The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1930-01-24
Janet Equal to
the Emergency
BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD

~ ride upstate quieting to nerves
tired from strenuous school year
and when she stepped out at the small
mountain station she breathed the
fragrant air delightedly. She looked
forward greatly to the coming week
of rest at her aunt's at "PinewOOd
Lodge"
She was about to swing leisurely
along the uphill road, leaving her
suitcase to be brought up later by
the Lodge bus, when tall young
man hurrying toward her held up his
hand.
Sorry to be late," he said briskly.
scars over here. Too bad about Mrs.
Williams, but she'll recover"
She'll recover" Janet had stopped
short and was staring at this strange
person who seemed to know her desti-
nation although she had not even writ
ten her aunt of her intended time Of
arrival.
Didn't they tell you? Well, Mrs.
Williams and the cook whose place
you are taking were ditched on their
way back from the village and the
car turned over. Mrs. Williams was
taken to the Warburton hospital with
broken leg. jimmy, the cook, was con-
siderably banged up and went home. l
took 1t upon myself to call up the War
burton Employment agency and they
promised to send up cook. And here
you are! Hop in and we'll make the
Lodge In time for you to get supper.
It's too early for many guests but
what there are of us are starvedi"
While he was talking, the energetic
young man had piloted Janet to his
roadster, helped her in, flung her suit
case between hood and fender, and
climbed in after her.
She smiled little, presently, when
she found herself being driven to the
back entrance of the Lodge. Ten min
utes later she was settling in gr'xi
earnest to the business of prepaf G
supper in huge, strange kitchen.
After she had superintended the
schedule for the two helpers in the
kitchen, newly hired that week by her
aunt, Janet sought the telephone and
called up the Warburton hospital. To
her JOY she was connected directly with
her aunt's room and had talked with
her.
Don't worry, auntie," she said.
meals are being served regularly and
abundantly." She did not say by whom.
Then STE got the employment agency
and told them that unless an appli-
cant was already on the way, not to
send one at all.
1t seemed that the one who should
have been on her way had changed
her mind at the last moment, so Janet
felt secure until the return of jimmy,
who would surely be on deck in day
or two.
AT luncheon, as she herself
brought in from the kitchen plat
ter of creamed pimento and eggs, she
fancied that she caught the gray eyes
of Mr.. William Cleaver-fzed specu-
latively upon her.
After supper that evening Janet
made her way down the road where In
a curve, a rustic seat had been built
beneath some slender birches. She
was reviewing the day. AS far as
meals went, she felt sure she had
made good. A middleaged couple had
complimented her on salad. Three
school teachers had tried to find out
If she were college girl making her
expenses by cooking.
Mr.. William Cleaver had not
shown up at all for supper but, as
guests frequently were absent on brief
trips, she naturally did not think much
about it.
Her reveries were broken by the
sound Of car In gear struggling
up the grade.
Before she could move, the road
ster of Mr.. Cleaver swung around the
curve, approached her, and stopped a
few feet away. Beside him sat plump
negress.
NAH sakes, Miss Janet! Yo' aunt
didn't say muffin to me about yo' com
ing. And Mistah Cleaver heah, he toll
me who all the guestses were and nev.
"But Pm no guest" said Janet pleas
antly. "Mr. Cleaver wanted a cook
so badly he just grabbed the first WON
an he saw and that happened to be
me-
If she had expected the young man
to show any sign Of chagrin or sur
prise she was completely mistaken. He
merely gestured toward the rumble
seat, into which Jimmy could never
have climbed, and started up his en-
gine.
But when he had an opportunity of
talking with Janet alone he made the
most of it.
There is no such thing" he said
sadly, 'in summer hotel as private
telephone conversation. By the time
you were through with the hospital
and the employment agency the whole
Rocking Chair Brigade were industri-
ouSly putting two and two together. |
made four sooner than they did and de-
cided that the only worthwhile apol-
ogy was one which would remove you
from the awkward position in which I
had placed you.
Right after lunch / set out for
Jinny's home and have been driving
for miles and miles. Fortunately,
found jimmy better and very glad to
be brought back in style. l don't ex-
pect to be forgiven for my utterly
dumb mistake"
But Janet forgave him. Oh, yes, in
deed. She did more than that. She
ultimately married him and, as a