The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-09-03
BREAD AND BUTTER
BY HOPE AiNSlEE.
tCopyright. 1915 by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)

circulation department OF magazine
offi@e. Mary James work was the ad.
dressing of envelopes and other sim
pie, unskilled clerical tasks.
She lived at home with her mother
and three smaller children on tiny
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 wac
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 It,
sometimes | do" 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.
Il never tasted anything so good"
Mary Jane began to think. why
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 $1.J0 each day that she col
lected from the girls made enough
profit to pay her car fare, and Mary
Jane was happy.
Mary Jane, couldn't you bring one
extra box for me every day." asked
a little girl who had been a member
Of the lunch club for a couple Of
weeks. II want it for my brother,
who works on the next street I've
told him Of mine, and once In a 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.
"Of course" Mary Jane replied.
"Pd love to-"
John Henderson called at the office
where his sister and Mary Jane
worked every day at FIVE minutes
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. but
since then the girl had never thrust
herself into his presence as had SC
many OF the girls whom his sister
knew.
One day he asked his sister fol-
Mary Jane. "Why-she's always here
of course, John. Shall call herr"
John nodded. Il like that girl but
she's shy. l won't bite her Tell her
that for me, Cora" he said, as he
left.
"All right. I'll see that she gives
you your box tomorrow. SO long.
You should worry, John" his sister
laughed as he pushed the elevator
button.
Mary Jane, at the earnest insist.
ence of Cora Henderson, handed John
his lunch on the following day
What's the reason you can't come
out with me and have an ice cream
soda?" he asked
"Oh-there isn't time after you eat
your lunch" Mary Jane protested.
PLENTY of time | can't talk to
you with all of those girls rubbering
and kidding u.s. he said.
Wouldn't It be better IL you and
Cora would come out to our house on
Saturday afternoon and meet moth
err"
John made a move as IL to faint
"Oh, say. that would be the best but
1t wasn't up to me to suggest that
was it?"
Maybe not" Mary Jane admitted
The following Saturday John and
Cora Henderson took the trip to the
Martin farm and spent such an after.
noon and evening as they had seldom
spent before in all their tenement.
housed existence.
Cora, having no mother of her own,
fell in love with Mary James mother
and Immediately made herself at
home with the children and the work
She helped to churn, she helped to
set the sponge that night for the Sun,
day morning rolls, she enjoyed every
minute Of the visit.
And John could see nothing but
Mary Jane. He had learned to be-
lieve that she WAS the only girl for
him. and was looking forward to the
time when he could support her and
ask her to marry him.
Are you sure it wasn't my bread
and butter that you loved Hrst?"
asked Mary Jane when he told her of
his hopes some weeks later
ut may have been. but the bread
and butter amt one-two-three now
with you. Mary Jane" he said, ear
nestly.