The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-11-06
There Was Another
Dorinda Dodd
By cLARIssA MAcKIE
t@ by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,

II now take my pen In hand to
tell you that am going to California
to keep house for my brother, SO that
cannot work for you any longer. He
needs me, so l cannot wait until you
come home from this trip. Dorinda
Dodd will take by place as your house
keeper, and you can change II neither
one Of you pleases the other. Yours
respectfully, Ellen Smith,"
"Dorinda Dodd! Sufferin' fish! !"
groaned young Captain Clark. as he
put the letter away and leaned against
the rail of his fine schooner Breeze.
large three-masted vessel that raced
through deep seas. "Think of going
home and not seeing Ellen Smith at
the helm. Is Dorinda Dodd the only
woman without job in Fairport?"
He asked himself this question
many times as the Breeze neared New
York. They touched at the big city
and took a Fairport man home with
them. Jabez Case offended the cap
tain before the ship had left the East
river.
'I hear Dorinda Dodds going to
keep house for you," gossiped Jabez
lazily.
Until / can turn around and find
some one else," said the captain, q
frown or his handsome bronzed face.
Find some one else What's the
matter with Dorinda DoddT Jabez
fairly squeaked his surprise. "She
makes the best apple pies In Fair
port"
The captain hesitated. "That may
be, and apple pie Is my favorite, but
couldn't stand being talked to death
by Dorinda."
Talked to deathr' repeated the
stupefied Jabez.
II said It,"
Jabez became silent. He watched
the captains gloomy face as he stood
by the wheel. They were entering the
sound and the navigation through
He'll Gate required the captains close
attention. Once Jabez slapped his
knee just as though he had made q
delightful discovery.
"Folks are gossiping already, Bill
you know old Dorinda Dodd always
wanted to get married."
Don't be fool, Jabez," snapped
Capt. Bill Clark.
| "The Breeze is In port" the word
flew around the village Of Fairport,
but no one had an opportunity to have
word with the captain, who went
ashore at once and took short cut
across the bluffs to his little white
home on the hill. he had been born
and raised there, and It pleased him
! to live on In the house that was SO
eloquent of his mother and father,
dead these five years past.
'The old lady likes posies," he
grudgingly admitted. He entered the
front door and looked into the parlor
Everything was in Its accustomed
/ place, and Immediately clean. The
small front windows were open and
! the scent Of cinnamon roses filed the
room. His throat tightened-memory
seemed so insistant. He almost
sensed the presence Of his mother. He
left hastily, passed through the quaint
dining room, and sought the kitchen
/ and Dorinda Dodd.
There was delicious fragrance OF
| baking cake; on a side table were
lOaves Of fresh bread and two pies
on the big kitchen table were all the
evidences of molasses cookies to come
| but no Dorinda Dodd.
"Oh, Miss Dorinda !" he sang Justify
cheered for the moment by the com
fort Of his home, and with the words
! scarcely uttered, out OF the pantry
stepped woman, with dabs of -four
on her pretty nose and cheeks. Her
wide brown eyes showed surprise
ut must be Captain Clark" she ex
tended plump capable hand "Wel.
come home"
THANK you, ma'am. I was expect
ing to see Miss Dorinda Dodd here
so just sang out" he explained.
"Oh--why, / am Dorinda Doddl"
He stared at her doubtfully. IT was
expecting an elderly LADY, went to
school to her once upon a time"
THAT was fathers sister-and Aunt
Dorinda died last winter, poor dear
/ am sorry that you are disappoint.
| ed"
| ''Disappointed?" he roared. "Why
should be disappointed?" He ad
mired the pretty light blue dress she
| wore and the way the hair curled In
| the nape Of her pretty neck Send her
away? He hoped nothing would hap
pen to tempt her to leave his abode
She was little more than thirty, and
he was sober thirty-six. And he
was home for the summer
When he was ready to sail on his
next long voyage, he met Jabez Case
on the street. How In Miss Dorinda,
Billy?" asked Jabez,
Capt. Billy Clark grinned happily.
There isn't any Miss DOrinda Dodd