The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-05
The EUening Story
Her One Talent.

and all of the Americans living in
London were doing their utmost to
help, yet Della Thorne could do moth
ing.
Even before the government war
service had been started she had
| longed to offer her services in some
capacity, for there was work in plenty
for women who could fill the positions
| left vacant by those who had gone to
| the front. Every business house in
the country was sadly depleted. Work
| OF every description was waiting for
! those capable of using their intelli-
| gence.
To say that Della Thorae scorned
her own uselessness in the time of ire
mendous sacrifice and glorious en-
deavor on the part of the women of
her country was putting her case
mildly.
Twenty thousand women have reg
istered themselves as capable of help
| ing in some capacity or another, and
l can't even use a typewriter inteIli-
gently or figure sufficiently well to
sell ribbons behind a counter" Della
thrust this appalling fact tefore her
own mental outlook a hundred times
a day She worked herself into fe-
Yer of resentment against the system
| OF development, or lack of develop
ment, that surrounded the idle rich.
For Della was one of the idle rich.
| A letter which reached the honor
| able secretary of the WOmen'S Elmer
| gency Corps was the outcome of De-
| las frantic desire to do something
and to become a part of the great
struggling nation.
The honorable secretary, Miss
Diana Mershon, tossed the letter to
her brother, who sat working labor
iously over the days correspondence.
Had Jack Mershon possessed half of
the robust supply of health with which
his handsome sister was endowed, he
would have been in the continental
trenches with his comrades.
There is girl after your own
heart, Jack" laughed Diana. Diana
Mershon was an avowed suffragette.
successful organizer, and she could
make a telling speech before a multi
tude of people, but knew she would
be failure asa home-maker.
Jack smiled trifle wistfully and
picked UP the dainty little letter.
Hon. Secretary, Dear Madam he
read, II am one of the o1d-fashioned
ultra-feminlne type of girls. Is there
to help the government war service?
l can do absolutely nothing except
keep house, since I have been per-
fectly trained for that purpose. I
ried and all my training has been to-
ward that end. My engagement, how
ever, has been broken and now 1 am
free to occupy my time in business,
stupidity brought up as L have been
My position is such that domestic
service is precluded. Is there a
chance of any kind for me to do even
a small portion of good in this striv-
ing world? Please do help me- if
you can. I would be glad to keep
house for some of you fortunate wo-
men who are out in the busy world;
that I can do. Very sincerely, Della
Thorne."
Diana Mershon wondered, as her
brother read this letter, if the
thought it had inspired in her own
mi mr. would he 70 n y,1 ole
When he looked up she knew that it
had.
Bully ideal" he exclaimed, as if
Diana had already voiced her de-
cision. I'VE both need an intelligent
person to take our household in
charge, don't we, Dip
: She smiled a bit wistfully as she
gaZed at her brother.
Poor old Jack, know have made
rather a mess of homemaking. If
Della Thorne can make an orderly
home for US she will be doing her part
in the Womans Emergency Corps.
want a real home as much as you, but
don't seem to know just how to man !
age it?"
You can do everything else so well |
Dr. he said fondly. Here you are |
about to help another poor soul who is |
floundering about in the world. By |
Jove, you're a bricki' Jack Mershon |
never quite knew whether it was ad- |
miration for his sister or relief in the !
prospect of having an old-faShioned |
woman in his household that drew I
forth his enthusiasm on this occasion. |
He cared not a particle whether 1
Dedia Thorn'S nose was aquiline or |
Grecian, or whether her hair was
sunset gold or dusky black so long as
she was possessed of no business acu-
men or ability for stump speaking. |
All he wanted was woman who |
could attend to the household affairs !
as his mother had done, and make |
home place he 1onged to get back
20 fn Iaax til
the morning.
When Della arrived at the headquar-
tiers of the corps in answer to Diana
Mershon's letter, she felt strangely
elated. She had hungered so long to
be of some service to some one that
she entered Miss Mershon's office with
a smile on her lips and a song in her
heart.
most out of charity, Della said to Miss
Mershon, when arrangements for her
to take charge of the big, untidy-kept
home had been made
mo, L have not Diana assured her
frankly. My brother she
glanced over at Jack, who was trying
his best not to stare at the new re-
cruit requires a real home. He had
bad fall from his horse some time
ago and it has left him not perfectly
strong. We business women seem I'M
able to be in two places at once, and
1 must attend to the work here-it
is my duty, you know, since 1 am
capable of helping the country If you
can transform the four walls of this
house into real home for my brother
and me 1 believe you will be doing as
great a good for the country as any
business woman could do
81 feel sure 1 can do that Della