The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-21
E0ening Story
The Perfect Housekeeper.
BY JANE OSBORN.

College street from his house. had he
been greeted with the smiling congrat-
ulations of some neighbor or other. If
he had not already been sure of his
blessing in having secured the services
of Mrs. Hildegarde Taylor as house,
keeper he could not but have been
after these fluctuations.
She is such a perfect housekeeper,
Prof. Ogden's wife had cooed. up to
the day he died old Mr.. Morgan had
her tea biscuits every day of his life.
He couldn't get along without them
and such pies!"
Yes. indeed agreed Dr--Andoyer.
somewhat EN- barrassed but duly CRATE
full to providence for having showered
such abundant blessings on his Shout
ders
And she's soAeconomicaI, too" Mrs.
Partridge had said after offering the
young bachelor president of the col
lege her Fluctuations over the advent
OF Mrs. Taylor in his home. NO
cause for your complaining now over
the high cost of living"
mo. in deed" smiled Dr. Andover
and, as he neared the corner where
dwell old DR.. Forbes dean Of his facul-
ty, the fragrance of juicy beefsteak
broiling in~the Forbes kitchen came to
him. He had had supper that night
from tea biscuits, tea, sardines in jelly
anu ~ uH0 whip. 1HdI DIS nearly dS
he could remember was all there had
been to it,
Helen Forbes. not extraordinarily
young or extraordinarily slender, but
radiant and magnetic, only daughter
and housewife for Dr. Forbes, opened
the door for the young professor. The
rest of the college town had got used
to Helen. OF course, she was quite
beauty-but, then, she was only Helen
Forbes.
Nice girl, too, and few years before
freshmen every year had gone quite
silly over her; but she was little too
old for students now. But DIR. An
radiance of her, and there were times
when he/would have more eagerly
gone to spend an evening with old DR..
Forbes in discussing college plans and
policies had it not been for Helen.
She was little disturbing. She didn't
quite seem to belong to the little old
college town.
On this occasion. however. it was
necessary that he consult with Doctor
Forbes. The tempting aroma of beef
steak grew even more tempting as
Helen Forbes opened the door for
him.
An apron protected her light sum-
mer flock. and she led Doctor Andover
rather breezily into the dining room
We are having dinner late" she said
Dads been working on examination
books and didn't want to be disturbed
until seven. Now, it's planked steak
supper. Dads SO fond of it You
don't mind coming right out. do you?
And perhaps we can tempt you to have
some"
Doctor Forbes had appeared and
Helen had disappeared, to return
presently with the plank on which
was laid the smoking steak with the
and various vegetables.
1--WE must congratulate you said
Helen. as she laid the plank on the
rather informally set table. 1T don't
suppose any one can tempt you to
meals. now that you have got that
wonderful Mrs. Taylor. You certain
ly were lucky, in these days. to get a
perfect housekeeper like that. And
you know she was with old Mr.. Nor
gan twenty years-stayed till he died
and she was saying today that she
expected to do the same for YOU
why. that's very kind. I'm sure"
It was then that there doomed before
Doctor Andover an image of Mrs. Hill
-degarde Taylor, with her thin-lipped
and rather acrid smile, as she sat be-
hind the coffee things at breakfast
and the tea things at supper, for she
was one of those housekeepers who
never fail to take their place at meals
with their employers.
She had sat like that before Mr..
Morgan twenty years. and then he had
died. How would it be to see that face
for twenty years? Her coffee was
clear and doubtless good, but she was
sparing of the coffee. and she regard
ed cream as an extravaganza.
Doctor Andover was wondering
whether he would have to drink cof-
fee every morning for twenty years,
just like that or whether he would
have courage to ask to have it strong
er-and with cream.
'She really is wonderful" Helen
Forbes was going on. 81 only wish I
could manage the way she does. I
don't suppose you could be tempted to
take little of this planked steak?"
She had put quite a generous piece on
the warmed plate and was passing it
to him.
But, daughter" suggested DIR.
Forbes, kindly. 'Qf DIR. Andover has
had dinner. it will only be doing him
an unkindness in forcing more upon
him"
But DIR. Andover mymbled some
thing about rather light supper" and
for the next few minutes joined the
Forbes household in the delectable
task of eating a perfectly broiled
planked steak.
After that. tho it was sometimes a
little difficult for DR.. Andover to walk
right up to the front door of the
Forbes house when he knew he would
be met there by the disconcerting
Helen Forbes 1t was even more diff
cult to stay away. Sometimes he would
definitely decide not to call. His own
evening repast was early and this
seemed to add to the desirability of
short afternoon walk down College
street.
But despite his decision not to stop
at the Forbes house, he would stop.
Sometimes be was tempted even fur
they by the tantalizinS aroma of din
ner. huckleberry pie or roasted lamb,
or fresh romatic coffee. Mrs. TayIors
coffee could never be smelled that
way when it cooked. DR.. Andover re-
membered that she had once told him
that the way she made II she kept all
the flavor in the coffee pot and that
was what made it taste so good.
1t was the test of good coffee. she
said. not having the smell of it escape
e.