The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-03
EDcning Story
Jim Takes His Lunch.
BY JANE OSBORN

disadvantages for Jim. 1t was pleas
ant to think that one of his own kin
would sit across from him at dinner
in the dining room of the apartment
hotel where he made his home. 1t was
not so pleasant to have to burden him
Aunt Sally when he would be half an
hour late. 1t was pleasant to think
that his socks would be regularly
darned and that all missing buttons
would be replaced on his shirts. 1t was
not so pleasant when Aunt Sally be-
came solicitous and inquisitive regard
ing Jim's matrimonial prospects. There
was not a girls picture on his bureau
or desk. There were no feminine let
tiers in the mail or in Jim's pock-
cts. Nor did Jim have any evening
engagements save those he explained
as of business Importance.
All this solicitude was tiresome.
Even more tireSome did Aunt Sally be-
come concerning Jim's lunches. She
figured out from the results of per-
sistent questioning just how much it
must cost Jim to buy his lunches at a
restaurant. She estimated how much
at breakfast one day Aunt Sally said,
beamihg:
Jim, found out that they put up
lunches here for the boarders. And
they don't charge for them You know
you pay for lunch whether you eat it
or not. You're entitled to it. So I
told the waiter to have yours put up
with the rest" Then Jim saw with a
sinking heart the MANILA paper bag,
large and bulky. beside Aunt SaIly's
plate. Here it is, Jim. Don't forget
it"
Jim offered a few objections, but in
vain. So he started off with his bag
of lunch. 1t seemed childish to deposit
it in an ashcan on the way to the sub
way. Besides, there was a strain of
thrift in Jim's makeup that had for a
moment responded to Aunt Sally's
figuring. His salary did not necessi-
practiced, but he would at least give
the plan a trial. 1t would give the
men in the office something to tease
him about.
However the lunches did not ap-
peal to Jim. Cheese sandwiches be-
came rather dry and tasteless by IL
o'clock. Jim was strongly of the opin-
ion that the lunches were put up the
night before 1t was not easy to eat
a tough-skinned orange at his desk.
The cake crumbled and he found YES
tiges of it among his papers all the
But Jim continued to carry
his bag of lunch tho he no longer ate
it. Aunt Sally would be with him only
a month more. He preferred not to
raise any strong objection.
Jim'S habit was to lay the bag of
luncheon beside his desk. One day
he was so busy with outside business
thru the first hours of the day that
when he returned at about it Oc-
Cured to him for the first time that
he had no luncheon. He had no time
to go then, but he was hungry, and it
occurred to him that even one of those
cheese sandwiches would be palatable.
And that was when he noticed for the
first time that his lunch bag disap-
peared before lunch time. Once he
found crumbs on the floor Another
I.a f1h I11r1
was gone-aIl save the banana.
Apparently my lunch eater does not
like bananas thought he. That was
about the only clew he had to work
on. The problem was really interest
ing. At times it troubled him to think
that any one working for the concern
Of which he was a junior partner and
from which he drew such a satisfac-
tory salary should be so badly paid as
to be willing to eat those tasteless
lunches. especially when to do so nee
essitated considerable stealth OBJ
viously the culprit-if to take a lunch
that would otherwise be thrown in the
trash basket was Neutrality-suspicious.
the door of his office carefully in order
to get the lunch when he was away.
Jim studied the faces of the office
boys, trying to single out the one with
the hungriest, most pinched expression
rs the probahle lunch Snatcher- Then
he spied on the boys a little but found
that they were all in the habit of
unching at little Greek lunch coun-
ter around the corner Never had
one been known to eat in.
Once he asked Miss Baldwin. who
took his dictation, whether she had
any suspecions on the subject.
Don't think he said. that I OBJ
iect at all. Whoever takes it probably
knows that I don't want it anyway
am only concerned to think that any
one working here has such a flat
purse as to need such taSteless
lunch. I'd take it UP with the salary
if I thought we didn't pay
enough"
Pretty Molly Baldwin looked reflec-
lively at the end of her pencil. and her
eyes were lowered. Don't you think
that there might be some one who -
we l. some one who had enough mon
ey to spend who still liked to be eco
lomical? She-he might be helping
some one at home, or saving. or some |
hing, and so might be glad to eat the
unch that would otherwise be thrown
away. 1t costs forty cents at least to |
yet lunch even at a cheap place, Mr.. |
Leroy and forty cents a lay for five
lays a week is two dollars. and two |
dollars a week for a year IS a hundred |
iollars.''
Jim was looking out of the window |
md really said nothing. But Molly |
aid. what did you say. Mr. Leroy?'' !
Il was saying. or, rather. thinking, ,
hat you We're a girl after Aunt Saliy's |
leart- I never knew any one else /
Who figured things out that way, but /
apparently you do. too"
Then, as there seemed to be nothing
Use to do, Molly left the room. or
tarted to. AS she went, Jim called |
Ter back. He had always admired the 1
good sport in work, so J.
fficient in her own particular duties.
o even in temperament Yes, and !
he was really very pretty. Aunt
ally would thoroIy approve of her l.
Did you caH me back % asked
dolly, who had been standing for a
moment while Jim was refIecting.
Il asked If you would go to lunch
With me- said Jim, surprised at his
wn quick decision 'I thought we