The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-10
EVENING STORY
Madam's Maid.
BY S. B. HACKLEY.

Madam'S Maid.
BY S. B. HACKLEY.
When Katherine Burman and Enid
Shelton, the married sisters. came
home in June, visiting. and found
Roger Cuthbert most any time in their
fathers kitchen, beating up eggs or
helping Judith wash dishes. while
the black cook looked on. encourag-
ing such folly, they were Mortified.
That Roger Cuthbert was the big
gest'' man on the football team of Col
bert college, the valedictorian of that
years graduating class, genius in
science and Judith's worshipful lover,
counted for nothing with the sisters.
One must be rich, or ones folks must
have been rich, or be akin to the rich,
to put one in their graces.
What do you mean, Judy" they
bert's boy here under foot half the
time-a paper hangers SOM"
JuditfIs blue eyes flashed. "All the
nice people in town invite Roger to
their houses, Enid.''
Perhaps she admitted: but
that's to please his class. Now he's
thru college. they won't. And, any
way, there isn't a parent of our set
who'd be willing to take him for
son-in-1av7!"
There's one," Judith said quietly,
"fatheri'
"Judith> Prentice, You don't mean
to tell us you have any intention of
marrying Roger Cuthbert?''
Just that" she answered
when" they demanded.
when he gets thru at Harvard
and gets place that pays him enough
for us to live on. Meanwhile this
vacation he's going down South to
tutor two rich mems sons and act as
chauffeur to one of Them
The sisters took heart. They had
feared the worst-intention of imme-
tiate marriage. They took Judith
home with them and threw her, some
what unwillingly, into whirl of social
activities.
You must write me sometimes.
Chickie,'' Roger had told her, ''but 1
don't want anybody nagging you over
letters, SO 1 will send only cards that
all the world may read. But every
heart, Judith
Early in September there came
postcard for Judish. 81 am coming
thru your city," it said, ION my way
TO Cambridge If you want to see mt
and I'm scared stiff you don't, since
have heard of the devotion of that
Blanchard KnOx,-let me know if 1
may stop off for looh at you.
Roger
"She mustn't see him. Kit,'' cried
Enid, who saw the card on the hall
table. TT will undo all our work If
that big. good-looking. red-haired
creature comes on the horizon now
when we are just getting her inter-
ested in Blanchard Knox"
| Moved by a sudden inspiration,
Katherine opened the half door and a
window. The high wind swept thru
and caught up the card and carried it
out in the yard, where it lodged under
a hydrangea and stayed, Some days
| later Judith received a letter from
Joyce Christie, one of the Cuthberts
neighbors.
Rogers gone to Cambridge" she
wrote; left yesterday; said he passed
thru that town you are in. He is
looking, oh, so handsome. Judith!
| Ella Gands is wild about him. She
told him you were engaged to a rich
| fellow down there. Are you? 1 don't
think Ella has any chance, tho. Roger
wouldn't let any of us see the picture
| he owned was in his watch
And he didn't stop to see me. or
| write,'' thought Judith drearily. fOh,
Roger. hope she loves you!
That October Judith's father died,
and when the debts were paid there
wasn't much left. To her sisters
chagrin, Judith declined to live with
| either, or to marry Blanchard Knox,
| but went to another city and set up
| modest sewing establishment.
In the sixth year of her work Mrs,
Alethea Loring. one of her patrons.
asked her If she would not like to
| travel abroad. To travel! Judith's
] heart twisted a bit painfully. Roger
| and she had used to plan to see the
world together when they'd got the
| money.
| I'm going abroad next month" said
Mrs. Loring. My daughter, Lavise. is
in England with friends. She has
| written me to bring her a maid. L"
| she went on a little doubtfuliy; II
| thought of you with your exquisite
taste and skill. Would you mind 60
ing if I pay you more than you are
able to make here? 1t will give you
| opportunity to see something of the
| world, my dear"
In London they were joined by Mrs.
Loring's daughter. a beautiful, dark
| girl with a fire and dash in her man
ner that was but an attractive veneer
| that covered a hard and selfish ma
ture- They went to Paris, and there
Judith was kept selecting and buying
until her head whirled.
One evening, unnerved and weary.
she came into Mrs. Loring's sitting
room to find that lady looking at the
A photo of young man with an up
| standing shock of curly red hair, a
good. firm mouth, and fine eyes.
zone of Lavise's friends" she ex-
! planned.
Where docs he live?" Judith fored
her lips into steadiness.
He is at Antwerp now. His COM
pany had SO much confidence in his
ability they sent him there two years
ago to take charge of their great plant
l-there- His salary. of course. is re-
n.arkably good, but Lavise will not
need to marry a rich man. She
smiled confnentially. II hope-I
think he will be my son-in-law one
day But-not a word. my dear,"
Quite Suddenly the Lorings an