The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-20
BUSINESS OF LIVING
One May Be Idle and Rich and Still
Not Have a Very Good Time.
By MRS. EVA LEONARD

Not Have Very Good Time.
What are you doing?" asked Mrs
Weeks Eleanor met her at the door
'Oh, mending. 1t has come to be
continuous performance since 1 got so
behind while Douglas was sick this
summer" laughed Eleanor.
Good" exclaimed the neighbor. Il
don't mean that 1 am glad you are
visit with you while you mend and
not hinder you; can l not?" Mrs.
Weeks drew up a rocking chair to
the mending basket.
That will be fine" smiled Eleanor
replacing her thimble.
Give me needle and thimble and
will help you. You always make
me feel so. useless, and idle because
you are so busy" Mrs Weeks reached
for a needle from the basket.
Surely you do not want to come
over here and do my mending when
! do not like to do it." remonstrated
Eleanor
Yes, 1 do. L do not mind when I
do not have to do it. 1t is the feeling
some. 1 like to be able to leave my
nightgown on the floor and know that
someone will pick it up for me-
Il see, it is the care free attitude
that you are used to. / should not
know how to act and should make a
ing lived in that atmosphere" There
was a twinkle in Eleanor's eyes.
You are making fun of me-" Mrs.
Weeks poised her needle in the air
and looked at Eleanor with her head
on one side. Every one does. Caro-
Ign, Mr.. Weeks sister. poked fun at
me all summer. Am l such a joke %
Jokes have a very useful place in
life; why object to being one? Tell
me about your summer. We haven't
| had visit since 1 came back"
Eleanor was glad to change the sub
| ject.
Had we decided where we were
going when you went away? ?" began
| the little woman, darning as busily
as if it was the one occupation she
loved.
/ 81 think not
well. we had an awful time de-
/ Gliding where to go. We do every
year. Ralph wants to go to. some
bowling wilderness where he can loaf
around in a flannel shirt and khaki.
and hunt and fish all day long or go
| on long tramps, and he is in a state
| of constant surprise that L am bored
| to extinction. You would think he
would learn in the course of years
but he never does, and every year he
| listens to my objections and calmly
| overrules them and then he listens to
my complaints and tells me l have a
| fault-finding disposition" Mrs. Weeks
sighed and tried to look doleful but
her piquant little face broke into a
laugh instead.
why don't you get a temporary
| divorce for the vacation month ?''
, laughed Eleanor. You could go to
! a fashionable resort and show your
fine clothes and your husband could
return to the simple life undisturbed.' %
Il think myself it would be a good
thing; might save a permanent di-
! vorce in fact, but neither of us will
/ take a vacation without Elizabeth
She dropped her hands despairingly
in her lap.
Tell me about the place where you
| went" resumed Eleanor.
| well, in the first place Ralph
] rented a rustic cottage in northern
! Wisconsin on the bank of a lake. We
were to live in the same cottage with
his sister, her husband and four-year-
old child" She waved her hands de-
! spairingly in the air. THAT did not
last a week and 1 skipped out to the
nearest hotel when / could stand 1t no
longer. Fortunately. or unfortunate
| ly, 1 do not know which, there was
another. cottage not far from the first
| one and Ralph rented that for u.s."
| did your maid go with your"
mo, we were supposed to get our
meals at the camp dining room half
a mile away. Is that Elizabeth cry
| ing2" She ran from the room. fol-
lowed by Eleanor.
(To be continued.)