The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-16
TIE EVENING STORY
Prudent Percy.

Prudent Percy.
Fathers and mothers who knew
him said, There are not many young
men like Percy Widger. that's a fact
1t would be a good thing if there
were. There's a young fellow that has
some sense
He certainly had some sense. Lots
of it, in fact Cool, seIf-reliant and
with a judgment beyond his years.
His parents were often congratulated
on Percy's good, practical qualities.
His employer congratulated himself
Not bad habit to his name, indus
trious and careful. He earned his sal
airy well and be saved it, after paying
He did not go out q great deaf Win
young people of his age, yet ne was
not unsociable. not unpopular. he
had his work to do. that was all, ana
his work included a certain amount OF
study for self-inprovement
THE girl who gets Percy VIII De
lucky" said the mothers.
Some Of the daughters smiled, 9TH
ers sighed.
Bought three blocks of the sub
ers. THAT boy is going to make
money. Pretty hard-headed young
chap, / tell you. He'll have II pald
for in a year or two"
Il
two. and the subdivision began to
build up. It was a shrewd investment
for a young man.
Well said some of the mothers to
Mrs. Widger, Il suppose Percy Will be
bringing you home a nice little daugh-
ter-in-law some of these fine days"
Il suppose So" asserted Mrs. Wild
ger. with a sigh ''I tell him it's time
he was looking about him, but he
seems quite satisfied to be at home as
4I.E- / sr- the IA
open, but he says he doesn't intend to
marry until he's 80. He's "a now, SO
he's got six years to make his choice
"HeIl make d good one when he
makes it,
yes, I believe he will. I've heard
of somebody believe it was Frank
! Iin-who said he chose his wife as ne
did his coat, for her wearing quailtles
Percy is always particular about MS
clothes. He likes to be neatly dressed,
but he never buys a suit just because
the pattern happens to be pretty. lie
/ tries this sample and that and makes
/ sure that every thread in 1t IS gOOd
wool and that it is properly dyed and
woven. and then brings it to me to see
what I think of it.
How sweet And you think he
will select his wife the same way2
You must look up some samples for
him.
Mrs Widger had thought of that.
! She consulted Percy as to his prefer
ences in that sort of goods.
We'll" said Percy in his matter-of-
fact way, II always thought I should
like my wife to be a brunette, as l m
such towhead. I think opposites
! should marry. But temperaInents
should. of course, be sympathetic.
mean to satisfy myself very carefully
that the woman I marry is congenlai
in tastes and habits. I mean 1 want
a sensible, Well-balanced girl and a
welI-educated girl. When I say well
educated don't mean merely one who
! has been through GiTton or Vassar or
! Wellesley only. because she might be
very brilliant Intellectually and be q
very incapable housekeeper. / think
more unhappiness in married Ire
/ comes through slipshod housekeeping
than any other cause. I want my wife
to be strong, healthy and good tenn
/ pered. But then I've got lots of time.
It's not a thing I should do hastily or
/ without due consideration. It's a sert-
Gus matter, choosing partner for
life
"You don't say anything about her
looks said Mrs Widger. with a smile.
We'll" said Percy, Il don't want her
TOO socd-.ool1ing. A beautiful girl is
usually selfish. She receives so much
attention that she doesn't think it nee
essarv to pay any attention to others.
I've found that to be the case with
the girls around here. You must have
been an exception to that rule, mother"
Mrs Widger said she had always
known how sensible Percy was, but
that little talk was an immense relief
to her, after all.
/ About a week after that Percy was
asked to a little party of young people
at Sanson's. Della Samson was nice
girl and her brother. Duke, was nice
fellow. Percy decided to go.
| When the maid opened the door for
| him two girls were running down the
| stairs hand in hand. One was Della
Samson and the other
| Jessie" said Della. "let me intro
duce Mr.. Widger. Percy, this is my
very dearest friend. Miss Stralen."
Percy saw a slim. in fact, rather
wispy. young woman with a pile of yell
low hair and big blue eyes that had the
most appealing look imaginable until
she smiled, and then they were rather
uischievous in their expression. She
nut out a hand and Percy's pulse as
he took it made thirty beats above
You're just in time" said Miss
StraIen Were all going into the
kitchen and I'm going to make Judges
n can't boil water without burning it.
but I can make Judges. Can't I, Della. .
| They had a jolly time in the kitchen
that is, it would have been jolly if
some of the fellows had not acted sc
like fools with Miss Stralen. But OF
course that was hard to avoid. Percy
felt conscious that he acted rather that
way himself. Tt was little lock OF
yellow hair that had got astray and
curled itself across Miss Stralen's
neat-f1ushed cheek that made him fee
: particularly idiotic.
But she let him beat the fudge;
And once she looked at him side
wavs with a little smile that
All the way home that night Percy
thought of that little smile and ther
| of the curl of yellow hair, and he fel
= the peculiar pulse acceleration again
2 odd in Percy. wasn't it2 He couIdn'
sleep for thinking of those things.
And they were married within si1
months Percy and Miss Stralen. Perez
- .. 4 80 lon r.l.s