The Washington herald., 1916-09-24
TYPES
Service. "
BY SARA MOORE.

The kitchen measured twelve by fifteen
feet In II lay her world. Tim came
into II every night at half past six, bring
ing the evening paper. and he read the
jokes and war news to her while she
cleared away the supper dishes put the
baby TO sleep on the FIRE escape. and
maybe sewed on a button or darned. Tim
and the comic section were the only
events Of her day apart from household
routine. Sometimes he was too tired 10
read or even 70 talk to her Then he
went to bed growing At those times.
she sat in the dark and held the baby,
or leaned out on the fre escape and
watched the people in the street below.
So long had the kitchen enclosed her.
only a picture world. The people were
no more real than the flckerinE ones
In the cinemas TO which Tim had taken
her in courtshp days All reality for
her centered in the washtub under the
draining board by the sink. the gas stove
in the other corner and the cradle. It
was like the jUEgler who had to keep
so many balls in the air at cnce. II
she cooked. washed, nursed and sewed
ut certain pace and II Tim worked
and worked and worked and kept the
Saturday pay checks coming. they both
managed to get to rent day with a
breathless sort OF success that showed
how slender the margin Of safety had
been. They had no reCreatioas. ENcur-
sons and holidays meant gala clothes
Ielia and Tim had all they could do
to keep their work clothes neat and trim.
Therein they differed and were apart
from their neighbors. Tim had no in
tention Of living from week TO week all
his life. He wanted a cottage, some day,
and a bit Of earth in some Western city,
and Della was willing TO deny herself
for TO- n,Tr DE-
sometimes, when for days she had been
alone. when her only outings were the
early morning Sunday mass or excursions
to the grocery, she wondered II she would
be able to stick TO her bargain Her
friends who lived better. were quite
negleCtinE her. She longed for some one
who could talk over a waist pattern or
little Tins latest tooth.
And then her husband began TO drift
away from her. He was studying at
night school and getting on very fast
indeed. When the boss complimented him
or when his own hopes made him elo-
quent she wondered IL she and the baby
were not handica piping him. He would
succeed faster without a family and she
began to entertain a morbid conviction
that he wished he had not married.
What good am l to him." she wept.
trying not to sob lest she shake the bed
and wake him. Sure any one can cook
his meals. II he didn't have to pay such
rent he needn't wear mended clothes"
Tim really loved the baby. and this
Della knew and was grateful for. But
she was getting too thin to be pretty and
he was too tired to notice II anyway. All
she was in the world was the bsby's ten
der and Tins cook
One night. when Tim had forgotten TO
read the comic section, Della picked up
the paper and read for herself Then
she glanced at the headlines. and her
Indifferent glance turned to pages Of the
war. There were pictures OF battlehelds
and great generals and airShips but one
that fixed her eyes WAS none Of these.
II was a large picture Of a German field
kitchen. The thing she saw was a trsv-
cling stove and before II stood an army
cook A decoration, the Iron Cross, was
being pinned to his coat.
Below the picture a brief newspaper
story paid tribute to the work OF the
German army chefs. Under fire. in rain
and sleet and bursting shells. this cook
and others like him had risked their
lives to carry hot rations to the men in
the trenches. The Kaiser had recoE-
nized the Importance OF their service.
They were decorated for personal hero
ism as frequently as soldiers who car
ried or manned guns. Patient tending to
soup kettle was as important to the
welfare Of the German army as good
Workmanship.
The quality OF the food served to him
is the measure of the efficiency OF the
man." said a famous general.
Mrs. Della put down the paper. Her
lips parted and pale color died her
cheeks.
'If l thought my cooking had anything
to do with Tins work IL would be diff
ferent," she whispered
Then
why, suppose II does, after all Ny,
amt IT goin' to be awful interestin Just
to think about what he's estin' an what
it is goin' to do for him.
And after that Della grew brisk and
less dreary eyed. She had made the i'm
Eportant discovery. She was not drudge.
She was a builder.
Copyright 1851