The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-24
Euening Story
Uncluttering a Soul.
BY FLORA 4. MONTY.

ID FLOIAA "A. MUM
Isohel Newton deliberately ruffled
| her smoothly coiffed hair with the
petulance of weary womanhood.
"Oh, I'm tired-tired to death!" was
| her involuntary confession to herself
The room was ciuttered; her desk
| was cluttered; her mind was cluttered.
| For the working place of an efficient
young woman, the office was in a sad
state, and it seemed to make a mute
| appeal for the relief of broom and
dustcloth.
| The busy disorder of things seemed
| to cramp her soul, and she had
! vague feeling that by waging war on
| the tangible disarray and eliminating
as much as she could of things she
would regain the mental freedom so
necessary to the wise carrying on Of
| her business affairs.
| IsobeI was working girl of the
kind that get paid for working. She
contended that all girls worked-some
at the job of earning salary, some
at the ungrateful task of housekeeping
and some at the steady grind of So
ciety.
IsobeI professed to loathe the latter
, two kinds, but today the impatient de-
sire for physical action became domi-
nant in her mind and insisted on ex-
preston
| From the only little used drawer of
/ her desk she distracted apron OF
the -cover-all variety and a cap that
was rakishly prim. They covered her
| business attire with a completeness
| that seemed to invest her with a new
aura. and she began to be pleased
with herself for ulging in the very
| temporary experiment of "housework." "
| Her efforts successfully dislodged the
dust that the recent wind had brought,
/ and piece by piece she was looking
| over the papers and letters on her
desk, grimly determined to destroy ev-
! cry one that her for once elastic pru-
dence would allow.
| with an almost rec<less% disregard
| of consequence, she tore paper after
paper. the crisp rasc soothing her
nerves like magic; and she worked
| faster and faster, tossing the torn bits
high, for the pleasure of watching
them float softly to the waste basket.
Isobel laughed softly. then began hum
ming she worked.
An important contract, some re-
| ceipts, n bill or two, and several or
/ ders were placed on top the desk. as
they required the first attention of
her clear thinking mind when she
| should settle back one more to her
ord crly routine.
| So busy was she that Austin STAFF
ford, whose office was across the mar
/ row hall gazed at her in upobserved
amazement as he paused by her door
i a moment. The busy. efficient Miss
Newton. the unsentimental, independ-
| ent wa Se-earner. who ignored. and gal
lantries a man might offer as coolly as
one looked thru space, seemed vastly
remote from the dusty maid who was
| flushed and smiling and singing.
With a wisdom rare in man, where
! the worshiped woman is concereneo,
! he refrained from speaking to her, and
! went quickly on with his errand before
she could detect him watching her.
! Out of the depths of his big heart
crept a tiny Seeding of hope The
sight of Isobel in human garb," as
| he mentally classified her apron and
cap, was like the mellow warmth OF
the sun on the desire he had buried
| deep. Not that he would require her
to be a drudge if he married her, but
/ he wanted the assurance that his wffe
! would have the instincts of real
| womanhood The Miss Newton with
whom he had had business associa-
tions was 4pra acticaI and shrewd in a
well-bred but manly" way.
Stafford always reproached himself
when he thought of Isobel as manly"
/ for her manner. under every circum-
/ stance, was quiet decorum; but he re-
| sented hugely the spirit of equality
| she always managed to put into their
| relations. He wanted to look up to
| her He believed that a man should
| always have to rise to a woman. but
in spite of his dissatisfaction with her
| career, he felt his heart gradually GO
! ing out to her, due. tho he did not
| understand it. to his subconscious rec
| ognition of her hidden qualities
| A sudden gust of wind from the
open window lifted the pile of docu-
| ments that Isobel had placed ready for
| inspection. and gleefully flung them
about the room for a moment, then
| out the door, and scuttling across the
| hall into the office directly opposite.
With an impatient exclamation 1so-
| bel pursued them. madly waving her
dustcloth in 1aasted effort. Giving
| hurried thanks that Mr.. Stoddard was
| temporarily out of his office, she gath
] cred up her papers. which were now