The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-28
.Euening Story
'Twixt Hawk and Hand Saw.
BY BARBARA KERR.

4 She was clad in unionalls, had on a
corduroy cap drawn down to her ears
and was saving away in a most work
manlike manner, taking a fraction OF
an inch off Mrs. Marvin's bathroom
door, which had always refused to
shut properly-also she was whistling.
The Marvins, mother and daughter
Caroline. lived at the edge of town
and as they took care of their car re-
sorted to unionalls frequently, but.
as Lawrence Sinclair made mental
note, they did not whistle to adver-
tise the fact. He knew it was not
Caroline; moreover, he knew exactly
who it was. it was Bert Bancroft. They
Were well enough acquainted to have
had many Tits. Bert was inclined to
be independent, had taken manual
training at school and could handle
tools with the best of them. Know
ing this. Mrs Marvin asked her to fix
the door when she ran in to see Caro-
line.
Bert promptly donned the unionalls,
removed the door from its hinges, took
1t to the back porch and was working
on it when the Sinclair lumber truck
drove up and Lawrence alighted. Pre-
tending not TO notice who it was, he
said:
please ask your mother where I
shall put the lumber"
My mother doesn't care, Mr., Sim
clair, so perhaps you better ask Mrs.
Marvin"
Lawrence in passing struck his foot
against one of her tools. BEG par
don! What was that?"
''Oh, that's a jack plane. When you
grow up to be a big man you may
learn the difference, perhaps, 'twixt a
hawk and a handsaw," said Bert, as
tho addressing a little boy.
Further amenities We're saved by
Mrs. Marvin's appearance. She walked
down the yard, showed him where to
put the lumber, lingering a moment to
observe: Queer what tomboyish
| tastes that girl has! Now, nay Caroline
| is SO different. so refined. don't see
what she finds to like about her.
Bert heard but gave no sign she
knew what was vexing the soul of Mrs.
Marvin. Lawrence Sinclair was the
greatest catch in the set in which
Caroline and Bert moved. Bert
| thought he knew this too well. Law
renee, surprised at her remark, knew
what to attribute it to and answered:
Seems to know how to fix your door.
| tho. Mrs. Marvin"
Yes" she admitted, chagrined,
you've got to acknowledge that if she
amt refined she knows the difference
'twixt hawk and handsaw, if you
know what that means?"
MY folks were Yorkshire" replied
Lawrence, turning away. He felt that
Bert was hearing the rude converse
|
| have halted q moment as he passed
her, but Bert whistled~ a bit louder,
squinted along the edge of the door to
see if it were true, but would not look
| his way.
Angrily he climbed into his seat and
drove off. She needn't have whis-
| tied, anyway" he thought Grossly.
Bert finished her job and said crisp
| ly to Caroline: your mother doesn't
think much of my talents, but the door
shuts"
Caroline had some inkling of what
had transpired. She had seen the two
playing at cross-purposes before. ct m
not such a fool as mother might make
me out, Bert" she said. as she slipped
an arm thru her friends to walk with
| her a short distance. Besides, that
secret L wanted to tell you is: I'm en-
gagged to Harry Belknap so she need
not bother about Lawrence"
Bert's good humer restored, she
went her way looking for her coveted
business opportunity. She felt she
| had found it when the same paper that
| told of Lawrence's accepting position
in a nearby city advertised the fact
| that the Sinclair Lumber company
wanted a bookkeeper.
She went direct to Mr.. Sinclair. who,
tho surprised, noted with admiration
her business-Hke manner, her slim,
almost boyish athletic figure. But
! isn't lumDeF yafa d ralner queer
place for a young lady who doesn't
know the difference-"
"Oh, but I do. 1 know what you
were going to say, and l do know the
difference twist a hawk and a hand
| saw. and I know lot about woods
and your business"
"All right; go in there and bring
me some oak. pine and walnut
| Needn't leave the room to show
you" And Bert took a small knife
from her pocket and scratched a bit
of paint from a file of pigeonholes.
| This desk has a thin veneer of wal
nut, a soft pine lining and that chair
bottom is oak sawed the wrong way
| of the grain"
"You wini' smiled Mr.. Sinclair.
| But why this sort of work?''
Bert explained that she was col
lector of old furniture and that it was
her ambition some day to own and OPP
|