The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-20
Chapter IS

Chapter 10
"a dogI" Jennie gasped. 81 amt
never cooked and waited on no dog,
and L amt goin' to begin nowr
"Oh, Jennie!" I almost walled. 81
don't like dogs either! am afraid of
them, always have been. But Mr..
Pages mother must have things as she
wants them while she stays 1t won't
be long I added, the wish fathertng
the words.
well, I'll do it for you-but not for
her!' Sennie said but with frowrl.
''And Jennie, pletase try not to lose
how I should get along without you.
You see I don't know Mrs. Page at all.
She lives out West and is quite grand
old lady"
ct guess she amt so grand or you
wouldn't be so afraid of her yourself,
Jennie quickly replied, cleverly read
ing my fear of my mother-in-law. As
1 turned away 1 wondered if had
made a mistake in speaking to her;
yet 1 would be loath to lose her. She
was a good servant, a good cook. L
knew very well she would not like
Mrs. Page, that her supercilious man
ner, the extra service she would re-
quire, would set Jennie against her.
So 1 had spoken.
AS we kept but the one servant 1
had dispensed with many little amen
tiles to save her work and steps. Din
ner ready she rang the table bell as
usual Walter and I went into the
dining room and waited. Jennie had
put the soup on the table and trern-
bled for fear it would get cold.
,''Tn go up for your mother. Per-
haps she isn't dressed. I told~her to
rest" I said to Walter.
Come in
She was sitting stiffly erect in a
straight chair, the dog on her lap.
Dinner is waiting" 1 said. per
l. i l. III
81 never pay any attention to bells
While 1 am with you kindly have the
meals announced at my door," Mrs.
Page answered, then rose majesdcally
and followed me. Fido still in her
arms.
I wanted to tell her to leave him in
the room; that 1 hated a dog in my
dining room, but I said nothing.
Jennie's eyes flashed when she saw
the dog and even Walter looked sur
kept him silent; or it might have been
the expression of his mothers face
Ny soup is cold. Please reheat it.
the lady said, then turned to Jennie
and added: Never serve the soup
until L am at the table. Cold soup
spoi1s my whole meal, and my temper
also"
You should have come when the
bell rang Walter said laughingly.
eff you will stop and think, Walter
Q6dT, you Will my
to announcing meals by means of a
belI.''
That's so, Materl L had forgotten.
Well, when the rest are busy I'll come
to the door and say: Dinner is
served, Madam!' how will that do?"
1 was delighted to hear Water joke
so unconcernedly with his mother 1t
was very evident he was not afraid of
her. But Jennie, who had just brought
back the soup, giggled.
NtServantS should know their placeI"
Mrs. Page said, looking at the girl
severely.
Jennie has a sense of humor.'' Wal
ter replied as she went into the
Then: "She's rather spoiled,
mother, as we keep only one; and
nowadays they have to be handled
with gloves or they leave you high and
dry, I should hate to be without one
while you are with u.s.
threw him a grateful glance for
his tactfulness. He understood and
smiled reassuringIy. Perhaps. with
Walter to aid me, it wouldn't be SO
hard to entertain his mother after all.
We had steak and as F'ido didn't eat
any meat except the breast of chicken,
Walters mother asked that I keep
him supplied. L saw my household
bills mounting but 1 meekly said l
would attend to it.
(Tomorrow-A visit to the studio.)