Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-01

M labaloo took place. Ought to
T| be ashamed. Wonder Virgie
doesn't turn in her grave. Has
he no shame At least if she were young ana
good-loOking, but great Dig raIlsy uIeh"0oiie1
like Simmons!
Certainly Simmons was no beauty. rorty'
rawboned with an angular face and an angular
body she was a surprising successor TO the
first Mrs. Yerckel, who had been mildly pre-
possessing matron, endowed with qualities
which fitted her even over and above her nus
band for the position his wealth established.
Yerckel. a builder, who had grown rich in
booming city, hesitated not at all over THIS sec
ond alliance Within 20 months after the death
of a first wife whom he mourned, he turned
gratefully to marriage with woman who had
come i'm to take charge of his household after
the disintegration following the death OF his
helpmate had set in on the domestic affairs
For 10 years previous to this, Simmons had
been housekeeper at one of the larger local
hotels She had efficiency, speed, handled her
servants we'll was not above taking hand at
the cooking and Immediately established her
self as overload in the servants quarters, where
discipline had been thrown to the winds since
the death of Mrs. Yerckel
CHE was a socable soul. garrulous, fond OF
sitting long hour over an afternoon cup
Of tea and after her arrival the evening meal
among the servants came to be something al
most as much of ritual as the meal previously
served in the: long paneled dining room up
stairs
That was part of the success of Simmons
with her staff She made life below stairs at
tractive granted long hours of respite from
duty in return for exceptional service during
the working hours and presided at the servants
dining table as If she were mistress OF house,
hold Good honey, salty conversation flowed
when Simmons presided at her table OF eight
servants, including fine fellow of a chauffeur,
named Shard. It said among the domeSticS
that Yerckel himself, coming accidently to the
servants pantry one evening, happened to over
hear one of these congenial occasions and there
upon fell in love with his housekeeper.
Whatever the case, within a six-month fol-
lowing they were married, and at 40, with only
the history of long years Of domestic labor be-
hind her, Adelaide Simmons found herself head
of q 2O-room home, wife of one OF the wealthieSt
men in the community and heiress to a social
position that automatically descended upon her
shoulders as the wife Of her husband.
The expected happened. Everything pertain
ing Tn the new social life Simmons abhOEred.
The long solemn dinners in the paneled dining
room. which she had hitherto only viewed
from the kitchen-side of the door, became
anathema to her. Functions were something
to dread weeks before they took place, and for
every snub she received from "the set" wounds
bIed in the secret places Of her heart.
It must be said for Simmons that she sue
ceeded in keeping practically all of this from
Macalroy her husband. She presided coldIy it
is true at his table, but with sufficient dignity
to carry of the occasions. She had no small
talk, no articles no beauty, but somehow there
was about this gracelesS woman stability.
firm earthly quality of the homely things of
life. that made her rather magnificent.