The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-08
E0ening Story
BY the Back Door.
BY JANE OSBRON.

The old Fulton house was so con-
structed that it took some expertness
to know which of the two entrances
on the ground floor really was the
front door. The house stood some 900
feet from the road in a clearing in a
grove of trees. The river ran 500 feet
beyond. and in order to face the river
the house had been built, 100 years
ago, with its kitchen side toward the
road. But there were low verandas on
each side of the house and the Full
tons had long since accustomed them
selves to have new callers drive up to
the kitchen side of the house and rap
the kitchen side, while peddlers and
new grocery boys sometimes knocked
on the door that opened into the
broad front hall.
Bob Rogers studied the situation
with some care, then picked out what
really was the backdoor and knocked
Justify.
Matilda, who was at the time SAM
ping a batch of cookies that old black
Jenny had just taken from the oven,
opened the door and surveyed the
young man with close scrutiny. 1t
was just little disconcerting. For
Matilda was the prettiest little au-
burn-haired girl Bob had ever seen.
She had the Tcoloring that auburn
haired people ought always to have
but usually don't, clear rose COM
plexion with just an impertinent
freckle here and there, hair the color
of FURNISHED copper and eyes that
seemed to have been painted with the
same brush as the hair.
Il thought this was the back door,
said Bob Rogers -"
yes said Matilda quickly closing
the door behind him. you had better
hang your hat and coat here in the
kitchen hall. YOU
II was just going 70 say
81 know. My aunt told me. She
had to go away. You'll find a pail
/ under the kitchen sink and you can
draw the water from the outside
faucet-just beside the kitchen Chin
ney on the north side"
Thanks awfully- 1 was afraid 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 off his heavy coat as she
expected him to.
claimed as she watched. What is he
doing with that water? I didn't tell
him to clean the porches, because I
thought that is why they always did.
guess he thinks we want him to
sprinkle the driveway
Jenny made some rather incoher-
ent mutteringS anent the folly of hav-
ing white trash do such work, and
without putting down the spoon with
which she was stirring cake she sham
bled out of the kitchen and then, hold
ing up her ample skirts, went in pur-
suit of Bob Rogers.
what you mean by going way out
wild atpail?' demanded Jenny, when
she had caught up with Bob. Miss
Matilda, she say you come back wild it.
You march yourself right in thar and
ask her whatal she want you to do
Bob Rogers did as he was told,
smiling a little and not feeling par
ticularIy resentfu1 at old Jenny, be-
cause as he was walking slowly out
with the pail of water he had been
racking his brain to find an excuse
to do just what Jenny had ordered
him to do.
ct guess I didn't explain" Matilda
began, and Bob tried to remark that
he guessed he didn't either, but Ma
tilda's nimble tongue got the best of
his. Il want you to wash the porches.
There is mop somewhere on the
landing"
Mop the porches? ?" gasped Bob.
''Oh, well, if you'd rather scrub
them, all right said Matilda. Jenny.
where's the scrub brush?" Then she
turned those coppery eyes on Bob and
he lost his tongue.
what is your name ?" she asked.
''They always send some one differ
emit"
Bob Rogers was the answer But
you haven't given me chance to ex-
plain
Don't apologize laughed Matilda.
Il didn't tell you what to do, so how
were you supposed to know? Are you
a rs man?"
"a what man?'' asked Bob.
"A freshman" she corrected '"They
usually send freshmen, but I guess
you're a senior or anyway junior
She was trying to conciliate him in
case he had been offended at being
called a freshman when he wasn't.
"Oh, I graduated a couple of years
ago. said Bob and would have tried |
to make explanations, but here old |
j emmy returned with the scrub brush, |
poked it into his hands, nodded to the |
pail of water and pointed to the back I
door. In the hall Bob looked back |
looked lngeringly at the FURNISHED |
copper hair and the neat little figure |
of Matilda Fulton, sighed, and then
it on the peg Matilda had indicated |
and started out to scrub the back /
porch.
When Matilda went upstairs and
further orders came from Jenny, Bob
would have made explanations to her,
but having made explanations he
would probably have to move on, and |
he fingered in the hope of seeing Ma
tilda. So he went from scrubbing
porches to backing stoves, and finally (
was ordered to chop wood.
Bob Rogers was still chopping wood
when Matilda appeared in the yard
behind the kitchen more charming
than ever in her confusion. She ex-
planned that her aunt had just tele-
phoned and now she knew her mis-
take She had mistaken him for one
of the self help students at the near
by college who sometimes came to do |
odd jobs for her aunt. But her aunt
had explained that she didn't expect
the student until the next day.
'.Now,, said Matilda taking the axe
from Bob and looking mournfully at
the blisters on his hands. Now, you