The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-11
E0ening Story
Mildred Looking for Work.
BY JANE OSBORN

hammer, chisel and other carpenter
tools with sufficient dexterity to do
the small repairs that were needed to
make his newly purchased farmhouse
near Pleasant Lake habitable and
even attractive. Neither had it ever
occurred to him that he could pos
sibly become weary of his own society
or eager for companionship in passing
the month of July alone in this re-
treat. With the notes for the revision
to one of his popular textbooks ready,
it had seemed like an ideal arrange
m ent to com bine five or six hours of
writing each day with the diversion of
mending his rather tumble down
house and preparing his own meals.
Just at present he was standing
cautiously on the top of a ladder in
front of his house engaged in the diff
ficult task of lacking mosquito net
ting into one of the windows of his
living room. As a university profess
sor of thematics it seemed incredi-
BILE that he had not been able to meas
ure the window accurately, but as he
lifted the piece of green net to the
window he saw that it lacked few
inches of extending from top to bot
tom of the window. He was just about
to climb down from his ladder when
Ann Bates came in at the path that
led from the road to the house. Ann
was nineteen; but her straight bobbed
hair, her boyish MILDLY blouse worn
over short full, blue skirt made her
glanced quickly at her she seemed
like a child.
Good morning" she began. rs
there any work I can do for you?'
There is work enough the pro-
fessor returned. and as he removed
his bone-rimmed glasses and looked
at her Ann saw that he was much
younger and far less formidable than
he had seemed when she first spoke.
The trouble is I don't know whether
fhpTa iS VT iu<y eli
you to do"
Il can do lots of things. I just
moved a lawn up the road She
looked doubtfully at the weed-tangled
pose yours wants to be moved. But
I'm not a little girl. I'm twenty
most and can do hard work"
Do you suppose you could finish
this job I've begun? There's more
netting in the house. Suppose you
something the matter with the yard
stick L used.''
Without any preliminary discussion
of terms Prof. Moore dismounted from
his ladder and Ann Bates started to
work. In two hours the task of put
ting netting on the windows was neat
ly accomplished and Ann announced
herself at the door of the cabin within
which Prof. Moore was deep at work.
Here I am" she said I've
Norhed Two hOurS-tnat nifty cents
1t $ only IL O'Clock, SO ] could work
a half-hour more before I start back.
Or 1 could come back this afternoon
that is, if you want me to-
DO you want to work some more ~
asked Langdon Moore. i'll concealing
an amused smile.
Il have to- said Ann. 81 got s1.1s
for the lawn-and if you pay me so
cents I'll have $1.63-and I've still got
to earn IS. But, of course, I can go
on to some of the farmhouses Usual
~ they need some one to do the wash
ing"
Professor Moore felt deep indigna-
ton toward any farmers wife who
would suggest that this ght-hearted
child should go to work as washer
woman. He would prevent it before it
could happen.
IF you would just as soon" he said,
you can go on working here. There
are a great many thing to do only
% cents an hour isn't much to pay"
So it was agreed that Ann should
spend the half. hour that remained
getting ready something for the hun
cry professor to eat
"Since you are going TO do more
work for me-" said Professor Moore,
whose curiosity concerning the young
ck-of-alI-trades was steadily in
creasing, would you mind telling me
what I can call you 2''
Call mo Red Wing if you want,
She said. That's not my real name,
tho"
While Mary Ann was away. Prof.
Moore did some thinking. He was
1uite sure that having once met the !
Red Wing life in his soli-
-ary cabin would be pleasanter if he
might occasionally see her again. At
20 cents an hour. with sS3-12 still to
be earned, she still needed to work
twelve hours and a. half Now 1t
would be delightful to have Red Wing
come for two days, to spend six hours
Zach day. But then the pleasure would |
soon be over. If he made some ex- !
.uSe to have her one hour a. day then !
MS Joy might be extended over twelve !
lays. Twenty-Five cents an hour was |
lbsurd payment. but if he paid her |
n ore then she would not have to work !
so many hours
That afternoon he told her she |
night work out the half hour, and |
hat then after that he would need |
Ter for one hour each day. to get his |
midday meal. Ann proved to be as |
good a cook as she was a carpenter.
1t was next to the last day. and Red |
Wing and Prof. Moore felt very well
Since the first day he |
lad always found excuse to remain
With her in the kitchen of his cabin
While she washed his breakfast
lines he dried the dishes for her and
vice had sat beside her to help her
,eeI potatoes. BY chance their fin
,ers had touched over the tin pan that
ontained the potato Feelings land he
cit the warmth of those odd little
AIMED hands.
Now the next to the last day Prof
doore felt that he must solve the rid
lie of her identity. She had seemed |
eticent before when he had started |
o probe and he did not like to force
Ter confidence
''Shan't I ever see you again." he
egan. That is. after you have fin
shed tomorrow? You said you only
zanted to earn five dollars"
1T has been very easy work." she
aid. avoiding his question.
Ann wasrolling out some pie crust
or a meat pie for dinner and her