The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-14
THE EVENING STORY
Wits and Wireless.
(By M. J. Phillips.)

Wy Dc HllllpS.l
am going to marry Nellie Arm
strong" announced Harry Leclair.
He looked just as his name sounds:
ne was handsome, with very distin-
guished profile, large dark eyes and a
Wen set up figure. But his fingers
were much stained with nicotine from
too many cigarettes. He dressed grace
fully. devoting considerable time to his
clothes-principally because he did
nothing else.
quietly and unbelievingly.
Schm1tz was civil engineer, whose
| rugged face, capable hands, rough
clothing and high-laced boots indicated
considerable familiarity with hard
| knocks. Does she know it yet. Har-
| ry?"
Leclair, being consummate egotist
with no sense of humor, never knew
he was being laughed at, and now he
looked at Schmitz suspiciously. But
the big man who was striding along
beside him was very grave.
Well. no." confessed Leclair, salts
| fed with his scrutiny. "But I'm going
to ask her-maybe tonight. You see,
I've had my fling, and I'm ready to
settle down. I'm twenty-five; it's time
for me to be getting a home of my
cided on"
you'll live with your mother, same
as ever. take it?' said Schmitz
Again Leclair shot him distrust-
1uI glance. Ye-es, I suppose so,'' he
admitted, reluctantly. "Motherd be in
that big house all alone. Or else
finished Schmitz.
That question can be easily settled
stiff1y.
schmitz always had exasperated him.
They had grown up together and the
"sQuare-head," as he had privately
termed Schrnitz, refused to treat him
with Difference. Schmitz would not be
dazzled by the fact that his old play
| mate was the village Beau Brummei-
| Handsome Harry" his friends called
him. To Schmitz he was still worth
less, lazy youngster, content to drift
along, living on his mothers slender
| income.
Anyway, I thought I'd let you
KNOW" Leclair said, with the slightest
possible accent on the personal pro-.
noun. He knew that Schmitz was in
terested-deeply so-in Nellie Arm
strong But in the calm sureness of
better looks and more polished manners
he had never given the engineer seri-
GUS thought as a rival
And yet his heart misgave him when
he turned in at his own gate. How
embarrassing his position would be had
he overestimated his destinations! Or
| suppose SchmitZ, warned by his foolish
boastfulness, were to propose first!
You told Paul you were going to
| ask Nellie to marry you = echoed his
mother, fretfully, as they sat down. to
supper. She had once been handsome,
but bitter discomfort had marred her
features. why, Harry, 1 think you'd
better sense! You know how friendly
| they've been ever since the three of you
were Children
but it was only friendliness," urged
the youth He hasn't been near her
home for a Weekp'
He's always talking with her over
| the wireless retorted the mother, her
| fretfulness increasing. First he built
that machine in his own house; then
he rugged one UP for Fred Armstrong,
and taught him how to work it. Next,
of course, Nellie learned it. They talk
with it every evening. You'll let that
girl and an her money slip through
your fingers, as you've let every other
chance slip, you lazy good-for-noth-
ing"
"Hushr' commanded her son. with a
frown. Let them talk over the wire
less! I'll end all that. Tonight he'll he
a mile away, and I'll be there, beside
her. Do you see?"
He spoke so confidently that Mrs.
Leclair unwillingly was mollined.
Lec1air dressed himself that evening
with good deal of care. But he hur
ried as much as possible, for he had
been impressed in spite Of himself by
his mothers prophecy. The sun was
Just setting when he left his own home
and turned toward the Armstrong resi-
6ence.
His fears of Schrnitz had been in
vain, after all. he decided. When he
passed the engineers home, the fell
low was sitting on the porch, enjoying
an evening smoke From a tall flag
pole on the lawn to another pole on
| the highest point of the house the
wireless antennae Were strung. eff he
hopes to gain any advantage over me
with that rigging" thought Leclair.
Triumphant. and contemptuous, hes
dly fooled He dawdled cornforta-
bly, along the way. Wien the wireless
rigging at the Armstrong place came
in sight, he smiled almost pityingly
Nellie is in the wireless ROOM said
Mrs. Armstrong when Leclair inquired
for her.
He knew the way to it, and passed
into the house. up the broad stairs to
the second story and thence up anoth-
er stairway to the attic
The big room, cut into queer slop-
dormer windows. was an attractive
apartment. Especially was it attrac-
tive when graced by the presence of
Nellie Armstrong. She was standing,
slender. girlish figure in white. at
the wireless instrument which took UP
one end of the attic. The receiving
apparatus was strapped over her fair
Eair. So intently was she listening to
| a message that she seemed not to no
tice Leclair's coming.
Presently she reached forward and
began opening the KEY. Obedient to the