The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-02
EDening Story
Tery Highly Recommended.
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS

| BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS
Donald Sinclair picked up the maya
zine that had been left in the subway.
| idly. He had no special interest in It;
it had merely heen occupying the
space where he wished to sit.
| Back in his mind, but mot in SO ex-
| aggerated preportiee as to mar his
outlook. was the wish that he was go
| ing home to a well regulated house,
| hold, to q dinner nicely served in their
own small dining room instead of one
that his sister Jean had had to pre-
pare after her own hard days work
Both he and Jean detested having
meals outside and Jean preferred COM
| ing home late from the office and pre-
| pairing dinnef-rather than to trail out
to a restaurant.
Their experiences with housekeepers
had been unsuccessful. The first had
walked out one evening with all of
Jeans silk stockings and lingerie: the
next had seemingly entertained all her
friends and relatives to meals, while
| they were out-at least, the monthly
bills suggested that outlay.
! 1t was with a very grave delight
then that Donald found the magazine
| he had picked up SO idly to contain
something that pointed the road to
| happiness. A letter of Recommended
| ton, apparently lost by its owner, was
sticking between the pages of the
magazine. 1t read:
|
| to state that Gladys Turner has been
| in my employ as general housekeeper
Efor three years. She is an excellent
| cook, Is strictly honest, neat. clean aud
| a splendid manager She is leaving
my employ only because my son has
| fallen in love with her, and made it
| trying for her with his attention. She
| has my highest recommendation"
/ The letter was signed and the tele-
phone and address of the writer added.
Donald positively bearned upon the
assortment of subway travellers. "fhen
as suddenly he frewned darkly. Sup
pose the girl were already suited in
| position. IA put away the thought
and made Arrangements to advertise
in all the papers for the owner of the
| letter.
| Donald did not confide in Jean until
| his plans should be perfected.
The outcome was that Gladys Tur-
ner called at the office of Sinclair &
Co. and was ushered in for an inter-
view with Donald.
she was neatly dressed and very
my sister and / are out all day
: my sister being the editor of wom-
ans magazine. I want very much to
have you take. entire charge of the
home, planning meals and everything
done that will leave my sister entirely
free from worry. I will pay you 500
| a month, and there Is a very dainty
room in cur apartment for you. We
are not in any way difficult people,"
he added with a rare smile.
Gladys Turner fidgeted in her chair
and tried to speak easily, but her task
was hard. Finally she found her
voice.
II have never worked in this
way" she confessed. That letter is
part of a story I am writing. butt
am not too we'll fixed financially, and
really am honest and a splendid cook
and could manage your household
very. easily I have to get my own
meals anyway, and pay rent on my
rooms, so if you will give me d chance
I will do my best. 1t will give me
much of the day to continue my short
story writing" She looked up at Dom
aid awaiting his verdict.
| That she had quite taken away his
breath was a self,evident fact. There
| was, however, much to recommend the
situation. A girl of undoubted refine
ment was assuredly more to be desired
! in ones home than a girl who
might again rob or entertain.
| "All I ask" she added trifie visit
fully, lis to be left alone to write when
II am finished with your work"
s"That seems little enough to ask"
Donald said out of the maze CT his
thoughts. I'VE enjoy having people
in for dinner. a good deal" he told
her My sister has a quaint assort-
ment of writer's, editors and what-nots
who drop in, but we pretty much look
| after ourselves. We will just want
you to help about the coffee and sand
wiehes." q,
| Gladys said and rose to go.
| So~it happened that an evening
| later Jeaa arrived home after weary
day to find a .daintily set table, a
beautifully cooked meal and a neat
girl in spotless apron ready to serve
her and her brother in their own
| dining room.
Dona,d had sprung many happy sur
prises on his sister. but this crowned
them all. 1t was like dream come
| true.
care you quite, quite sure I will not
awaken to have to run out ana get
| few chops, a bakers cake and some
| timed vegetables for our dinner! she
questioned Donald.
"Not this time, sis. The way I got
that girl would almost make movie
| plot I'll tell you about 1t later.
Jean held a long interview with
| Gladys that evening and found her a
curious blending of temperament ana
| Ieyel-headedness. She could not but
admire the girl who could take the
| position she had without lowering her
! estimation of herself. She wanted to
see some of the writings soon, ana
promised to give her all the help she
could. She was eager to see this girl
| succeed in her writing.
And Gladys reached splendid con-
tentment in the home of the Sincla1rs.
She had hours of uninterrupted con-
| eentration and her material was find
| ing ready market.
| Donald began to feel terribly ag-
| grieved that he was excluded from
the long confabs held between Jean
| and Gladys. For once in his life he
wished he knew a good story from the
piffle that crowded the magazines.
| But he didn't, and he couldn't quite
| make up his mind to cultivate a tenn
| permanent in order to cement a closer
| utilization with those two clever
women who were even then laughing
over Glafys's latest yarn.
Donald was pacing the floor in lone
some wrath. He frowned darkIy,, then
beamed as suddenly. Since he was re-