The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-06
THE EVENING STORY
Her Silent Crush.
(By Joanna Single.)

He summed social affa1rS IN phase
fashion unnatural for a youngster not
yet twenty-five. Girls had somehow
gotten on his nerves, and he skunk
about with his dog and his pipe, TAX
ing what joy he had in abusing the
Wood college baseball team which he
was disgustedly coaching.
Lately, the team had been losing
games for some inexplicable reason.
At practice the boys filled his bosom
with JOY, but put them up against a:
neighboring college team, and they
invariably started out well-but fin
ished badly.
He had finally got the trouble
traced to Myers and Townsend. They
always did some fatally foolish thing
at the last minute. Then his sister
gave him key to the trouble.
He had been complaining to her of
these two, and she, with the bright
ready wisdom of a young married wo-
man, diagnosed.
"It's-girl," she announced, pure
and simple! Myers always has F'lossie
Evers waiting round with picnic
basket for the game to end. Towns
end fuses after Maude Forest. What
can you expect7 It's the end of their
last year, and they're in honor bound
to go home engaged"
$50 that's 1t, is ii? 2" Steve looked at
her in open admiration as he stood in
the study door and filled his pipe. He
was q goodly sight enough-big,
brawny, masculine, with fine eye
and reluctant but unforgetable
smile. His sister certainly must know
what she was talking about. Girl!
He straightwa- resolved to give Myers
and Townsend a talk that would make
them mad enough to win the next
name! Girl, indeed!
Though his sister gloried in his-own
attitude to the sex. she could not help
giving him also a fling.
Perhaps it's the coach, too" she
remarked slyly. You're pretty can
ny, Steve, but should think the way
the girls in this manless town pursue
you would begin to take effect pretty
soon! A man escapes ninety-nine
times and falls wounded the hun
dredth time. Milly was here today to
see If she couldn't take baby out for
walk. She'll bring him back just
dinner. Then she'll stay so long I'll
have to send you home with her.
Steve grunted in an ashamed sort
OF fashion. He would have stopped
her if he could.
And Mabel Dwyer and Irene Sorter
want you to come to their impromptu
dance tomorrow night. It's given by
the town girls. You can take any town
girl who will go with you. That's just
what Irene said"
At this the young fellow turned in
disgust into the study and threw him
self on the couch to read.
But he did not read; he thought it
carefully over Being young, he loved
dancing; also he liked girls-of his
own sort-the sort that let a man do
his own pursuing, and made the chase
interesting-and often vain. He
wished he was back home where girls
were not easily excited by a mere
rough-neck ball player. That was
what he called himself. though his
coaching. added to his classes in Ger
man. put him on the faculty of the
really strong little college.
While he was still meditating dis
gustedly, sister again appeared with
her sweetest smile-and the darning
basket. She sat down and surveyed
him.
TITS going to be a pretty dance"
she said casually. Whom are you
thinking of asking? You might put
the names in your hat and draw.
There's not much choice - She was
better than to mention her. She
would have been quite willing to have
Helen for a sister-in-law.
"Oh-what's the matter with Helen
denly he sprang up and went to the
phone.
He called up Helen. and in his inn
patient, yet somehow humble voice,
asked her. Yes; she would go with
hfm-gladly After a moments talk
he hung up the receiver. Her cor
diality was undoubtedly genuine. 1t
was Enthusiastically friendly. But it was
nothing more. He felt that after
year of a more or less intimate ac-
quaintance he hardly knew her,
though she was perfectly frank and
had been about with him good deal
in a casual way. Then he called up
Irene and told her he was coming to
of her to ask him-and he would bring
Helen Weaver, whom he had already
asked He felt the little chill in Irene's
voice and knew he should have asked
her instead.
was relieved that sister had been
called to the parlor by a visitor. The
door was open and he could hear them
chatter It was Edythe Allen, in her
devil-may-care mood. She was enough
older than Steve to joke about him
and not be misunderstood. She had
raved over the absent baby, talked
about the neighbors, the latest college
scandal and her own new consignment
on the dance-and then on Steve. A
sixth sense told her he was listening
and the madcap knew he hated being
adored-and discussed.
Flows Adonis-and his brigade OF
female admirers ?" she asked his sis
fer. IT saw him looping by this morn
ing a little late for class, and as was
out for mischief, listened to the girls
raving about him on the campus. Does
he know how lovely he is? Every
girl in town is crazy about him, and
foolish enough to say so to some other
girl who invariably tells! Even Helen
Weaver
Steve sat up angrily. He was 60
ing out to defend her. Then he re-
membered that he could better help
her by keeping STILL But sister rose
to the occasion.
Helen is not that sort" she was
beginning a little colby when Edythe
broke In.
Let me finish. dol I was going to
say, that even she. though she says
and does nothing, is deeper in than
any of theml One of those intense
silent brushes. don't know how I
krow-out 1 do know! oh. isn't that