The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-07
BREAD AND BUTTER
BY HOPE AlNSLEE.

Mary Jane Martin received the sum
of IS each week for her work in the
circulation department Of magazine
Office. Mary James work was the ad-
dressing of envelopes and other SIM
/ pie, unskilled clerical tasks.
She lived at home with her mother
farm on the outskirts of the city. She
brought her lunch with her and as
she sat alone during the noon hour
eating her homemade meal she was
| always trying to conceive of plan
| by which she could add to her weeks
earnings.
One rainy day she offered to share |
her lunch with one of the girls who |
had cold and did not want to go out |
of doors.
"Oh, Mary Jane Martin, who makes
that bread?" the girl asked when she
had tasted one Of the bread and but.
ter sandwiches.
Sometimes my mother makes 1t;
sometimes l d." replied Mary Jane,
modestly. She had never known any
other bread herself.
"Why couldn't you bring me a
lunch every day, with this heavenly
bread and butter, and I'll give you
my fifteen cents instead Of to the
restaurant CASHIER" asked the girl.
II never tasted anything SO good"
J Mary Jane began to think. why
} not?" she asked. Perhaps I could,
} and 1t would help to pay my car fare.
wouldn't it?"
Thereafter Mary Jane brought two
lunches, and it was not many weeks
until she was bringing large wicker
suitcase full of lunch boxes from her
home every day. One by one the
girls had been given tastes Of the
homemade food, and one by one they
had joined Mary James lunch club.
The $15O each day that she col
= lected from the girls made enough
u profit to pay her car fare, and Mary
Jane was happy.
MARY Jane, couldn't you bring one
extra box for me every day." esEed
a little girl who had been member
of the lunch club for a couple Of
y weeks. Il want it for my brother,
:. who works on the next street. I've
told him of mine, and once in while
I've carried home little. He's crazy
~ about that homemade bread, and
says he'll call for it every day II you'll
!. make one for him."
u "Of course" Mary Jane replied
10 "Id love to-"
John Henderson called at the office
- where his sister and Mary Jane
worked every day at five minutes
l., past twelve. And every day when he
- took the box from his sister he tried
=" to get a glimpse OF Mary Jane. He
had met her on the first day. bu
since then the girl had never thrus
0 herself into his presence as had 81
, many of the girls whom his siste
knew.
70 One day he asked his sister TO
Mary Jane. "Why-she's always here
of course, John. Shall l call herr"
John nodded II like that girl, bu
>. she's shy. won't bite her. Tell he
: that for me, Cora" he said, as h
ha left.
~, "All right. I'll see that she give
=. you your box tomorrow. So lonl
You should worry: John" his siste
rt laughed as he pushed the elevate
nm button.
-. Mary Jane, at the earnest insis
- ence of Cora Henderson, handed job
p" his lunch on the following day
whats the reason you can't com
out with me and have an ice crea1
~. soda?" he asked.
~ "Oh-there isn't time after you Ell
your lunch" Mary Jane protested.
PLENTY of time. l can't talk
you with all Of those girls rubberir
and kidding u.s." he said.
IN. wouldn't it be better II you ar
no Cora would come out to our house
he Saturday afternoon and meet mot
,at er?'
md John made q move as II to fair
not "Oh, say that would be the best, b
,ce It wasn't up to me to suggest thf
It, was it,"
emit Maybe not" Mary Jane admitte
,al- The following Saturday John al
no Cora Henderson took the trip to q
to Martin farm and spent such an afte
i q noon and evening as they had seldo
ex- spent before in all their tenemei
for housed existence.
be Cora, having no mother of her ow
the fell in love with Mary James moth
the and Immediately made herself
rom home with the children and the VOL
for She helped to churn, she helped
lers set the sponge that night for the 81
Itch day morning rolls, she enjoyed eve
ara minute of the visit.
ton And John could see nothing b
one Mary Jane He had learned to
ally lieve that she was the only girl
on him. and was looking forward to I
9TH time when he could support her a
l. ask her to marry him.
Are you sure it wasn't my bre
and butter that you loved first
asked Mary Jane when he told her
lns- his hopes some weeks later.
'ere 1T may have been, but the bre
ears and butter amt one-two-three n
ram with you, Mary Jane" he said, e
MICS nestly.
r