The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-13
THE YENZNG STOR Y
The Adaptability Of Jimmy.
J (By Troy Allison.)

voice was comical. reproduction OF
/ grief. 49,
Jim Hartley interrupted the fascinat-
4 ing occupation of punching with his
i scarf pin lace pattern around lear
on The large rubber plant and looked at
i her reproachfully.
You know you always have me to
fall back on" he suggested, piacidly-
of course l might not come UP TO your
| exact ideas of what Prince Charm
| ing ought to be-but couldn't you IDEAL
| lie me a httle-eh Elizabeth"
My dear boy-you don't seem to re-
| aliZa your-er-nose in the least! Now,
could youimagine the prince with such
| a feature? AS merely a nose, Jimmy,
| I'll grant it's the noblest Roman OF
them all-bdt it would look as much
out of place on my prince as-as
Falstaffian front would on Romeo.
He eyed with honest admiration the
deaths head. and crossbones he had
punched in the center of the leaf.
your dainty and esthetic prince
coaI seness of expression, Elizabeth, my
child-you are not supposed tc refer
to anatomical subjects"
She smiled her disdain and, turning
her back to him, put her little worn
slippers against the steam radiator:
you are so terribly prim too-and SO
absolutely eXreeted!-I EaTc known
you so long that 1 know you through
and through-there is never any room
for speculation. Maybe one could Tor
get about your ncse-if you would ever
do snything-unexpecte
He dtd-immediateiy, and she arrang-
ed her rumpled ha1r, ner eyes bldAih6
James Hartley-I-I never would
have believed 1t of you! And to think
I've known you six years.
little startled at his own reckless
ness, he picked up a paper knlre from
her writing desk and commenced oper,
atio1s on the abused rubber plant with
assumed nonchaiance.
f0d f0 do something uIl-
expected" he suggested 1ly.
ANY man might have re that'
with whitening sarcasm. --'--.-
Elizabeth Lent! l am more tnan
shocked at such an admission! For
I've wanted to try it for six years ana
have been too cowardly.
She grew more confusedly angry.
MAKE a joke OF 1t II you IlBe' .; SUI
hIazed "It probably serves epae rlghC
for thfnking there was one IMAM tnac
could be trusted
He turned abruptly and took his hat
from the top OF the piano: 1,is
"You needn't say any more, ms
face was pale with anger. ouVe
had me at your beck and call for an
these years-and you never Woulo 9ahe
me seriously AS for jokes; my love
always. I'm tired of it-and II I'm
never to be taken seriously Wen put
an end to it all. 1 apologize most num-
bly, for my recent rudeness, ana ne
unmistakable evidence of temper, pc
fore she could realize that there mad
actually been quarrel.
She stood up mechanically ana com.
n1anced rearranging the furniture or
the little parlor. She broke on the !
demolished leaves of the rubber plant |
and started to the dining room to put |
them in the wastebasket.
Her roommate sat at the dlnlng |
table working on sketch.
sfJiIflInV gone this early 2 Sne d6keu |
in surprise. -
mot coming any more" answered |
Miss Lent with studied indifference.
Frances Carson ran the background |
of the sketch into the Grecian face |
she had finished. and let 1t drop on
the table a hopeless blur.
What have you done to Jimmy? 2"
she demanded accusingly. "He's the
best fellow I ever saw
as he. indeed ~ Miss Lent dropped
the leaves into the basket with ges-
ture OF superior scorn. clad you
The other woman commenced wash
ing her paint brushes and threw the
spoiled sketch in the basket on top
of the leaves.
You have treated him shamefuliy
all these years." she said, looking
souareIy into the others wrathful eyes.
sEYou have been dreaming OF heroes
and ideals-and in the meanwhile nave
been taking ali and giving nothing to
the best type of man that exists. l
onIv hone that you haven't treated him
so badly it's beyond making up.
Miss Lent started toward the bed
room door defiantly.
'tIIe'Il get over it and come back in
a few days." she said with calm assur-
ance.
Weeks passed, and Miss Carson found
that she need cook only one chop for
dinner-for the other was never
touched. Elizabeth grew thinner and
lrn
worried when he asked about her
Frances Carson had never been a
believer in the doctrine that it was
GOOD policy to let things drift-she
believed in the judicious application of
a helping hand. She watched her
friends listless face one night after
dinner as she sat in the Morris chair
@Elizabeth-I can't bear to see you
looking SO wretched," she said, rising
energeticaIly. I'm going out and get
Something else for your cough. And
to go to Florida for the rest of the
winter, as the doctor advises"
She put on her coat and hat and
went. not to, the druggists. but to the
nearest telephone booth.
us that you, Jimmy? she called,
when she had got her number.
''I may be traitress, villainesssl
and everything else that indicates the
double dyed feminine conspirator-butl
I couldn't resist the temptation of call
Ing you up and telling you that you are
an idiot.
Don't get huffy! I've just cause for
com plant. Did you know that Eliza
beth has been too fl to go to her
office for over a month";
at thought you didn't. The doctor
told me privately that he didn't believe
she would stand the winter unless she
could be induced to go south. No
hush-don't say a word to me. I'm
not going back to the fiat for two hours
alone If anything happens to her