The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-23
The Evening Story
A Bowl Of Soup.
(By Molly McMaster. }


constant broadening of woman's indus
trial sphere and Of making use Of ones
talent and ability.
I'm afraid my only talent is-soupv'
she lamented.
Soups hardly a talent, my DEAR
reproved her mother. who was not in
sympathy with the progressive women
of the day.
But might not the making of it
prove to be, mother?" Isabel asked, half
in earnest.
"Nonsense" replied Mrs. Anderson
and dismissed the frivolous suggestion
from her mind.
But this was not the case with Isabel.
She had heard of women who had
made tidy little incomes by making
aprons; she knew of a girl who had
made a fortune by making candy. and
she had read of persons who specialized
in chicken salads and crullers or mince
pies for woman's exchanges. So why
might not she try her hand at soup?
| The idea was really suggested to her
on the pond when she was skating.
There were hundreds of skaters trying
to keep warm while enjoying the sports
on the ice, and Isabel was sure that
most OF them would have been glad
to have a steaming cup of her delicious
soup If it were conveniently at hand.
| OAG 4AASR1A dllOA 1OlOWCQ duOlucI anu
Isabel began to plan rapidly in her
mind. Dotted around the shore of the
SKATING were bungalows that were oc-
cupied during the summer by members
OF the club to which the pond and
surrounding grounds belonged She re-
called the names of a few of the fami-
lies who leased the cottages.
Mr. and Mrs. Walker Brown! know
they would let me have the use of their
cottage for 4 few weeks" she decided.
And forthwith she wrote to Mrs.
Walker Brown, whom she had known
more or lesa intimately before her
marriage. she outlined her plan and
offered to pay q nominal rent for the
use of the bungalow.
Promptly her friend replied that they
would not think OF taking a compen-
sation. but would be only too glad to
have the cottage opened up and used
by Isabel. Mrs. Walker-Brown, who
was one of the semi-sOciety women
who had advanced views on the sub
ject OF women in business, commended
Isabel for her enterprise and wished
her success.
| Inside Of two days Isabel had had
the cottage cleaned and ready for bus
mess. 1t stood on the very edge of
the skating pond and Isabefs only adj
vertisement was a whispered word to
a few friends on the ice.
| All during the skating season she
| was buster than she had ever dreamed
of being, and the skaters. young and
| old, sought the pretty bungalow for
| a cup of IsabePs tomato PURGE or
chicken gumbo or cream Of oyster
soup. She served nothing else except
the breadstuffs that accompanied the
soup and after a week several Skat-
| ers came with buckets in order that
| they might buy and take home some of
| IsabePs soup.
Wont it be possible to get it after
skating is over?" a young man asked
Isabel. He was a stranger
well, l hadn't considered perma-
nently going into business" the girl
replied. Tit is so new to me-
1T seems rather too bad to abandon
such a promising opportunity, does 1t
not?' the man ventured farther.
dying embers in the bungalow fire
place. Yes" she admitted. 'and espe-
cially in view OF the fact that 1 made
the venture solely to prove that pos
sessed money-making TALENT
The man abandoned his task Of eat
/ ing and took observation Of Isabel as
il he had not before noticed the real
woman. His first glance had told him
she was pretty; her conversation led
him to believe she was interesting.
you've proven ii, he said. It's an
original idea.''
| Isabel busted herself with one person
and another and did not see the young
man again, although he did steal into
her thoughts occasionally.
| When the skating season was over
she had netted a comfortable little sum
| Of money and she found that the idle
life that had always been hers palled
on her unspeakably. After days and
nights Of INDIGESTION she determined to
go into business. And, although she
was not encouraged by her family, she
managed to perfect her business plans.
"A Bowl of Soup was to be the name
of her tiny soup depot, and she had
envy In the city and in the neighbor-
apartments.
One venture led to another. and Isabel
Anderson was widely known in few
years az the owner of series OF soup
depotS, each of which was known as
"A Bowl Of Soup.
She was q little surprised, one day in
a summer during which she was find
ing the responsibilities Of business rath-
er firing, to get an invitation from Mrs.
Walker-Brow to spend q -eekend
with her at the bungalow ON the side of
the pond.
Il believe IN 90. I've . sentimental
regard for that bungalow and it won't
do me . bit OF harm to rest Tor .
couple OF days." Isabel decided.
Al they wound through the woods to-
ward the bungalow Mrs. Walker Brown
divulged to Isabel the reason-the
prime reason-for her invitation
TITS 10 perfectly. irresistibly ro-
mantle, my DEAR she said. This man
came to the house and asked If he
could get bowl OF soup. happened
to b out 1t the BUNGALOW early In