The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-13
EVENING STORY
Sister Ann Butts In.
(By Louise La Rocque.


how much a pound it Yves. tho L
did know that the steak we had for |
dinner cost just one dollar and three
cents. He didn't in the least mind |
our having expensive steak. In fact, |
have it because he likes it. But he
wanted me to know just how much
a pound it was And then he asked |
me how much lamb was, Ind L said
didn't know, tho know just how
much the joint we had on Sunday cost |
And then but here Tad's tears got
the better of her and she leaned on
Sister AIMS broad young shoulders
and shook with sobs. And then-and
then he said that-he said that if
most men ran their businesses as .4re
lessly as women run their homes they
would all be ruined. oh, how could
he, Ann? When 1 awyaS keep such
strict account of Just how much every
thing is. Just because 1 didn't know
how much it was q pound he said that
and Im-so-so dreadfully unhap-
ply and 1 don't know what to do.
Ann had gone to her brothers little
bungalow after a frantic appeal from
her ~.7ter-in-law. Tad. I'm in such
trouble" she said, land know you can
hip me out
But 1 don't like to butt in" pro-
that she was four years younger than
Tad, was looked upon-perhaps be
cause she was tall and broad-shoui
dered and observation-disclosures the nat
ural arbiter of all Tad's marital DIM,
cultieS Il don't like to butt in, ana
dear knows L don't know anything
about managing husbands" Ann had
said over the phone, but II you want
to cry on my manly shoulder all right.
I'll be over in jiffy. ana sister
She took Tad to her heart and pa
tiently let her weep out her little
storm of tears and assured her that
she wasn't in the least vexed with her
sBut what am 1 going to do?' wall
ed Tad Bert has been your brother
longer than he has been my husband.
You must know how to manage MN.
Why, 1 was so cut up about what he
said that 1 just lost heart in the
housekeeping and that made Bert
cross and he's SO stubborn that he
went on bringing up that theory OF
his about a mans being ruined IN
business if he managed things as bad
ly as most women manage their
housekeeping. 1 do manage carefully,
don't 1? 1 can always tell you just
how much our milk and meat Dill is
calories of energy we get for every
dinner and-and 1 always have Mar
tina sift the range coal and l always
use up the sour milk. What snail L
do?''
Sister Ann paused for moment.
Nerves. she said at length with
the decision of specialist arriving
at a difficult diagnosis. Both got
nerves. What you need is a change
Get your mother to ask you to visit
her for a while. Change would do
you both good"
But suppose when I come back
Bert is just as stubborn as ever. Sup
pose he still thinks that about the way
f-JrT7 h0nSpCp''
az Leave that to me- easily promised
Ann. I'm not afraid of Bert-be-
cause we aren't in love with each
other, I suppose. Tell him tonight
you are soing, and if he says anything
more about housekeeping just smile
and pretend to be preoccupied with
your going away plans What he
needs is a good overhauling in the
part of his brain where he keeps his
opinions about women and house
keeping. Leave that to me. What
you need is a change. When it is
time for you to come back III wire
you"
So Tad went away, and tho the
summer heat was increasing and Sis
I'ter Ann had planned to spend the
season with her chum at the sea-
shore, she determined to pass the next
few weeks in the city.
She found her brooher Bert at the
office the day after Tads departure.
What are you looking so mopie
about?" she greeted him, in spite of
his cheerful smile.
.sMopie. mopie," wondered Bert
"Oh, maybe it's cause Tad's gone
tho, as a matter of fact, L wasn't sorry
to see her go-needs a change,
guess
'Oh, has Tad gone to the shore?
Where you going live?"
Martha, the cook, is staying" eX-
! planned Bert. L guess we can man
age"
| Goodness, can you afford that sort
of thing?" asked Ann. Cooks are
always wasteful when you leave them
to their own devices.
"Oh. are they?' queried Bert. mild
T " Interested. We'll, We'll see
| But what l came in for is this: l
want iob-want to earn some money
| all my own. Can't you squeeze me in
| here somewhere? I'll do anything for
fifteen dollars a week, and I'll bet IN
| side of O. week l could be worth three
times that amount to you right here
| Bert smiled but he was used to
taking his sister at her word
How'd you know how to run
brokers' offfce?''
| s.Fd Just apply a little good house
| keeping. I'd keep my eyes open for
one thing I was just looking in the
waste baskets as | was waiting in the
| outer office to see you why. there
was enough paper thrown away here
| by careIessneSS to last a stenograpner
| a week. It's just that men don't no
| tice those things. l suppose And me
way the stenographers waste pencils!
| + was watching them sharpen some.
They didn't look what they were do
ing, and of course they didn't care.
But paper is up and are pencils,
and still the waste goes on. Do you
| know, Bert, l sometimes think II
most women ran their houses as ex-
i trava gant1y as most men run their
| busines ses they'd land their husbands
| in the poorhouse. It's natural for
women to watch those little things.
Why do you suppose l would let Mar
/ tina waste as much in vegetabl peel
! ings in month as your stenographers
waste in paper in a day? Never