The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-15
THE EVENING STORY
The INIT,

| (By Jeanne o. Loizeaux.l
Over his draughting board, Howard
Wiltsie leaned quite absorbed in his
drawing. He worked rapidly and cor
rectly, his bright eye half closed to
get the general effect, his good jaw
thrust out more than was actually
necessary. It was almost closing time,
and he saw from the set of Harris
shoulders, visible at the desk beyond,
that their argument was not closed. 1t
meant some more words. Well. all
] right-Harris, if he was his superior,
could have them. and there would be
no uncertain sound to his trumpet,
either.
/ And his expectation was correct.
While they were closing their desks
and getting ready for leaving, and the
stenographers and clerks were chat
tering, fiufing at their hair, pinning
on their hats, Harris. Junior partner
shoulder.
ct want a word with you, Wiltsie.
Going to walk? All right, I'll ride
| Shank's mare, too"
The young fellow put on his coat
and girded himself for the verbal fray
HE was quite as determined as
| Wiltsie, and was sure that, being
married man, his own wisdom was in
finite. They started out into the fresh
spring air. swinging along 1oyously
enough. Suddenly Harris began.
| "Confound you, anyway, Howard,
for a stubborn, unobliging fellow!
| What good are you as friend II you
won't help Madge and me out a little?
Tessie Gray on our hands the next
two months if you don't be decent?
What's the use of you're being
| Madge's second cousin 1t you can't
help entertain her guest? And what
| on earth makes you think you can
come to our house party for few
weeks? I don't see! It's just as easy
to come to the office from our house
| as from your old boarding house
What ais you?"
Wiltsie shrugged his shoulders, and
stuck out his jaw again ST like you
and Madge, and your charming house
you know that. But I'm not a
sinner in the company of the fair
| ones. I don't want to be too plain,
| but you've pestered me till I'm posi-
me of being woman hater-Im not
And of being bachelor-which I
plead guilty to. If you must have 1t
| straight, I'm determined to keep on
being bachelor for some years And
I'm so dead easy, such a girl lover
| that my only safety is in flight and
numbers. And, another thing Madge
was my cousin before she was your
wife, and have the right to state
emphatica1ly that she's the most dead
ence. I'm thirty, and though she's
three years my junior, she's been try
ing to get me in love and married for
ten solid years. And you can't deny,
blinded as you are by her charms, that
she has chosen Tessie Gray as the final
instrument for my undoing. Not for
me, thanks!''
Harris had to laugh outright. He
would tell Madge that her methods
were not as hidden and subtle as she
/ would do hnr
you selfish old bachelor, don't you
know that you don't count? You're
nobody and nothing-just a lost half
floating about, and useless to the
lily, the two-in-one,, is the unit of So
ciety? Why, man, you're cipher!"
"All right-but I'm pretty good at
| backing up units. come after, to be
sure. but I at least create an inter
est! I'll come and see your wonder
but 1 warn you now that I won't
| marry her. Of course she also is
victim in your wife's hands, and prob
ably unconscious of the dire intention
to get her married. She won't like me-
But I'll be decent-take her about
some, and call and all that, but I'll
| be hanged If I'll come into the mes
meric circle Of a house party composed
Of married couple, two engaged cou-
pies and-an extra girl! know enough
to keep out of danger. This is my
corner and I'm off. So long, and tell
Madge I'll come to her dinner, and be
giad-bllt I'm on to her!"
| A few evenings later, groomed with
in an inch of his life, his blue eyes
| wary, and his jaw in evidence, Mr..
Howard Wiltsie betook himself to the
house of his employer and second
cousin by marriage. The pretty house,
it's pretty mistress. the couples, and
| the host were at their best. He al
ready knew them all but Miss Tessie
Gray, who fulfilled even the extrava-
CANT promises which Madge had made
for her beauty and charm. The bach
elor was introduced--and galvanized
| with surprise. The lady was like a
piece of ice-to him. No fault could
be found with the perfection of her
manner, but neither could a ray of
warmth be discovered in her.
OF course she fell to his lot at din
| ner-and insisted on talking to Coop
er, on the other side, to that gentle
mans embarrassment since his fan
Gee demanded his full attention. Wilt
sic then tried Mabel Strand on his
more than a few laughing remarks
chinlxed in between the pauses of her
interest in her host who was telling
her boyhood "reminiscences of John
plainly worried. and Tessie took pains
to show her strange dislike to Wiltsie.
Then that young man, bound to re-
deem himself with Madge, piqued by
the honor-guest'S GOODNESS, laid him.
self oue to be nice. He was very funny,
indeed, and everybody laughed; he
talked a lot-and well-and the girl
was forced to listen, reluctantly but
with attention. Harris wondered what
had happened to Madge's dinner; she
usually knew how to make a success
full evening. He was perpIexed but
he saw that his friend was rising to
the situation.
After dinner, Wiltsie followed Miss
Tessie Gray into the parlor, and thence
. to the porch. He was used to being
smiled at, and the change amused him.
She tried to escape, but in vain. To
whom could she fee? The other men
were all engaged, and she would never
Ia+ barSaIf fall nitifIlIIv hack on tha