The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-09
EDening Story
In the Little House.
BY FRANK II. WILLIAMS

eagerly.
So far it hadn't been occupied, tho
a sign in the front yard advertised
that it was for sale for cash or terms.
And every time Grace sa- the house
still empty she sighed with relief.
Grace wanted that house for her
very own. OF course there wasn't
apparently a chance in the world thar
it ever would be hers. She had no
money with which to buy it, she had
her and there was no ardent young
man in Grace's life eager and anxious
to make her its presiding genius.
But still the desire was there in
Grace's heart, and the hope, too.
This desire and this hope filled her
days with longing and her nights with
dreams.
But dreams they were which were
too good to last, Grace thought. for on
one doleful morning when she passed
the house she saw that the sign was
gone and that there were curtains in
the windows of the house and smoke
rising from the chimney.
Grace put in a bad day after this.
Twice she was reproved by her en-
ployer. Twice she put on her hat
never to return. And twice she put
her hat back on the hook, shook
herself into determined effort to try
again.
By the end Of the day, however.
she had determined upon a course
crazy, foolish in the extreme. But
what if it was all this and more too?
1t was at least something different
from the eternal drudgery and grind
of her present life.
Early that evening found Grace
rather timidly knocking at the door
of the little horse.
Presently a pleasant faced young
matron answered her knock. Grace
liked her at once and wondered what
her husband was like.
IT wonder if you'd have any work
for me helping you get settled in this
house?" Grace queried. II just quit
my job in the office today. I got so
tired of office work I couldn't stand
It any more and this house-well, I've
always liked it. Here's a reference
from my employer"
'"Come in" said the matron.
She led Grace into a large living
room which tho large was coy and
comfortable and which, when FIR
nished with the materials now scat
tered here and there about the room
gave promise of being extremely at
tractive. Grace liked the room and
the furnishings at once.
Gravely the matron read the short
reference and then looked UP and
smiled.
MY name IS MIS-. bTdAIlluS, she
volunteered. Before I was married
felt much the way you do. I'd like
to have your help. Could you come
by the day?"
YES" said Grace eagerly.
The matter of pay Was settled at
was to arrive in the mornings o.
clock. And presently Grace found
herself back again in her boarding
| house roam feeling more alert, more
live and even happy. She was going
to be a part of the little house for
while and that was something!
The man of the house was gone be-
fore Grace arrived, Nor did he return
before she left in the ev ming. Grace
| wondered what he was like-young
of course; good looking, probably and
successful. What q lucky girl Mrs.
had worked in an office and felt tired
and discouraged.
Grace and Mrs. Branning got on
| splendidly together. They were both
| of about the same age and their ex-
periences had been quite similar, with
the exception that Mrs. Branning was
married, while Grace was not.
You ought to be married" said
| Mrs. Draining to Grace suddenly one
| day.
seeing the candid, kind eyes of the
matron fixed upon hers, colored.
| 1 Married. That was what she wanted
| Of nfe-husband and a home, like
this.
yes" said Grace slowly. I wish
I were.''
Once more life seemed to Grace
| to be interminable and unutterably
blue. Suddenly she dropped into a
chair and covered her face with her
hands. It was only by a strong effort
| that she kept from breaking into tears.
I
shoulder.
There, don't worry said Mrs.
Branning. PM going to find you a
| husband nice man.
| Grace looked up. blushing, excited.
/ "You WHIP" she cried.
| Yes. soon"
But, tho this promise meant SO
much to Grace, 1t seemed at once to
pass out of Mrs. Branning's mind.
The next day when Grace reported
| gloomy and preoccupied. The next
| day it was worse. There was trouble
in the air. Was Mrs. Branning quar-
reling with her young husband?
The third day, while Mrs. Branning
said nothing to Grace, it was evident
that a crisis was at hand.
| And SO Grace was not surprised
when on the fourth day she found the
| house silent and locked and a note
! addressed to her in Mrs. Branning' s
mana attached TO the front QoOrknoD.
| Grace read the note sadly.
| Dear Grace" the note read, I'm
going away and may not be back for
some time. Please take the key from
under to front door mat and give the
| house an airing and clean things UP.
Sorry we won't need you any more.
Inclosed is check up to the end of the
week. Yours truly, Bessie Branning."
| This then was the ending of her
little adventure-the end, too, of Mrs.
DRAWINGS efforts to find a husband
| for her.
| Depressed and unhappy, Grace
| opened the house and went thru the
| mornings tasks.
| How, she wondered, could q woman
quarrel with a husband who had pro-
vided her with such a dear home?
| How could any woman ever quarrel
with any man who lifted her life out
of nothingness into something worth
while?
The morning passed quickly. At
noon Grace sat on the davenport in