Evening star., 1928-12-13
vi in the Kitchen.

!
Corydon kitchen and also, per-
haps, the first really happy
morning she had ever known in
her 18 years. The long hoped
for had come: she had a situation.
such a good situation, too! Ten dol
lars a week clear money, with board
and lodging thrown in. And only two
of the incest young people to do for.
And the dearest little white-and-blue
room, which was warm as toast on a
cold morning And beautiful things
to handle and care for. And every
Wednesday afternoon from 2 until 8
to spend at home with her mother and
the kids.
No wonder she sang for joy: no
wonder she polished the tray upon
which she had just served Mr.. Cory
don's breakfast until it shone. She
felt that she was going to like Mr..
Corydon. He was rising lawyer with
an immense personality, strong,
a clean, decent, honest man should be.
vi did hope his bacon and eggs had
been perfect; she had tried to make
them so. An hour from now she
would be taking Mrs. Corydon'S break
fast upstairs Oh. there was beauty
for you'll Never had vi seen anybody
so graceful, so bright, so charming as
her new mistress. But all the same
she was afraid of her. She wasn't
afraid of Mr.. Corydon, but there was
something about Mrs. Corydon that
made her uneasy. vi did not know
what it was. If she had known she
would have called it temperament.
There was a slight tap at the door
and Mr.. Corydon entered the kitchen.
wi" he began, 'I believe Mrs. Cory
don called you viz"
eyes. SIR" said vi, with little bob
Mr.. Corydon seemed embarrassed. He
looked down at the floor, he looked up
at the ceiling, then he looked at vi.
And vi looked at him with her honest
1rish-gray eyes, wondering what ne
had come to say to her.
"Vi," he said, "n Mrs. Corydon
should say or do anything that ever
seems unkind to you I hope you Will
overlook it. She-she is of nervous
temperament and sometimes says-and
does-things which she does not
mean"
'Yes, sir" said vi with bob, but
her heart sank. Those brilliant black
eyes of Mrs. Corydon's-she was not
mistaken.
thing more. but smiled instead. Then
he went out as If he were glad to have
the little talk over with.
well, forevermore!" vi Quoth as
she stared after him. 1T sure looks as
if I wasn't going to find it all honey
and-laSses here after all"
Half an hour later the bell rang fu-
riously and vi went upstairs.
Mrs Corydon sat before her mirror,
Brushing her lovely black hair.
where's my breakfaSt? she de-
manded when she saw that Wis hands
were empty.
"I-IH bring it right up," vi stam-
mered. She thought, Mother OF love!
It's begun already" She backed to-
ward the door.
"Remember," warned Mrs. Corydon,
e'that bell means my breakfast. /
shan't tell you again. You must re-
member. can't be bothered repeating
things to my servant. My last girl had
no memory at all and ! kept her only
a week"
bled. Only week! Why, she couldn't
leave after all she'd hoped, after all
they'd hoped at home. She ran down.
stairs breathleSSly.
one instant she leaned against the
shining white sink to get her pose,
then she began to make cocoa, brown
toast, pouch an egg. Her lips Qulverea
and she came near dropping a tear In
the cream, but she said to herself that
she would be brave. Then there was
what Mr.. Corydon had said. He must
know what he was talking about.
"Tll stand on my tongue" she
thought, I'll stand on my tongue till
till drop in my tracks
In the DAYS that followed vi more
than once needed all the patience and
resolution she could summon to bear
with her mistress. Twice she thougnL
that her time in Corydon household
was limited not to days but moments.
but the crisis passed and things settled
down again. It was very trying, IL
wore her out, but she did her pest.
Sometimes she wished that Mr.. Cory
don at least would say a kind word to
her, but he never spoke again.
Then he went away for a weeks busi-
ness trip and vi and Mrs. Corydon were
Now is when I'll catch it." vi
thought desperately
Next morning when she went upstairs
with the breakfast tray she saw some
thing that astonished her.
TEhe's been crying! She looks per-
amazement.
That afternoon she was dusting the
hall when Mrs. Corydon entered the
house, She looked beautiful in her
dark fur coat and bright little gold
toqne. She did not glance at vi, but
ran upstairs.
shes going to cry" vi thought.
She wiped a few spindles mechanically.
81 just wonder"
And then suddenly she found her
self running upstairs. She knocked at
Mrs. Corydon's door. There was no an
swer. She knocked again and this
time muffled voice ordered her to go
away.
But instead of going away vi did an
unheard-of thing for any servant to do
who had q mistress like that. She
opened the door and walked in.
Mrs. Corydon lay on the daybed Sob
bing. She Sprang up, dabbing at her
eyes with a handkerchief
How dare you?" she began flriously.
II thought I heard you cal" vi
managed to say. She edged nearer.
"Please, dear lady, isn't there some
thing can say-or do for you? wish
there were"
The beautiful woman looked at the
freckled little maid. Her eyes swan.
Come here, VII" she said unexpect-
edly. "I-I want you to comfort me.
I've been home and my own mother
wouldn't do it." AS vi knelt beside
her she went on: They say by bad
temper is driving my husband from me.
oh, vi, vi, do you know anything I
can do to-to make myself behave?"
vi laughed.