The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-23
Eoening
Mice and a Pumpkin Coach.
BY CRAWFORD LUTTRELL.


enjoyed it, Nan announced to the
anxiously inquiring two who turned to
welcome her at the sound of her key
in the lock. She tossed off her smart
black sailor hat and sat down on a
hassock by her mother. II feel so
important, and altho 1 don't know
much yet, 1 know that I will learn. 1
am giving my entire time and thought
to it. 1 have no silly sentimental
ideas about my boss falling in love
with me. Fortunately, he is bald, fat
and forty. and his wife rings up every
two or three hours to tell him some
thing about the kids or to remind him
to go by the bakers for bread. Why
don't women attend to their own bust
ness as men do?"
"Pshaw." sighed 15-year-old Ruth.
81 hoped that there would be a young
rich, and that he would come around
on Sundays and take us all out riding
to the country"
Nan looked up at her and winked.
Perhaps 1 can find that agreeable
sore Of boss next time I look for
work Then TO her mother: II am
glad that things are just as they are.
Personally, L don't believe in mixing
business mad pleasure and in draw
ing weekly pay envelope for time
spent in trying to get husband. DO
you, muddie, dear?"
When the right man comes along
you'll know it, Nan, whether you are
at q dance or buying chops at a
butchers. 1 believe that there is
fate guarding these issues of life. Per-
hops it sounds foolish for an old wo-
man like me to say such things, but
it is one of my pet theories. grounded
in innumerable cases of fact that l
have observed"
81 don't agree with you, mother"
said the sophisticated 15-year- old.
:, -talr
out the best looking, richest man in
town and set about making him fall
in love with me. Getting married is
every woman's first business in life.
Why. already I am encouraging Billy
McMahan. His father owns a. plumb
ing place, I know, but he is making
norey so fast that in two or three
years from now the daily papers will
quote him about everything, calling
him colonel or general oh something.
Blood don't count any more. Why
nobody but the ten-year census man
ever asks about your grandmother"
"Oh. wisdom in short skirts"
gasped Nan. Its. horried to say such
things to mother, Ruthie. You know
it shocks her.
You might just as well know how I
feel about such things. OF course,
expect to go to work just as soon as I
leave high school and help cheerfully
so that you will have most of your
salary to spend on yourself. Nan.
Mother has her little income and may
be by that time prices will take a tun-
Bile and We can manage better than
we do now"
Mrs. Taylor laughed a bit shakily.
Then she drew a letter from her dress
pocket "I have some astonishing
news, girIies. Nan, you can resign to-
morrow"
"Resign: Why?"
"Your father bought some mining
stock many years ago and we just con-
sidered the money lost. but today while
you We're at the office and Ruth was
at school a strange lawyer called and
told me that-that we are to hav
three hundred a month from the in
vestment. I wanted to ring both of
you and tell you to run right home,
but saved the news for happy sur
prise tonight"
Ruth threw her books on the floor
and began a sort of Indian war dance,
chanting weirdly as she circled the
two. Nan sat there as if she had been
turned into stone
Aren't you glad, Nan, dear?" asked
her mother, bending over to touch
I'm just staggered. stunned. but I
am not going to give up my position"
why, child. we can live beautifully
on what I have and that three hun
dred and send Ruth to college. too"
II know" said Nan seriously. at
nearly killed me to even think of GO
ing into n mans office to earn my
own livelihood. All those months that
L studied at business college were, like
nightmare to me, but 1 conquered
the feeling and now l won't give it
up. L feel capable. 1 like getting up
and going out every day. 1 like the
hum of the office people coming and
going. all of it. 1t fascinates me-"
''1'1l bet there is a man in TINT Of
flee that you like" exploded Ruth sud
denly.
Nobody but Mr.. Henderson. and he
doesn't look as if he had ever been
young enough to think of romance"
explained Nan haughtily.
Il thought you said the firm was
Henderson q Henderson. daughter!"
1T is. He has a brother or
nephew or somebody who does all of
even seen him"
The, telephone bell tingled, then
vigorously, insistently.
It's q man and he wants you"
tersely announced Ruth, who always
rushed to answer calls.
In few minutes Nan turned away
from the telephone. It's Mr.. Hen
derson's nephew. He has just come
in from the east. He wants to ex-
plain some letters to me. corrections
gled them, muddie, when I thought
that [ was doing so well. His voice
was as curt as it could be- Maybe |
had better resign. after air"
Look him over first" admonished
the willy Ruth. II thought his voice
was perfectly delicious When is he
coming? Let's have supper over, then
You slip on that dark blue gorgette.
You look like a million dollars in
that"
"Ruthie, don't be So slangy!" said
the mother patiently.
SILLY child" laughed Nan. picking
up her hat and starting toward her
bedroom. Il told you 1 did not expect
to mix business and pleasure Do YOU
think I would ever fuss up for my EN-
ployer? Why. they pay me to write
their letters. not TO dress up like a
chorus girl. l must have made some
lawful blunders. He said that the let
tiers could not be mailed as they were
Oh dear, and was feeling so efficient
tool"