The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1949-08-04
Housewives Sense
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Bv r. NJ. PARKINSON
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Features.

once, so thdt he would be expect
ed. Still, there was a disappoint-
ment.
I'm so sorry that our buyer, Mr.
Porterfeld, was called out of town, 4"
the secretary told him. But Mr.
Porterfeld recognized your name"
Mr.. Hopkins broke in. Don't tell
me it's Roscoe Porterfeldl"
1t is" she smiled. He wants you
at his home for dinner tonight
He'll arrive on an evening train. You
know Mrs. Porterfeld?"
"Oh, yes! And so does Mrs. Hop
kins, who is with me-"
That's fine! I'll let you in on a
secret" the woman said. Mr. Por-
terfeld is great family man. A
chatty evening with Mrs Porterfeld
and the girls viii just about cinch
the sale"
He went back to his hotel. and
told Mrs. Hopkins. otis a devot-
ed family dear. We must be
tactfully fattering. And-er-you'd
better let me handle it." He laughed
nerVously. after all, you're a
housewife, with housewives sense
lots of it. A good thing, but-er-
different from business sense"
quite" said Mrs Hopkins,
who'd heard that speech many
times. "And at that, Jenny Porter
field and I will have lots in COM
mon. Both housewives.
Wait a minute" Mr.. Hopkins
was staring. Did you say Jenny?
Her name is Lorna"
Lorna?" Mrs. Hopkins looked
astonished.
Lorna, certainly. Jenny was
Roscoe's girl in Worthwhile A little
dark girl. She was lame. Lorna
was the tall beautiful blonde from
Lake City"
They were perplexed. They did
not know which one was Roscoe
Porterfeld's wife.
A tall blonde young girl met them
at the Porterfeld door. "Mr. and
Mrs. Hopkins? Do come in. We're
so sorry that Mother had to see a
guest off. The trains little late,
and Daddy's coming on it so Moth
er's waiting"
When she disappeared to call
her sisters Mrs. Hopkins whispered,
Were on a spot, dear. We've got
to be careful"
Nonsense" Mr.. Hopkins laughed.
THAT tall blonde girl is surely
Lorna's daughter"
Suppose she introduces three
or four little dark sisters?"
She won't"
He was right. She returned with
three tall blonde young girls, and
Mr.. Hopkins gave Mrs. Hopkins
triumphant glance. "Well, gals, he
said, Il must say you take after
your beautiful mother"
In many ways" Mrs. Hopkins
broke in hastily. eve knew your
father and mother when we weren't
much older than you are now"
''Oh, do tell US about those days!"
the girls begged. You're the first
old friends of MONS and Daddy's
we've met. Did you have fun?''
Did we!'i Mr. Hopkins sighed.
parties, picnics, dances. And
let me tell you, the star of those
dances"
Excuse me, dear" Mrs. Hopkins
broke in. I'm so interested in that
lovely picture. Come look at it,
dear"
1t was a nice painting, hung rath-
er high. The top of the frame was
dusty. Mrs. Hopkins raised her eye
brows and moved on. Mr.. Hopkins
squirmed. If she would only forget
for one moment that she was a
housewife! Gas I was saying" he
began, "when we used to dance,
there was no one like"
Now, now, don't boast DEAR"
Mrs. Hopkins interrupted. "See this
lovely vase on the mantel.' She
gave him meaningful glance, and
her eyes dropped. He saw that the
top of the vase was dusty. She
turned and said sweetly, care you
real old-fashioned home girls?"
No, I guess we're not" the old
est admitted. Were all athletic.
And with school and everything,
we're not very domestic"
WAS Nom a home girl when she
was young?" another asked.
Mr.. Hopkins was nervous as a
cat. Lorna-tal, blonde Lorna-a
home grill
Eyes, indeed" Mrs. Hopkins said.
She was held up as an example
to all the other girls. Their moth
ers always said, If only you were
clever about the house like little
JENNY"
The door bell rang and one of
the girls flew to admit Mr.. and Mrs.
Porterfeld. 'Mom," she said,
Mrs. Hopkins is the sweetest thing!
She says you were wonderful when
you were a girl and that all the
mothers wanted their daughters to
be just like you. Of course we knew
it, but it's nice to hear it from
someone else"
The Porterfelds, Roscoe and Jen-
ny, came in beaming.
The order was all but signed when
Mr.. and Mrs. Hopkins left. Mr.. Hop
kins wiped his brew Honey, you
saved my life. Those blonde girls
made me so positive it was Lorna.
How did you know it was jenny"
Mrs. Hopkins patted his arm.
HOUSEWIFE sense, she said com
placently. "You see, the low furni-
ture was shining So I knew the
high surfaces were dusty only be-