Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-30

4 been looking over the adver-
tised sales of groceries for the
| next day, and she wondered If Marie,
her maid, had seen where she had the
paper open. Matilda was essentially a
home body. She loved to cook and plan,
thoroughly enjoyed going to market and
inspecting everything she bought. I
would like to get stout brown basket
and go to market" thought Matilda
weariiy as her housekeeper entered.
THE stuff the French cook prepares
tastes all alike: I'd rather have a good
dish of corned beef and cabbage than
any of the fllet mignons or chicken la
king"
Mrs. Briggs coughed significantly as
she stood before her employer. She did
not intend to allow any newly rich to
keep her standing; positions were too
plentiful for that.
Good morning, Mrs. Briggs, what
is it?"
IT am not satisfied with my rooms;
like more sun Of a morning" Mrs.
Briggs did not use ma am in her con-
versation She was the reduced widow
of an Army officer and never permit
ted herself or others to forget that fact.
LAS I always said to my husband, the
captain, require great deal OF SUM-
SIllilC anu ulIh, IlldO CCl bAAACO ll1Alh = w
been drinking has not been real good
lately. 1 changed milkmen this NOR
ing"
Are you drinking certified milk?"
queried Matilda.
Certainly" Mrs. Briggs tossed her
pale red head. Il require the best OF
food to keep me fit for my duties. ]
told the man servants to change my
furniture into the front rooms on the
third floor
But those are guest rooms! Some
people are coming tomorrow" began
| Matilda eXcitedly.
Whats all that noise about?" Jim
Brown had just entered and he looked
Grossly at his wife. This house Is al
ways in an uproar. I came home to be
quiet and find the halls filled with fur
! niture. You may go, Mrs. Briggs, wish
, to speak to your mistress"
Again the red head reared itself pride
| fully. Il am considered an expert
houSekeeper and the furniture is being
moved for my comfort. AS always told
my husband the captain. 1 cannot put
forth my best efforts unless I am thor
ougly comfortable. There are the house
keeping bills for last month. Consider.
ing the rising prices, think them very
reasonable"
Mr.. Brown sank YEARLY into chair
as the door closed sharply after the
angular form. IT wish I might never
again hear of my husband. the cap.
tain" he muttered then. Great Scott
Matilda. have you been running q
boarding house? The bills are half al
much again as they were last month
and they were simply outrageous then!
His wife looked at him helplessly. u
don't know what to do. I cannot seen
to grasp the right way of running such
a large house. Mrs. Briggs resents il
| greatly if I ask what she is going tc
order each day. Says that that is hel
! part, to save my time, but 1 feel a.
though lived in hotel. Do you think
1t helps your business much to live ir
such grand style?"
Jim looked up from the iten-certi-
fed milk-with puzzled frown. The
sum total seemed astonishingly large tc
him, but he supposed that his wife
needed the costly milk. MY business?'
he repeated. why. no, keep up this
| great house and retinue of lazy servants
simply for your comfort. We saved anc
Scrimped so long that I resolved that
if ever could afford it you should have
a complete rest from all Housekeeping
cares and live life of serene leisure
| You've always been good wife, Mat
and II it pleases you to go about all
dressed up and stay up half the night
playing cards with lot of idle people
why. it's all right. I'm trying to learn
to like this kind Of semi-public life, anc
| If business would only pick Up" he
pulled up abruptly and Redeemed as Ma
| tilda's sharp eyes studied his face.
Finish your sentence" she COM
manded in the old tone she had used
when she had taught in the grammar
school back in Franklin. You are
keeping something back from me-.
He squirmed in his seat and ruffled
the sheaf of bills in his hands while
Mrs. Briggs sharp tones could be heard
amid the moving of furniture in the
hall outside.
Tell me, jim" urged Matilda with
an awakened CLEAN in her gray eyes,
have you been keeping up this big
establishment just to pleasure me?"
The quaint phrasing brought a REM
iniscent smile to his tired face:
THAT is my aim in life" he admitted
rather briefly. IT want to see you con-
tented. I figured that with charge &C
counts at all the big shops, plenty of
friends and housekeeper to run the
household you'd be right pert, but"
But is just the word" said Matilda
grimly. Let's have an understanding.
You limited something about business
picking up. Are you losing money!"
Its most all lost" He did not meet
her look but kept his eyes on the bills.
st had chance to sell out today for
5000 to a concern that wants to
merge my patents in with another bust
ness, but the interest from that sum
would not keep us In this style. shall
try to get some more business and pull
through, but guess I'm getting old.
don't seem to have the same Zest for a
fight that used to have. I am getting
tired of the strain and struggle. Life
goes too fast for me here in the city
Matilda's face was study. To gaze
at the pleasant middle-aged counte-
nance one would never have guessed
that she had just listened to report
Of losses. The worried lines about her
mouth relaxed and her lips curved in
tender smile. Tell me, Jim, do you
get homesick for the old town? For
the cool, pleasant streets where you feel
at home and where you can turn In any
gate and find a welcome? What is
money? It hasn't brought us any hap
piness. I've never felt really at home
in this big house, but had an idea 1t
helped you In business. Twenty-Five
thousand dollars would be a fortune