The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-19
THE EVENING STORY
Cupid on the Fence.
(By NJ. c. Sanford.)

Mt Her refusal was unprecedented
ana almost as much of a surprise to
nerseH as 1t was to Jack-but sober
second. thought seemed to justify it.
~ was IoollSh-so argued Elinor to
InerseI as she hung up the receiver
70 iee Jack take SO much for granted,
10 let MIN think she was always ready
as a matter of course, to answer his
peck and call. She would show him a
tnlng or two. There were other men
TO be considered, and she didn't In
teno 10 marry Jack any more than
tenoed to marry some one else! Still II
MAS va. such lovely afternoon and she
did SO love to go automobiling.
me telephone rang again.
Hello, answered EItnor, languid-
~, oh, Mr.. Norris? Yes. Go auto
MODELLING with you this afternoon. I
shall be delighted. Three O'Clock? All
right. III be ready. Goodby."
Elinor clapped her hands and gave
nerself a little squeeze or congrafula-
ton.
Half an hour later, her little round
chin tilted sauciiy above the big blue
DOW OF her gauzy veil, Elinor stood
waiting on the porch-a picture OF
pertness and prettiness.
AT the "honk, honk' of an ap-
preaching automobile, she ran quick
" down the steps to greet Vernon
Norris. But to her establishment the
car did not stop, and looking after 1t
curiously, she discovered that it was
not Vernon after all, but Jack, and
could she believe her eyes?-he was
not alone! There was a funny little
tight feeling about ElinorsS heart that
she didn't care to analyze. She turned
her back on the vanishing apparition
of Jack, and there on the top of the
hill, like coming event that had cast
It's shadow before it (alas. that it
was such a corporal shadowD she
saw Vernon's car looming into sight.
Anyway, reflected Elinor, if Yer
mons auto wasn't such a beauty as
Jacks, it was still an auto, and if Yer
non wasn't perhaps, as handsome as
Jack, he was still a man, and when it
came to a matter of comparison,
man far more solicitous of her happi-
ness. Jack had a way of spinning
through the country without, appar-
emily, the least consciousness OF her
presence beside him. Vernon, on the
other hand, was always on the alert
to rescue the hayward end of her veil
to inquire for her comfort and to ask
what speed best pleased her present
mood. With him she herself, not the
machine, was the center of his
thoughts.
AS a result of these reflections, Elinor
greeted Vernon with. an unusually win
some smile and extended her hand with
charming graeiousness-a favor which
that young man, most naturally, fiat
irresistible powers of attraction
Elinor followed up the cordiality of her
welcome with such a chatter of merry
talk as they went flying through the
country and seemed so radiantly happy
that Vernon, bringing the machine to a
sudden showdown, simultaneously with
his inspiration. decided to learn his fate
then and there.
1t proved, almost literally, a popping
of the question. His declaration was
not short; with a sound as of spontanL
eous combustion. The noise, together
took ElinOr off her feet both mentally
and physically. AS she sprang up Yer
non caught her to him.
Its all right, dear" he murmured
with extravagant tenderness. You're
not hurt; only frightened" and he lifted
her IL so that he might look into her
face.
Elinor freed herself with effort.
mo she said, steadily, Pm not hurt
and I'm not frightened" She felt sud
denly an indeseribable shrinking from
the man. He had been too quick to
take advantage of the situation. Had
it been Jack, he
Vernon interrupted her train of
thought by shouting to some men in the
distance for help. They did not hear
him.
lawfully sorry he said finally, but
I'm afraid I'll have to go across the
fields for help. There's a farmhouse
over there. I'm very much like Humpty-
Dumpty, you see. I don't know how 70
put myself together again." lElinor saw,
but somehow was not amused.) "WiIi
you be timid here alone?"
Not at ALL" she answered firmly. ig-
noring the sentimental look in his eyes
Il won't be long" he assured her, as
he jumped out of the car. stay just
where you are and make yourself COM
Portable. The car won't bulge"
After Vernon had disappeared from
sight, Elinor, not at all confident, in
spite Of his assurance, as to what the
inconstant auto might do next. iumped
out and perched herself on the post of a
nearby fence.
She was a most bewitching little
vision as she sat there, her fawn-eolor-
ed coat outlined against the green
veil, which she had 1oosened, floating
out airily in the breeze as If on its way
to join the clouds in the blue sky
above it. But Elinor was obIivfous to
the picturesqueness of her plight All
she could think of was its stupidity.
Why, oh why, hadn't she gone with
Jack? Oh. yes. she remembered-sha
was teaching him lesson. showing
him his proper place, tempering his un-
and uncomfortable air of as
Hum! Let's see, this was
August-it was just six months since
she had met him, and he seemed to
think so brief an acquaintance entitled
him to the privileges of as many years
To be sure. she had been to nearly ey-
cry one of the Country club dances
with him-but he did dance so divinely!
and had gone autoing with him every
Friday afternoon for a matter of some
eight or ten weeks. Rut what of il?
There were plenty of others craving her
favor, and just because she happened
10 like Jacks dancing and Jacks auto
better than anybody else's, was that
any reason why he
Honk honk! --..
The staccato breaking of the silence
nearly caused Elinor to lose her ball
ance. She gripped the top rail of the
,ence hard and watched the wild thing
vlliz by. Suddenly 1t began to slow
iown.. then 1t turned around and start
ID back again. Jacks carl Her heart |
gave a bound of happy relief Then 1t |