Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-24
WEDNESDAY.

The morning mail had brought the
first news from the campers. The let
ter was from Henry and began:
Dear Mary-We reached our camping
ground late yesterday afternoon, after
spending the night on the road. We had
wonderful trip and no accidents as
Billy is a careful driver. We are all un-
packed and settled for housekeeping and
let me say right here / do appreciate
having our things all separate, as you in
sisted on packing them in spite Of my
protests. Helen and Anne have begun
to plan the work OF the camp in a way
that would surprise you. | don't think
you have done Helen justice when you
say she hates housekeeping, and that
you are sometimes in despair about her
in spite oe all your pains. Ny only fear
is that she will begin TO run the camp
kitchen on a schedule and upset all my
plans for cooking-hOw and when ana
what I please. And especially as Roger
and I had decided to eat all the things
we we're fond Of first and leave what we
didn't care for so much to be eaten up
in one mess at last. | am rather wor-
ried over her activities. I suspect that
am not to he permitted TO have free
hand cooked the dinner last night
after We arrived. 1t consisted OF bacon
and eggs. potatoes boiled rice. bread
and jam, and coffee. And although we
ate up every scrap. Helen observed when
she and Anne were clearing away the
dishes that IL was not a well balanced
meal, which Of course discouraged me
greatly and would have amused you i'm
mensely. I was quite prepared therefore
when Helen took me aside and told me
very gently that perhaps she and Anne
had better do the cooking after this. l
shall help them, Of course, but 1t looks
as if they had some idea OF planning tho
meals that viii keep them busy while the
boys and I are fishing. We have FOUND
beautiful spot for our camp. 1t is near
a stream with plenty Of shade trees. and
the weather is not at all hot here In the
heart OF the woods, though out on the
dusty roads Il Is sweltering.
"I hope you are having n good time.
Be sure and 20 places. and can't you
have some Of your club friends visit you
If it seems lonesome? Roger has asked
me not to write too long letter. as it
might set an example that you would
expect him and Helen to follow. So !
imagine theirs to you win be brief
Lovingly yours.
HENRY"
Mrs. Hooper could picture Henry and
the children in their woody nook at
meat tune anu luNuE III hF4l uNFAA4 VI AAAN
pleasure they were having.
AS she looked at the letter again she
pondered on Henry's suggestion that she
have some company to help make the
two weeks pass pleasantly at home. Her
first thought was to do nothing of the
kind. as II would only make more work
which had been reduced to a minimum
since the departure Of the family and
was still growing lighter and lighter.
The question Of entertaining their friends
came up frequently for discussion be-
tween Mr.. and Mrs. Hooper. especially
on those occasions when Auntie Belle was
with them on one Of her brief visits.
Mayheld. like most small towns main
tanned that social Intercourse among its
members should consist in calling on
neighbOrs often. and IN entertaining
small groups of friends informally or
in family fashion at dinner Mrs. Hooper
had never accepted this mandate. She
called on each of her neighbors once a
year. and IL was only on the Tarest &C
casiOns that she asked any one 10 dine
in their home. She was not an unsOcial
person. but she had decided that sue
had neither time nor inclination to do so
nor the extra money that entertaining.
even on a very small scale. demanded.
tFAAE anu AAtuAg ndu many NAl AItFAihN
in town. who she knew felt sighted by
her attitude. but she had always re-
fused to take on the burden OF having
people in to lunch or dinner, as r means
of keeping in touch with them she
Rad a circle Of favorites among the Won
ans Club members who dropped in on
her occasionally AT the tea hour bus
outside Of this informal function that
always went on whether any one came
in or not. there had never been much
entertaining in the Hooper household.
Henry and Belle both cOntented that
she had less social life than any woman
in Mayfield and that as satisfactory as
she considered her housekeeping meth
DDS, in their opinion. there was room for
improvement in any schedule that tied
her down so closely that she had no
time for frequent exchange Of visits with
her neighbors and that consequently de-
prived her of the recreation that was
coming TO her.
In refuting their arguments that she
had no time for amusement or entertain
ment she pointed to her club meetings on
Friday and the social functions ri tie
club, which beside the garden party in
the summer and the dance in the winter
Included a members luncheon in October
Wntu tue new pTfslutNl TOOK Office. / men
there were the Thursday night lectures
and musicals at the town hall. provided
for by an endowment fund which she
and Henry attended regularly. Her own
birthday as well as Henry's was inval-
uably celebrated by a trip to the city
and the evening spent at the theater, and
beside that she vent to one matinee with
the group of ten club women with whom
she was assigned when their turn came
to attend a play. This assured her of
seeing three of the best things OF the
season. But she knew perfectly well that
this was not what Henry and Belle
meant even before her indignant sister
in-lsw closed the discussion by saying
Its positively heathenish, Mary,
never to have any company in your own
home. The way this house runs on
from one months end to another. with
never a soul coming in to lunch or din
ner. shows that you haven't the proper
idea Of sociability for all your house
keeping is so perfect
And now. here was Henry suggesting
that she have company" while she was
at home alone.
The menu for the three meals or
Thursday is:
BREAKFAST.
Stewed green cages. Dry cereal
Waffles Coffee.
LUNCHEON.