. She
skinned tomatoes. She secured pans.
She wiped up the white oilcloth table,
top with capable and soapy hand.
The heat and hustle of the little kitch-
en- seemed to work some miraculous
change in her Her eyes frightened.
Her lips smiled. Once, Emma Nc
Chesney and Ethel Morrissey eX-
changed covert looks when they heard
her grooming one of those tuneless
chants that women hum when they
wiring out dishcloths in soapy water.
After dinner, in the cool of the sit
ting-room, with the shades drawn, and
their skirts tucked halfway to their
knees, things looked propitious for
that first stroke in the plan which had
worked itself out in Emma McChes-
neys alert mind. She caught Blanche
LeHaye's eye, and smiled.
This beats burlesquing, doesn't p"
she said. She leaned forward bit in
her chair. Tell me, Miss LeHaye,
haven't you ever thought of quitting
that-the stage-and turning to some
g-something-"
Something decent?" Blanche Lee
Haye finished for her. 81 used to. I've
got over that. Now all l ask is to get
a laugh when l kick the comedians
hat off with my toe"
But there must have been time
=" insinuated Emma McChesney.
gently.
Blanche LeHaye grinned broadly at
the two women who were watching
her so intently.
q think | ought to tell YOU" she be-
gan, that | never was a minister's
daughter. and | don't remember ever
havin' been deserted by my sweet
heart when l was young and trusting.
If was to draw picture of my life it
would look like one of those charts
that the weather bureau gets out
one of those high and low barometer
things, all uphill and downhill like
chain of mountains in a kids geogra-
ply"
She shut her eyes and lay back in
the depths Of the leather-cushioned
chair The three sat in silence for q
moment.
Look here" said Emma McChes-
ney suddenly, rising and coming over
to the woman in the big chair, that's
not the life for a woman like you. |
Mo in
much. perhaps. but something decent
something to start with. If you
For that matter" put in Ethel Nor
rissey, quickly, Il could get you some
thing right here in our store. I've
been there long enough to have some
say-so, and if ! recommend you they'd
start you in the basement at first, and
then, if you made good. they'd adj
vance you right along.
blanche LeHaye stood upssnd, twist
ing her arm around at the back. began
to unbutton her Bingham apron
4 guess you think I'm bad one.
don't your Well. maybe l am, But
I'm not the worst. I've got brother
He lives out West. and he's rich, and
married, and respectable. You know
the way a man can climb out OF the
mud, while a woman just can wade out
of it? Well, that's tho way II was
with us. His wife's regular society
bug. She wouldn't admit that there
was any such truck as me, unless,
maybe. the Municipal Protective
league. or something. of her town, got
to waging a war against burlesque
shows. | hadn't seen Len-thats my