The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-07
The Evening Story
Cookery and Cupid.
(By Ellis Browne.)

fronting an unkempt lawn. Time was
turf, the paddock alive with horses,
the stables, now desolate, trig and
properly tended, with a lively coach
mans family in the cottage nearby.
| That was before the boom times
whose collapse had swept away the
greater part of the Gordon fortune
| Elinor said passionately to herself
should have taken her and her father
along with the money. Not that she
was cowardly-her case was that of
one who cannot swim carrying a be-
| loved burden beyond strength, I'M
able to assure its safety, still more
unable to let it drop. Without meta
phor, she had to live and keep a SEM
blance of decent comfort upon the
not independent, but the dole of
kinsfolk better off. She could do
nothing to supplement it. nor could
she dispense with it. Bitterly she
told herself that if life were but
transferable she would gladly part
with her expectation of days to some
rich dotard for money enough to
assure her father care and comfort
while he lived.
Although shattered, James Gordon
was not old-bare1y turned fifty He
habit of his blood. So long as he
lived she was bound to care for him
helpless as though in prison. There
fore in her black moods she thought
undertakes life, but as the one door
of escape into limitless freedom. One
drab day was so like another, the
1engthening or shortening of daylight
took on the nature of an event.
There were no happenings. Regu-
larly as the month end came the
monthly check from her uncle. In re-
turn she sent an itemiZed account of
how the previous months money had
been spent. Uncle Jabez had a no
ton she had inherited extravaganza
from her dead mother. He had,
somehow, a notion that his brother
had imbibed from that same source
the recklessnesS in finance that had
stripped him thus bare.
At first. the uncle had permitted
and thus get a slightly larger in
come. But, finding that she had been
so dishonesty soft-hearted as to for
of sickness. he had taken the matter
into his own hands-with the result
of having the house stand empty al
most ever since.
One day, busy in copying her re-
turn, taking special pains to make the
copy fair. Elinor was startled to have
her uncle walk in without knocking,
nod to her father, huddled beside the
smothered fire, turn to her and say,
grump1ly:
I'm giving you a chance you
don't deserve-see that you improve
it. Have let the cottage for six
months provided it's environment is
found agreeable. Two men tenants
artists have agreed you shall
give them breakfast-also dinner
regular-still it will help. You will
give them the best of everything
they are paying enough to deserve
it. No. They will not pay you. I
shall attend to that part. But 1
have opened an account for you at
the market with Higgins+they tell
me he has the best groceries. More
7 e1,p
own merchant-you1l receipt and ac-
count for every bottle of 1t. If my
brother wants glass now and then, |
let him have it: woman should
Never fear but I shall stick to
it, Elinor said, choking. She had |
risen and stood, white and shaking, |
beside the moth-eaten desk but made
please, uncle, won't you give me a |
little broader chance? We have so
much room here-let me fill it with |
summer people. 1t won't be much
have to have help
Help . I think not. Uncle Jabez
profit in sightP No, eS young %g W T she
youn do the work yourself. Often
enough you've whimpered how you
wanted to work"
other way" Elinor nerved herself to
say. II have so forgotten pride |
don't mind being a servant, but I |
do mind being a servant without
wages.
Upon my word, Of all the in
gratitude" Uncle Jabez began acidly.
His brother rose suddenly-it was
seldom he said anything in family
councils. Now, in almost his old
voice of power, he cried: "Jabez-
this can't be. You forget yourself.
My daughter shall serve no strangers.
No! 1 don't forget what we owe
you-it is you who forget what you
owe your blood!''
What I owe it has kept you from
the poorhouse these last seven years."
JabeZ roared back. kept you here
IN the house that you mortgaged for
twice it's worth. Now because 1 want
your fine lady daughter to help a bit
you turn rusty. 1t would serve you
right if l turned out the pair of you
neck and CROP
I'm ready. The poorhouse is not
SO far off. 1 can walk-and they will
send for father" Elinor cried. her
eyes blazing
Her father tottered toward Ler.
But I won't let you stay there with
even if the law would permit.
You should go out and know what it
Is to work and be free
II ought to call your bluff-and say
CO." Jabez snarled. But you bank
ON my family feeling Sit down, Will
lfam-I really had no thought of stir
ring up such a hornets nest Now
tell me just what you object to?
was thinking only for your own
good"
Elinor sank down. burying her head
in her locked arms. The two men
talked eagerly. breaking in one upon
hardly heard them, and
certainly did not heed Presently her
uncle touched her shoulder, saying
with gr11ff contritiou. "I'H send ND ;