The Topeka state journal., 1920-04-02
Euening Story
Franklin Comes to the Rescue.
BY LILY WANDEL-

Maybe you would not like them II
you did have the opportuNty." ven
! tured the caller attempting to, COM
fort
How do Know when I never could
find out." asked Sophrania passion
ately. I'm tied down to this big old
/ house and 1 long to sell it and go to
the city in a convenient little apart
ment and-live.'
you should have married long
ago. There's nothing like four young
sters and an exacting husband to keep
one contented-Mrs. Cooke thought
of her own. Il often wondered why
you did not marry Ed Wallis after
going together so long, and he was
so suitable. too"
Sophranias eyes grew stee1y. mot
if he were the last man on earthi We
could not agree, Jessie, and it was all
about this house. Ed actually thought
we could live here, that I would be
satisfied to go right on in the same
old rut. l told him L wanted to move
to the city in an apartment. found
out how stubborn he was, how sell
fish"
But rents are very high in the city.
So you should be glad that you have
this nice, roomy, comfortable place"
"Comforta blei" fairly shrieked So
phrania- Yes. comfortable to you be-
cause you don't have to climb those
! lddder-like stairs nor bump your head
every time you go down the cellar to
tend to that crazy furnace that does
not heat the house nO>matter what you
do to it! Nor have you ever washed
dishes three times a day at that back
breaking sink, nor have you done the
distance from the kitchen to the front
door thirty-seven times a day, nor
had to carry lamps around-no igas
here nor electricity-nor houseclean
these high ceilinged rooms nor that
! wit q nf
at this big kitchen to scrub and that
immense stove to polish
+ Franklin seems to like it," smiled
+ Mrs. Cooke, nodding toward a big
lpuffed-out pussy purring her loudest
| before the warm range " Unjust go
you down. living here all alone as you
do. but it's pretty, cool place in the
summer with the big lawn"
Yes" answered Sophrania bitterly.
| you've never moved that lawn. I'd
enjoy a city park better"
A few days later Sophrania had a
surprise. Ed Wallis, her old sweet
[ heart, called. He had not been to see
! her for nearly two years and when
Sophrania saw his round, genial face
/ in the doorway something warmed her
heart and made her feel young with
! happiness.
..Come in, Ed" she said almost ten
derlv.
~ THANK you. So; won't keep you
| but a few minutes he answered in a
on business, just business" he empha-
Sized B.
The warm. happy feeling vanished
and she felt tired and chilly. 1t took
quite an effort to ask politely, What
is it?"
q happened to hear that you would
like to sell your house, and you know
l always rather liked the place, and
as am looking for a home" (here Ed
flushed and pretended to stroke
| Thought I'd drop in and ask you what
| you would want for the place"
l., Sophrania considered for a moment
and then named the sum.
THAT suits me. So suppose you
come over to Mr.. Halls tomorrow aud
we'll fix up the deed and settle it.
There's just one thing" (rising) could
you vacate in two weeks?"
| She looked at him in surprise. How
businessljke. almost curt, he was, as
tho he were a stranger. Yes" she
answered. tn be out in two weeks"
After Ed left Sophrania ran around
to Mrs. Cookies and told her the~news.
Il wonder if he intends to rent that
| old-fashioned place." she asked, inno-
Gently.
Il hate to tell you so, but Ed told
my husband that he's going to get
married very soon. 1 don't know who
the girl is unless it's that pretty school
teacher that lives at his boarding
house-he's been walking home from
, church with her real often"
For the next three days Sophrania
took the early train to the city and re-
turned at dusk very tired, footsore and
disappointed. 1t surprised her that a
suitable apartment was so difficult to
| locate. that rents were beyond her
means and the rooms so very small
and often dark. She had told the real
estate agent to hold a certain little
apartment for her; she would let him
know positively by the next day at
noon.
! It was somewhat on the outskirts
| Of the city, two rooms and kitchenette,
all to the rear, with a view of hun
dreds of pulley lines. 1t was the best
she could get for the money and she
was sure that on the morrow she
would rent it. She would have-t0 de-
| eide what pieces of furniture she
would take with her and what she
would dispose Of.
One thing was positive her four
poster bed would never go into that
little bedroom, and she hated to sleep
! in another bedi Not one of the liv-
| ing room chairs could she take, for
they were all too clumsy; even her old
fayorite wing chair would have to be
sold or stored.
! And the old secretary-she could not
! do without it. She must have it, but
where on earth would she place it?
OF course, the davenport, where she
often curled up with Franklin for a
nap. was quite out of the question
Sophrania sighed as she looked at the
bookcase filled with her old friends;
they, too. We're on the blacklist.
And the. kitchen, that was the worst
of ALL She did not want to part with
a thing, ,/and yet she knew that she
only could take a very few utensils to
that tiny kitchenette. There was her
doughnut kettle; it never in all the
world would go in the miniature closet
in that city flat, and to Sophrania
breakfast was not complete without
homemade fried cakes. And the three
iron spiders hanging in the shed
how could she cook without them
And her mothers. soapstone griddle
the envy of all her friends. could she
really be happy without it?
Franklin" she picked up the furry
ball. cant you help us? 1 did no
know il would be like that-so hare