The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-11-19
DISAPP ROYAL
Chapter IL

Inc dangeF was spreading anu III
fecting Amy Mrs. Talbot, who al
ready regretted the ultra-modern ten
dencies of her youngest daughter,
watched this with horror.
She could not understand her two
Oldest children al all. Whatever was
new and different she might have
blamed upon Claire, who came out of
an unknown world and who had lived
all her grown-up life in the doubtful
theatre.
But Claire could not be blamed for
everything. Luther's whole outlook
on life was different while as for
Jane-she was a new creature. Luther
was 80, Jane 25. Where would these
strange tendencies lead them?
1t came out in little ways. too. One
morning Jane was helping in the kitch-
en-. She wore only waists and skirts
of tailored simplicity, and over these,
while she worked, an old laboratory
apron.
This place is as huge as barn, and
frightfully inconvenient," Jane re-
marked. taking the kitchen in with
a single efficient glance. Mother, you
must trot miles while you are work
ing. And you shouldn't have ruffled
curtains at the windows. They catch
dust and harbour germs and make you
more work"
Il like ruffled curtains Mrs. Sand
ers has lace ones"
Mrs. Sanders never learned the first
rules of common sense. Why do you
keep your kitchen knives in a drawer
on the left wall, when your kitchen
table is by the light wall?"
Because the knives won't go in the
kitchen table drawer" Mrs. Talbot an
swered triumphantly That seemed a
fine reason.
Then you should have smaller
knives or a larger drawer. Every time
YOU want to cut up anything. you
have 10 leave the table, walk clear
across the room, get your knife and
walk back. You wash the dishes on a
table way off from the stove and the
hot water. and then throw the dish
water near the chicken yard and the
place is full of mosquitoes"
After half an hour of this, the moth
er was completely vanquished though
certainly not convinced. She kept the
kitchen knives in a certain drawer
really because Jcrdan's mother before
her had kept them in that drawer, and
after 80 or more years of housekeep
ing in that kitchen they seemed to be
long there so absolutely that to put
them any other place would be (
crime.
Nevertheless, Jane put them. all bu
the large ones, in the new cOuvenien
spot, and announced that she woulC
have the small drawer made larger
She changed the relationship of table
to stove, and closet to table, ant
brought up lot of supplies from HI
cellar to the big cupboard, to save run
ming down steps. She put the dishe
in a new place. and changed their ord
er, so it was easy to reach those mos
used-indeed, she completely revolt
tionized the old kitchen.
I've been counting steps while "
worked" she said at the end of it. Il
YOU get three meals here every day
I've saved you about two miles o
walking back arc forth"
But Mrs. Talbot, unConvinced o
course. was so used to the old ur
changed order, that she must have
walked four miles back and forth hunt
ing familiar utensils in strange places
She admitted the new way was bea
But one morning when she intended t
pitStINGt oIIC gu up dA I on anu W IL
down and changed the whole plac
back TO the way it had been since Ion
before she went there to live!
You simply can't do anything wit
mother, she's TOO old-fashioned," sh
heard Jane say 10 Luther.
"Awfully," he agreed. Il wish W
could get her ou, of it. She never ha
any fun in life. She works all th
time"
She makes herself work. Jane pr
tested III she would only use MOI
efficient methods, she'd get throug
sooner. She wont take up a new ide
nor put in labor-saving machine"
Let her alone She's much happit
in her old way" Claire advised
And Mrs. Talbot disapproved
Claire's defense as much as of the otI
er's condemnation.
One day Luther came back from
drive to Hornbrook, carrying a sma
phonograph and some records. An
gave a series Of delighted squeals
the sight of il, and even Claire, wi
had been moody for days, began
smile
That evening after supper Luth
started it on the porch, playing daut
tunes. He and Claire began TO dane
and Dick Rowland, who was alwa.