The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-03-30
By the Back
Door
By JANE OSBORN

htEuCtcu thut II tOVh bOtilt eNpefluebo
to know which Of the two entrances
on the ground door really was the
front door. The house stood some
300 feet from the road In a clearing
In a grove OF trees. The river ran
300 feet beyond, and in order TO face
the river the house had been built,
100 years ago, with It's kitchen side
toward the road. But there were
tow verandas on each side OF the
house, and the Fultons had long since
accustomed themselves 10 have new
callers drive up to the Kitchen side
Of the house and rap the small iron
kn0cker ON the door of the kitchen
side. while peddlers and new grocery
boys sometimes knocked on the large
brass knockers on the door that opened
Into the broad front hail.
Bob Rogers studied the situation
with some care, then picked out what
really was the back door. and knocked
Justify.
Matilda, who was al the time sam
ping a bunch OF cookies that old black
Jenny had Just taken from the
the young man with close scrutiny.
II was just little dlsconcertlng. For
Matilda was the prettlest little au.
burnhaired girl Bob had ever seen.
She had the colorIng that auburn
haired people ought always to have,
but usually don't. clear rose complex
Ion with just an lmpertInent freckle
here and there. and eyes that seemed
to have been painted with the same
brush as the hair.
II thought this was the back door,"
said Bob Rogers. e."
yes" said Matilda. quickly clos
Ing the door behind him. "You had
better hing your hat and coat here in
the kitchen hall. You"
II was just going TO say"
II know. My aunt told me. She
had to 90 away. You'll find pail
under the kitchen sink and you can
draw the water from the outside
faucet---iust beside the kitchen chin
ney on the north side.
THANKS awfully. was nfrald you
didn't understand" Bob Rogers
wanted TO say more. but the auburn
haired girl turned on her heel and
hurried into the kitchen to confer with
Jenny about plans for luncheon.
For some reason or other she
watched the young man from the
Kitchen window. She noticed that he
had not left on his heavy coat us she
expected him TO.
"ror PHYS sakes Jenny" she ex-
cInImed ~ she watched "What Is
he doing with that waterq didn't
tell him 80 clean the porches. because
I thought that Is what they always
did. guess he thinks we want him "a
sprinkle the driveway"
Jenny made some rather lncohereni
mutterings nnent the folly of having
white trash do such work. and without
putting down the spoon with which
she was stirring cake she shamblet
out " the kitchen and then, holding
up her ample skirts. went In pursuit
OF Rob llogers
"what you mean by going way oui
Wild dat pailf" demanded Jenny, wher
ahe had caught up with Bob. "Mlsi
Matilda. she say you come back wlt
n. You march yourself right In thai
and ask her whatal she want you e
do"
Rob Rogers did as he was told
smiling little and not feeling par
tlcularIy resentful at old Jenny. be
enuse as he was walking slowly on
with the pail Of water he had beer
racking his brnin TO ind an excus,
20 do Just what Jenny had ordered hin
20 do.
~ guess didn't explain" Matilda
begin. and Bob tried TO remark tina
he guessed he didn't either. bu
Matllda's nimble tongue got the bes
Of his. II want you to wash thu
porches. There Is mop somewhere
on the landing
Mop the porches." gasped Bob.
~Oh. wen. n you'd rather scruI
them. an right" said Matilda. "Jenny
where's the scrub brushIr Then sh'
turned those coppery eyes on Bob an,
he lost his tongue.
'sNVhnt Is your namef' she asked
'srhey always send some one differ
ent."
"Bob Rogers" was the answer. "Bu
you haven't given me chance 10 ex
plain"
"DOn't apologize" laughed Matilda
n didn't tell you what TO do. 80 how
were you supposed 10 known Are yoV
q 20 mRn2"
"A what man7" asked Bob.
"A freshman she corrected. THE,
usually send freshmen. but I CUES
you're senior. or anyway junior" Sh
was trying to conclllnte him In case h
had been offended NJ belng called
freshman when he wasn't
"Oh. I graduated a chur'e Of year
ago." said Boh and would have trie,
10 make explanations, but here ol,
Jenny returned with the scrub brush
p0ked 10 into his hands. nodded q
the pail Of water and pointed to IN
back door. In the hall Bob looke'
back. looked llngerIngly NJ the bur
nIshed copper hair and the aeat llttl
figure % Matilda FULTON sighed nm,
then he took OF HIS heavy overcOal
4. a l..