The Washington herald., 1917-02-12

, throb Helen saw that II was only an
imitation cut glass dish bought long ago
at ten cent store.
Tim awful sorry. Mrs. Curtis" rails
ing a Redeemed face. 1T was gettin' down
the big platter" with a half sob. "It's
just my luck that it's cut glass"
Cut glass! Helen started to reassurs
her, but Jane broke in with a hurried,
remorseful,
And I try to be so carefull Maybe
1t can be mended-it amt broke very
bad" holding up the pieces
Occasionally Helen had an inspiration.
One came to her now Very seriously
she took the fragments and fitted them
together. Jane hovered about, penitent.
contrite. almost fearful.
The more she apologized the more
sternly displeascd Helen looked.
"1'll keep the pieces. Perhaps / can
have II mended. but it'll never be the
same. That was very careless, Jane. /
told you always TO be careful in taking
things down from those high shelves"
Il know, ma'am," humbly, IT try to
be. l don't know how it happened"
Her frowning silence emphasizing her
displeasure, Helen wrapped the frag-
ments in tissue paper and put them away
In the lower part OF the china closet.
"Oh, I'll finish settin' the table. ma am
don't you bother" Jane with eager haste
was already placing the silver. I've got
plenty of time. Don't you want me to
make some of them deviled eggs for a
relish2'
VERY WE'LL" coldly
And I can mix that cream cheese into
nut balls-there's some nuts left"
Very WE'LL" still unrelenting, with
naughty aloofness. Helen went in to
dress.
The tables had turned. 1t was Jane
who was now abjectly apologize.
Usually Helen went out to the kitchen
to be hooked up, but later, hearing Jane
in the dining-room, she called curtly:
Jane, you, can come fasten my gown"
In the mirror Helen watched the girls
still troubled face as she bent over the
hooks. Whatever James other faults
she was very conscientious and the
broken dish lay heavily.
At any other time Helen would have
tried to reassure her, but the sullen re-
pulses to her own recent overtures still
ranked. She would make the most of
this opportunity.
Jane, tomorrow I'd like you to oil the
floors: they look very bad"
Yes. ma'am, I was just thinkin' they
needed oilin'."
The oiling Of the floors was a delicate
subject, for Jane, loathing this task, al
ways tried to shirk it. The last time she
udu Gil buN iGlustuB IlaI at no
other place had she been expected to oil
floors.
Hereafter you'd better oil them twice
a month-about the first and fifteenth"
said Helen with well assumed careless
ness. changing the angle OF a hairpin.
They get so dull II they're not done
regularly"
Yes. ma'am." meekly.
And next week you ought to wash
those library IN
considerate. was merciless
Yes. ma'am." hurriedly escaping when
the last hook was fastened
Triumphant, elated. with a final nun
OF powder, Helen ran in to Warren
Getting into his dinner clothes, he stood
before the mirror with frowning intent
ness hitching up refractory suspender.
"oh. dear, it's all right" effervescently.
THE loveliest thing happened! I've got
Jane Just where want her."
Here, look outr' drawing away from
her enctrclins eXuberance which threat
ened to rumple his fresh shirt front.
'She broke a 10-cent dish-she thinks
IT'S cut glass-and Pm letting her think
It! She's abJect! She can't do enough.
And now I'm playing the stern disapprov-
ing mistress
Teapot squaT blown over. eh?' cyni-
cally selecting a black bow tie.
"Oh, why can't I always keep this atti-
tude7 It'd be worth her breaking a dish
every week-even one OF the good dishes
If she'd be like this. I can stand any
thing but that sullen. antagonistic atmos-
pherev'
Atmosphere" with a snort, thrustins
his watch and loose change into his pock-
cts. "A fat lot I'd get done IL l went up
ing the air every time anybody around the
office had the sulks. Long as they do
their work, l don't care a hoot whether
they look pleasant or not. II you'd a
few real troubles you wouldn't waste time
dissecting the temperamental 'atmos-
phere' of your cook"
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