The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-13
EUening Story
Peter, Peter.
BY MAUNA COWLEi

Peter, Peter!
1t was the high-pitched. reprov-
ing voice of Alice, the youngest of
the three sisters. Peter in question
had come home to enjoy the leisure
of Saturday half holiday. A new
book, a magazine or two, a pipe
and a chaise Tongue on the awning
sheltered terrace had left Peter feel
ing the content of a mild summer
afternoon. Alice's reproving Peter,
Peter" was the cloud floating by
on the cloudless sky. For, ever since
Peter had been brought up as the
youngest child in a household OF
three older sisters, he had become &C
customed to having all his seedlings
and reproving begin with Just these
two words.
There was never any mistaking
about the nature of the comments to
the matter? What have done to
displease your majesty" Alice was
only a year older than Peter and
he especially objected to her reproofs.
seat near his. 81 saw you downtown
this noon, and Peter, Peter-there
was a hole in your stocking. 1
was walking behind you and honestly
what sort of man could be SO careless
and then I realized that it was our
darling Peter"
Thanks said Peter. I'll change
'em before dinner" He began read
ing furiously and Alice moved into
the background of the garden beyond.
Half an hour before dinner Peter
went to his room to freshen up, and
a good fifteen minutes of that time
was spent searching thru bureau
drawers in search of a pair of hole
less socks. At length he found
pair. one solitary pair among fifty
pairs or SO that were more or less
unsound.
II can manage to wear these to-
morrow and Monday" reflected
Peter, land I'll get one of the girls
to mend some up on Monday"
So Monday morning he approached
the middlest sister Janet.
IF you haven't anything else to do.
some time today" he began with what
he thought considerable diplomacy,
you might mend a few of the best of
the socks I've laid out on my bed.
I've such a skad of them that 1 don't
like the idea of buying any more, so
if you haven't anything else to do"
Janet interrupted:
Peter, Peter she began in dulcet
but reproving tones. That's just like
has no regular business that she hasn't
anything to do. can assure you that
when marry Tom he'll have to look
at things from a different angle.
Really, it is so ridiculous. Men spend
fortunes educating and cultivating
women. They send them to college,
have their voices trained, have them
learn all the arts and all the graces
and then they say: Since you haven't
anything else to do, please darn my
socks Really, Peter. don't want to
be disagreeable. It's the principle of
the thing. When 1 want my auto
mobile painted or retired 1 don't get
you to do it. L take it to a garage,
because 1 know you have something
else to do. I don't even darn my own
stockings and I don't intend to darn
Toms, so I don't see why I should
take on yours"
Peter excused himself from the
feminine circle of sisters a little early.
In his own sitting room he unwrapped
a small parcel containing darning cot
ton and silk, a large thimble and
paper of needles. The girl at the no
ton counter Of a department store had
told him that this was the necessary
paraphernalia. Then he sat erect and
uncomfortable by the side of his read
ing table and tried to master the art
of darning, assuring himself that there
was no use in discarding fifty pairs of
socks just because each pair needed a
very little darning.
There was a rap on his door. But
before Peter had time to gather his
mending equipment together sister
Maud had come in.
Peter, Peter" said Maud, scorn in
her voice and in her eyes. II can't
imagine a brother of mine doing any
thing like that. I thought you were
a regular man, but 1 see you aren't.
hope that you don't tell our friends
that you have to mend your own
stockings!"
Peter gathered the socks and the
mending things together with hang
dog look and then asked his sister to
take a. seat. But Maud did not. She
had been TOO seriously shocked.
The next Saturday afternoon Peter
made a neat package containing ten
av16 Fav -16
forth. He was going to try and find
some oldish person who would be
willing to darn socks if well paid.
He had no idea where he was going
to find one. He started thinking
that an inspiration might come. But
before anything like an inspiration
had come he spied his three sisters
coming up the street. No street to
turn down lay between him and the
trio One of them, probably Janet,
ask him what was in the package.
Peter looked about for somewhere to
vanish. Just ahead stood the Cool
edge house with a wide veranda
him. He turned into the driveway.
and was mounting the first steps of
the veranda when he CALAMITY DOTTED
his hat to his sisters, doubtless con-
sumed with curiosity to know why
he was calling at the Cooledges'.
Daphne Coolidge, serene and indo- |
lent reclined reading on a chaise |
Tongue. 1t occurred to Peter that their
ideas of passing a pleasant summer
afternoon were identical Daphne |
rose and met him. offered her hand |
with much cordially, and bade him |
sit down. She took a straight little |
bent hickory chair near him. |
I'm so glad you came" she said. |
II was just wishing somebody very. |
very nice would come. Do you know |
you haven't been to see me for the |
longest tfme?"
Peter stammered something about |
never making calls anyway
But why should you?" said |
Daphne. with three charming sis /
tiers at home you don't need to. I'm /