The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-29
THE EVENING STORY
john Norman,s opportunity.


to s. and the streets leading to the
station fairly hummed with life. Sub
urban shoppers. business folk ana
the Idle minority were all homewara
bound. Electric trans whirred ana
changed in every direction and eager
crowds surged into them.
Rosedale. Rosedalei" shouted the
starter.
Helen Grey gathered her suit case,
string bag and Boston fern and MADE
desperate efforts to secure a place. In
her haste she tripped on a loosened
shoestring and fell heavily into her
seat She was weary beyond words
with the days shopping. 1t was a hot
evening and the tram was packed
Passengers behind her crowded and
pushed, tanning her against a man al
the seats end. A brass curtain rod
which she was carrying prodded him
sharply in the ribs. She turned TO
apologize, but the words died on her
lips when she found herself confront
With a brief word she drew the Of
Tending rod into place and tried to
edge away from him.
He had passed her early in the
morning bound cityward in his motor
car. She had encountered him num-
Der of times during the day, and when
she had committed her one extrava-
gance, lunch at Maclean's, he. too, had
sauntered in and had seated himself
at window table beside hers: The
enjoyment of her lunch was spoiled by
the scrutiny of John Norman's gray
eyes.
The feud between the Normans and
Greys was of the fine. unreasonable,
New England type. There had been
real cause for grievance at the outset,
two generations back. but when the
grandnieces of Ezra Grey came to i've
in the old homestead. John Norman,
grandson of William the offender, was
more than ready to bury the hatchet;
and it was the irony of fate that ne
81 = c1rr AZ =
Grey.
He was rich and popular. and the
most eligible of Rosedale bachelors.
He had never before been anxious in
regard to friendship with women.
During his thirty-six years there had
been so many things that he had con-
sidered more important But Tor the
past four months he had planned and
with his neighbors and had failed.
They quietly ignored his friendly adj
vances, snubbed him few times, and
now. the fear of marring the armed
neutrality, kept him from oVerstep-
ping their limit.
AS Helen settled beside him in the
tram, he was very conscious OF the
pressure of her arm against his, and
head He had had her under espion-
age all day and this accounted for his
unusual proceeding, going back to
Rosedale by trolley.
He was eager to take some of the
heavy bundles that encountered her
lap, but he dared not make the sug--
gestion, her shrinking movement
from him and her unfriendly glance
were earnest of a rebuff.
Twilight deepened and the lights
twinkled in the car. When there was
elbow room she must tie her loosened
shoestring. She made two or three
attempts to reach it, but to tie shoe
in a crowded car, with bundle-laden
10 oil N g feat.
John Norman was aware of her eff
forts, as his foot was beside hers on
the rail of the seat ahead. When he
felt a sharp tug at his shoe string he
also, by the energetic twist that the
offending string was tied in a hard
knot, and that was as it should be.
She signaled the conductor to stop
at a corner some distance from her
home, rather than at the nearer one,
where they must aIight together. He
understood the significance of this
also. She was getting OFT. bundle
association with him. Norman's hand
stroked his mustache to conceal the
smile at her transparent tactics.
AS the car slowed she rose burdened
with bundles. Then came a struggle,
confusion and sickening distress. as
she dropped back fairly on John Nor
mans knee. Then she realized what
the trouble was-she had tied her
grateful for the cool. matter of fact
way in which he took her wild be-
havior. She struggled to her feet
again. and all of Rosedale that was
car craned it's neck in intense enjoy
ment at what was going on.
The motorman, angry at the delay,
changed the bell with furious insist
ence, and the conductors sharp "Hur-
ry upi hurry up. lady. don't keep the
car waiting" added still further to her
nervous embarrassment.
John Norman's clear voice ran out, !
''Wait a minute, conductor" in the |
tone of one used to being obeyed. The |
conductor had a profound respect for
Mr.. John Norman, and ran forward to !
stop the changing bell. In the mean
time Norman had produced his
pocket knife and had cut the knotted |
laces. his and hers. She gave a con- |
fused murmur of THANKS. and Norman,
hastily catching up the parcels. fol-
lowed her out. There was no word of
protest. and his sympathetic glance
revealed quivering lips and big brown
eyes suffused with tears.
The car whirred away. and faint
echo of laughter was borne back. 1t
was the last straw.
"Fools," he calculated. while the
girl leaned against nearby wall and
laughed till the tears ran down her
cheeks.
The vagaries OF women were be-
yond his comprehension, and he look
ed his bewilderment. standing mutely,
with suit case, bullying string bag and
pot of fern.
s'PIease, please forgive me- she
pleaded, ''I can not imagine how I
came to do such a stupid thing"
He liked. the pleading tone and the
Kindly way in which she looked at him.
cit was a happy mistake for me-" he
aid eagerly, and 1 hope that we may
De friends"
She had an inkling that there was
more than the thought of goodfellow-
hip in his mind as he held her hand in
| lingering goodnight.
Some months later Mrs. John Nor