The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-25
EDening Story
Good Eating.
By CLARIssA MACK

eteu WIKI 6iidS VIZ Iln, InlllioIlaIrS
manufacturer-his errand was to ask
for jeans hand in marriage She had
been listening to the bass murmur of
their voiees-new it stopped sudden
-ly. She heard one or two sentences,
and then the library door opened and
closed. and Bob DaeFe walked brisk
ly thru the hall, past the living room
where she waited expectantly, and out
of the houseI
without one verdi" she gasped.
drawing back from the window as he
ran down the steps and swung down
the path to the gate. He held his
head high, and he whistled as he went
without one backward glance.
The library door opened and her
father crossed the hall and came to
her, a quissical look in his eyes, Jean
blushed holly.
''Well?" she asked.
Z He waved his hand. Gone. Plucky
beggar, too. Said he came to ask my
consent to your marriage-said he
could earn some kind of living-and
that if you were the right kind of a
gtrl-the kind he thouht you were,
that you'd wantyto help him build. l
offered him a position in the works
fine chance for advancement, but he
turned it down, Said he wanted to
be self-made man, that he wasn't
hiring out as soa-in-law. Ha! Hal"
He laughed reminiscently.
.Wh-what did you think of him,
daddy?''
"Spunky-liked his independence
weNwill hear of him some day, jeanne.
Told me of his people-good family,
little money, and out of luck. Is alone
in the world, and bound to succeed,
Let him try-jn the meantime you had
better play about awhile-your Aunt
Louise is going to Europe and will
take you along with her-petter CO."
Very well, daddy" said Jeanne and
he did not see the flame that smol-
dered in her eyes. So Bob had flung
away without wanting to see her
again; two could play at that game,
she thought as she went to the tele-
phone to call her aunt, She loved
Bob dearly and would gladly have
married him, if he had only consented
to accept a little help from her father
just start in life. The years of
the war had left Bob Dacre physically
whole and sound, but his job had been
filled. The clamor of battle still as
sailed his ears and he could not settle
down to anything new, and there were
few openings.
A1tho Jean Worth watched and
waited during the days of her prepar-
alton, she sailed away without one
word of explanation from Bob Daere
She was too proud to let him know
Of her sailing.
II will forget him." she, declared
passionately,
But she did not-eeuld not, when
she visited the devastated regions of
france and Belgium-saw the battle
fleldS where Bob and his eomra d es
had fought-when she wept over the
poppyfields of Flanders where her
playmates and friends had laid down
their lives-and when summer waned
she returned to her own home serene
eyed, grave and less selfish.
want work to do, daddy. I am
tired of being idle and goed-for-noth-
You could never be good for Moth
ing when you brighten all my days"
ne told her, as he took his mothePless
girl in his arms
But Jean fretted. She refused all
invitations, read a great deal and took
Hang his pride!" blurted out silas
Worth In the solitude of his STUDY.
This is the limiti'' So he STAMPED
down the hall to his daughter and
eyed her sternly, You look pale,
Jeanne. Get some things together
I am going down to the works in the
car; we shall stay a few days and
you can board with Mrs. Lawrence"
business tripl"
We will make it into a pleasure
I1ohe--y9e may orlVe all the way.
we can leave Sellers at home"
1t was a cold October morning
when the big car of Silas Worth drew
up IN the driveway of the great fac.
tory; here We're carefully kept lawns
s aha shruppery and the remains of
blooming flower beds. The brick walls
or the various buildings were clothed
IN ivy. There was a sharp puncen,
smell OF chrysantbemums and a fleet
ing fragrance of some late roses.
You have made some changes since
L., was mere last winter" said Jean.
1T must have been beautiful here
during the summer"
1t was" he said briefly.
You have built new restaurant
isn't is pretty?" Jean pointed across
the sne measure to a small red brick
where a sing swung to and fro
Good Eating" read the sienboard
Ihats not the factory restauraflt-
new enap came along and rented that
niue building and has opened a cafe
teria-we have had to close orr lunch
room, didn't pay. said his mother vra..
an tnvilad and he had learned to cook
wnen boy-has some housewives
about here to help. Better go over
there and eat your luneh-I will come
first
"Cah "d1Aeu SLOWLY TO the cafeteria,
A few men and girls were going in,
people from the offices, for the fac
tory whistle had not sounded the noon
hour, Inside it was clean and CHEEKY.
with painted floor and tables and
chairs. with pots and red geraniurns
in the window. Jean picked up a tray,
with the necessary silver, and ap-
preached the open space where a line
was formed.
Jean studied the bill of fare on the
wall in front of her,
Chicken soup-and" Jean stared at
the white clad young man who. with
snowy shirt sleeves rolled to his ell
bows, was standing with soup ladIe
poised in air. How big and hearty he
looked, how clean, and wholesome and
happy in the humble business of feed
ing hungry people. He smiled and
bowed to Jean. while a red flush
struggled thru the tan of his skin. She
went to a distant table and tried to
eat, but listening to the sound of his
CHEEKY voice as he greeted one after
al oh (aII