Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-11-25
House and
Lot
By ESTHER SQUIRES
Observation-Disclosures,
g BY Mcclure Newspaper syndieAte.j

" by Mcclure Newspaper syndieate.p
Helen Thompson, newest and young
est member OF the reportorial stan Of
the Daily News" looked with some
trepldation In the assignment book Of
the city editor. She hoped she wouldn't
have to cover" one of the society wed.
dings that usually fell to her lot. AT
such events she always felt like an
outsider and intruder. Instant content
came, however when she saw sprawled
In the city editors hand, "Homcmak-
ers' Exhibit-Patterson Hall. Apply
for tickets at business Office" And
then beneath, Make 1t snappy."
These three words OF instruction
brought color 10 Helen's face. Just
as II my copy wasn't always snappy,"
said Helen to herself. II always bring
In snappy copy and then Joe Brooks
takes II all out"
She felt tinge of rebellion, but 1t
was only reflection. Helen was 10y
atty itself toward her superior. Joe
Brooks, the city editor. and had caused
more than one laugh among her ass0-
clates by her rapid-fre defense OF
''Bossy joe"
In the main. however, Helen Thomp
son was filled with satisfaction, and,
having taken Il ticket for the Home
makers Exhibit from the business Of
flee, she set out on what seemed 10
her an afternoon Of real pleasure. For
Helen was essentially domestic. She
spent many leisure moments drawing
plans Of houses, perfectly possible little
six.room houses that any young girl
like Helen might feasibly expect 70 live
In. But she had no such expectation.
Necessity and circumstances had led
her to start to work AT twenty. and
she assured herself that nobody ever
married a woman reporter. So she
wore her bobbed hair straight, dOnned
trimmed spectacles. and never appeared
In the Office OF the DAILY News" In
any other costume than that OF man
nish tweed suit.
At least. she told herself, no one
could accuse her OF being vamp,
even II she did work In newspaper
office.
Helen took her time at the exhibit.
She would not have to write her copy
until after a o'clock dinner and she
could spend the afternoon IN absorbing
atmosphere. So she sampled iniinites
imal biscuits meagerly spread with
jam or jelly, drank coffee from micro
SCOPE paper cups watched for Ave
minutes beside the booth where
u patent potato peeler, bought Jar
Of marmalade, and collected Il pound
or 30 of pamphlets and several pounds
of sample packages. Purposely she
put of till last visiting the section
Of the hall devoted 10 portable cottages
and bungalows. Some half dozen of
these had been erected by as many
rival concerns selling portable struc
lures. Ii was ! when she at last
reached this section. She sped past al
eager-voiced young man who leaned
from the railing of his booth urging
her to buy II lot In Hawthorne Park.
newly opened cottage settlement,
and passed several bungalow nests on
to the six-room, one-story cottage that
occupied the central position In the
exhibit. Artificial rosevines rambled
over the white lattice OF the front
porch. white birdhouses were perched
on posts In the tiny back yard, rutiied
white muslin curtains could be seen
through the open windows. So eager
was Helen TO begin her inspection OF
this house that she pushed her way
through the crowd, leaving and enter
ing by the tiny front porch.
She walked through the entire six
rooms with Il quick. appraising eye.
II came up to her well-formulated
standard OF convenience In arrange
ment. Then she took each room in
turn. Apparently nothing was lacking.
There was the eating nook that she
had dreamed OF, with built-in cupboards
above the benches at either side of
the table.
1--WE could eat breakfast here and
everyday dinners she reflected.
Then when there was company we
could eat In the living room. So much
more sensible than wasting space on II
regular dining ROOM"
In the kitchen Helen fingered be-
side the sink and imagined herself
washing dishes In n pan of steaming
soapsuds. She looked at the window
and imagined she saw country roads
and blue sky and waving branches of
trees instead Of the throngs 81 visitors
OF the humemakers' exhibit She took
a deep breath and imagined that she
brenthed sweet country air instead OF
the Initiated air of the hall mingled
with the cooking odors Of the food
booths
For half hour Helen remained in
this little ready -made bungalow, for
getting In that time that any one might
have been noticing her enthusiastic In
spection or have heard the signs of
mingled regret and pleasure. She gave
little start when smooth-voiced.
frank eyed woman approached her