The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-11-06
Lurking in
the Laundry
!, DOROTHY DOUGLAS

sssssssSSsSsssseSsssSSSSssscsS
m by Mcclure Newspaper syndic"tS''
story does not tell whether
the laundryman, was a philOs-
a matchmaker or merely pos
NJ q wholesome desire TO AIRY
.orotony Of collecting a shapeiess
4 of soiled linen on Monday and
ring II neat, spOtlesS package
riday. He might even have just
a strange interest In trying TO
shape the destiny of human be-
rU was a happy married man
sf with two fine, sturdy children.
own bllssful state might have
the primary reason for tamper-
g,tb the life of a man and a girl
dweIt on the same floor OF a con-
4 apsrtment house.
! old house had been made into
nom and kltchenette apartments
shore were but two on each floor.
a with the second-hOOr tenants
Henry found time to arrange a
.nver which he fanCied might lead
ottor things. A splendid young
and an equally splendid young
aD occupied that old house in up
Vest End avenue.
sury realized that destiny is a
q. thing and ne figured that what
4 never occur In the way Of a
linz In the ordinary course of
q could easily happen If aided by
snry.
| package Of laundry for the first
front invariably consisted Of the
cObwebby feminine dainties Of
shelI.pInk and lavender which, 10
us mind, denoted a girl Of ex-
J breadth of mentality. She could
l all cOlors instead of being mar
a down TO but one hue.
J package delivered to the second
roar contained the regulation
made shirts, collars, huge silk
kerchiefs and other bits of manly
srel.
.bethpr David Collins and Patricia
he had ever gllmpsed one mother
.assIng was not known to Henry,
he figured 1t was an oversight Of
had they not done so. Also, be-
4 thrifty man, Henry realized that
rents so CrlmInally high two go
might better live in one apartment
put the exOrbitant sum for the
\ in the savings bank rather than
landlords pocket.
|, a matter of fact, David had seen
ricia's sturdy little figure being
eted by the wind down Broadway
morning. In his heart he hoped
her daily toll was slight. David
the type Of man who disliked hav-
women folk tossed about by men
he business world. David thought
women should be sitting at some
rs hearthslde with dainty sllppered
on the fender.
atricia had once or twice been
SClOus Of observing we'll set.up
entering the room behind her
]. She was not especially given to
defing about young men whom she
not know. There were plenty, she
well aware, whom she did know.
vas not always easy to keep them
b tangllng themselves up on her
hway PatrIcia's hair was fair and
her rich hazel eyes was a ire
AdOuS amount OF both common
be and allure.
enry the Iaundryman did not call
and deliver laundry every Monday
Friday morning without seeing a
at deal more than the doors Of
Hos or apartments. His keen eyes
lped to many true conclusions re-
Ding his patrons.
} the eyes Of David Collins there
strange expression as of seeking
lethlng not YET on his horizon.
md In the hazel eyes of Patricia
me, Henry fancied there was a
at loneliness Of the soul. 1t would
n that while the girl was happy
e was still an unrest.
b Henry spent fifteen minutes In
seclusiOn Of his laundry cart I'M
ng two packages Of clean laundry.
2 the one containing cObwebby
rs and blues and lavenders he at
he'd the bill with David Collins
pc and on the other with its manly
'IS and collars he put the one with
meas name. Having so far start
nis career as matchmaker Henry
Fied the packages to the second
and delivered them. 1t was the
zenith Of July.
nc on the evening of that same
eam Patricia had an engagement
Aave dinner with Jack Averill and
auhg to look particularly lovely
intending to put on her freshly
naered white vOile.
ehen she FIRST opened her laundry
saW masculine attire galore and
val'e wolfe her feelings were those
outraged temlninlty. Her lovely
NJ v, uFeSs, the one Jack most liked
aer wardrobe. was no doubt In
lalds Of the chap whose shirts
'O''ars we're so utterly useless to
/, ~ geihg sensible as we'll as bea1-
Fa'ricia Immediately came TO the