The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-18
Eoening Story
So Handy Round the House.
BY II. LOUIS RA4BoLDs

She read the closely written sheets
of her sisters letter with eager eyes
I'VE are so glad. dear, that you may
be able to visit us; Jus ~, tni s;ster has
never seen my wonderful babies or
equally wonderful William. Which
reminds me that I hope this ferry
person you mention so casually yet so
frequently in your letters rs as SUI
able for you as my husband Is Tor me.
But you'll have to see William to APP
preciate him. He's so handy ROUND
the house.
She reread that last phrase. $50
handy round the house!" Her
thoughts flew to Perry keene. 10 ms
good looks and attractive ways He
had many admirable qualities to Of
fer as a husband, but, somehow or
other. Sue simply could not visualize
him as being 'handy round the
house"
Sues brow wrinkled as she medi-
tated. She hadn't said yes" to Perry
yet and could easily make her visit to
Helen an excuse for taking more time
before answering.
That evening. Perry, spurred by the
hope of getting a definite reply from
the girl he loved, arrived to find a
barrier suddenly raised.
mo, Perry" Sue said hesitantly,
then with gathering firmness. II won't
say yes until I'm abolutely certain.
w men 1 return from my WISH 10 f1tieHt
I'll give my answer"
With that Perry had to be satisfied,
and on the following day he saw Sue
off at the station with huge box or
chocolates. an assortment OF maya
zines and an earnest plea to decide in
his favor"
The unexpected marriage of Sues
sister while Sue and her invalid aunt
were at a southern resort for the VIM
ter and Helen's immediate departure
for little western town had brought
about the unusual circumstances that
Sue had never seen her new brother
lin-law. There had been little money
on either side to spare for visits. and
not until the death of her aunt had
Sue found herself able to so to her
sister
Nevertheless, she accurately Sc
lected William from the group of men
waiting at the station gate and pres
emily found herself tucked in the un-
pretentious runabout waiting at thu
curb.
Their progress home was inter-
rupted by call at the fish market
| roes," explained William. And Sue
sighed. 1t was the first evidence of
Williams domesticity.
You dear thing!"
For a moment the joy of meeting
obliterated all else. Then William un-
wrapped the roes. 1.-THE man said
| they ought to be used tonight" he ad-
vised.
HeIen's brow clouded IT have
steak" she began. Then her express
sion cleared. "Never mind. I'll make
1t into meat cakes tomorrow and have
| the fish tonight. William is so
thoughtful about bringing things
home" she added in an aside to Sue.
As the days passed Sue found her.
self unable to arrive at a decision re-
/ garding Perry. More and more clearly
| she realized that a vast gulf yawned
| between him and her brother-in-law
and instinct told her that if happy
| marriages were based on the William
type of man alone. welded life with
Perry would be foredoomed failure.
William not only helped with the
+, marketing, but he swept the living
| room before breakfast, and if the dust
| sifted into the dining room, still--the
| living room was swept. He knew the
contents of pantry and ricebox, and
kept tabs, in perfectly nice way. on
| the amount of butter and eggs con-
sumed. And he washed the supper
dishes regularly. with beautiful dis
| regard of every housekeeper's rule
glasses first and then the silver
doing the forks and knives and spoons
last, when the water was lower tenn
| perature.
The last day of Sues visit Sue and
Helen went to the city on what Heller
| termed a shopping spree" Their in.
| tention was to return in time for lunch
| but the lure of the windows and the
spell of the laden counters proved oil
such siren influence that the hours
sped unneticed. AS result, it was
well into the afternoon before the sis.
! tiers left the suburban trolley and
| fastened up the shady street to the
| house where William, taking day off
from work, was playing nursemafd to
| the children.
| won't William and the children be
! half starved, Helen?" Sue wanted to
| know.
ooh, William will look out for that
replied Helen earelessly.
And William had. YES" he as
sured them, 81 got the kids some ice
cream cones and mixed up little
cocoa and we finished up the cold
meat. And as for you. your dinner is
ready" he concluded triumphantly.
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