The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-27
The Euenine Story
Bobby tho ButIer.

Bobby the Butler.
(By Harmony Weller.)
The room was 30 dense with smoke
that the twelve heads surrounding the
dining table seemed to WAIVER over the
damask like so many ghosts of bach
elors. One OF the twelve was soon to
take upon himself the yoke Of matri-
mony, and this was his farewell din
ner.
Out of the smoke the voice Of the
Honorable Bobs continued the trend
OF an argument on social questions
started by Major Graham.
And 1 say that there is work for
every man right here in this city-if
employment is really desired"
| IT'S easy enough to sit back and
| talk about the positions that are
Open-but just you have look Tor
one of them and see how quickly you
only places left for q man who wants
to get on
ROT" said the Honorable Bobs
and SO far forgot his habitual love Of
ease as to lean forward in his chair.
Rot! 1 say that any man who can't
find something to do right here Is not
worth sending to the Colonies. Out of
the thousands that go only the scant
few who succeed are ever heard of.
That few would have succeeded any
where for they are made OF the stuff
that can push ahead
"Sfnce you are such a WONDER"
Clipped in Lord Henry. Tets see the
kind OF q mess you will get yourself
| into by trying to secure one OF these
many positions" Having turned the
was Lord Henry's want he took
greater interest. ''I'll bet you the
latest thing in aircraft that you
can't support yourself by your own
labor for three weeks"
It's a go!" The Honorable Bobs
| reached across the table and he and
Lord Henry clasped hands. AIR
craft is rather high, old boy" he re-
| marked, and q general laugh followed.
You know there are good wages
| waiting for men, who can lift boxes
down on the docks. You had better
be putting in that order TOR my BIZ
plane.
The vision of the immaculate Bobs
lifting freight on the filthy wharfs
was too much for Lord Henry, and
fits of hearty laughter.
The Honorable Bobs remained
quite undisturbed. That he was
going to win that biplane and show
some people that there was work for
willing men was shown in the de-
1
| eyes. So patriotic was the Honorable
Bobs that the first months OF the war
saw him back from the front with an
arm so shattered as to disable him
for a second trip to the trenches. He
grumbled discontentedIy at the fate
| that prevented him from rejoining
his comrades in the firing line.
'I'll pilot my own aircraft and drop
a few bombs with my left hand, watch
me" he laughed. 81
I'VE will be busy watching you
lift that freight on the docks with
your left hand before we see the BIZ
plane and bombs" said Lord Henry
dryly. A spasm of pain crossed his
face for he had attempted to move
the bandaged leg beneath the table.
were not Hattering to the enemy and
resumed his bantertng manner.
The result Of Major Graham's
bachelor dinner was that the Honor
able Robert Ingraham spent the fol-
lowing morning looking through the
columns Of the newspaper. Posi-
tions Vacant" was the heading be-
Meath which his eye travelled. His
idea was to take a position lacking
any binding by contract, something
that could easily be dropped without
Inconvenience either to himself or
his employer and that would serve
to prove his statement that there was
work for the unemployed in London.
Further and moro interesting as
the result of the conversation at the
majors dinner was the position In
which the Honorable Bobs found
himself. He had excepted a post as
a. kind Of butler in q refined and quiet
boarding house in Holland Park. His
wounded arm, his peculiarly attractive
manner and his evident desire for the
the lady to whom he made the appli-
cation.
Fortunately for the winning of his
bet there was q buxom. good natured
cook In the house who helped the
Honorable Bobs on his way. Other
wise he must assuredly have fallen by
the wayside. knowing little or nothing
about the duties OF q butler. Intelli-
gence and supply of humor were
his. but he possessed no knowledge
on the gentle art Of butlering.
Things ran on smoothly until the
advent of Leona Martin. Leona was
the most dainty of American girls
She had come to the boarding house
to live for few weeks before return
ing to her home.
lieved in doing as the Romans do. so
the morning cup Of tea SO dear to the
British heart, was part of the girls
regime. In Paris she had taken her
chocolate and rolls like the rest Of the
French nation.
The first morning that the Honor
able Bobs knocked at her door with
her cup of tea, Leona felt aggrieved
that she must leave her coy bed and
unlock the door. 1t was q cold morn
ing in January and Leona shivered as
she slipped into her pink kimona.
"Your tea, miss," said the Honor
able Bobs, and put the cup into the
girls hand. He could not remember
having seen anyone who seemed 80
naturally born to rob q man of his
liberty as did Leona Martin as she
stood there in her pink kimona and
with smile Of thanks on her Inns
The Honorable Bobs began to feel
that he wished he had never seen
Lord Henry or any Of the majors