The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-12
THE EVENING STORY
A Call and a Climax
(By Mabel Chase England. }

Philip Malvern untangled his long
legs from the hammock where he had
been lying, stretched his arms above
his head and yawned YEARLY.
"Confound this hole!" he muttered.
1T wish I'd stayed in college and let
my whole bally system go to smash if
it wanted to. Silly lot of parrots doc
tors arei Go West-go West-go
West" That's all they can think of
when a fellow gets bit off his feed
He slammed his book under a bush,
aimed a kick at mongrelly looking
eur that showed a tendency to investi-
gate and sauntered lazily down the sun
baked street to the postoff1ce. There
was only one letter, a short, character
| istic note from his uncle, telling him
| that daughter of his old friend, Col.
barton, was staying near Burton with
her uncle. Max Whittier, for few
weeks, and advising him to call. She
had been making a tour of the world,
| he said, and was now on her way East.
Phillip whistled obviously. Yes. he
| knew old Max Whittier-crusty old
chap! Had a place a mile or two
out. He tossed a penny in the air.
Heads I go-tails 1 don't Bosh!
Probably some prim, prudish old blue
stocking. Tails, by Jove!"
| The moment fate had decided
| against it a contrary impulse swayed
him. He'd go! Anything was better
than this everlasting deadly monotony.
| ne u get SOIuO 1uA out OIL n6T some
| how.
Accordingly at O'Clock he climbed
| into his big touring car and chugged
| off down the dusty road. Arrived at
his destination, he walked quickly up
the graveled path and pushed the cleo
| trio bell with a will.
The door was opened by a pretty,
| demure looking girl in Bingham
dress and big, blue, enveloping apron.
He looked at her uncertainty.
| HIS Miss nQrfnn at he in
quired.
| She glanced at the huge car by the
gate and then at him in evident as
PUNISHMENT.
I'm sorry-Miss barton has gone
down to the village" she told him.
Eye gods! She must be that frum-
py individual 1 met footing it along
the side path" he commented inwardly
| with sigh of thankfulness for his
| escape. He took out his card.
I'm sorry. too. viii you. give her
this please?"
The girl glanced at the card as Sic
'sMiss Darton will be disappointed
She has spoken of you-won't you
| waltz"
He was about to refuse when a
| look at the youthful, sun Drowned face
with its downcast eyes and long curl
ing lashes reversed his decision. After
all, Miss barton couldn't be back much
| within the hour, and a short time
spent with this seemingly embar-
raised, but certainly attractive, young
sented graciously.
! "Mayn't we sit here?" he indicated
the vine covered porch with it's ca
pacious, comfortable wicker chairs.
Its so pleasant outside"
I'VE? oh. why, yes" she as
sented, with pretty confusion.
They moved over and took possess
sion of the chairs. The girl sat un-
comfortably, rolling and unrolling
the corner of her apron with nervous
fingers; very pretty fingers they were,
too, thought Phillip Malvern, survey
ing with approval the soft, rounded
arms, bare to the elbow. He grasped
the situation at once and began to
talk, fluent1y, amusingly, inconsequent-
Iy. Her eyes met his in shy but inter-
ested amusement. Bully eyes, too,
he thought. They'd turn the heads
| of some fellows"
she commented presently, looking out
at his car where it stood at the gate.
/ 1--WE always wanted to ride in one.
/ Is it's 1t fun ?"
| Come on out with me now and we'll
take a little spin.'
"Oh. Couldn't" she gasped, shrink
ing back in her chair. "And besides,
i I have to stay here till my cousin
till Miss barton comes back. There's
no one else at home, and there are
some groceries and things coming
and
''Then will you come with me this
evening-please? % he begged. I'll
have the car up here by o'clock"
"But don't you think-hadnt you
better take Miss barton? You came
to see her, you know
"Oh. well, this is different. Why.
your cousin probably cut her eye
teeth in an automobile, and has lived
in one ever since. tia be no novelty
to her; I want you you to cor come enraos az.
you think-if you're sure she won't
mind"
/ Don't believe she'd come if I
asked. She must be more or less
done up after careering around the
continent for three years. Do you ever
long to travel?"
oh" she sighed, more than any
thing else could think of. And to see
New York and all those beautiful big
to come out here?"
Her shyness seemed to vanish in a
wave of eager enthusiasm.
/ well, yes-I did hate it just at first.
but now-well, I'm really beginning
to get fond of the place. But you
you must certainly come East some
time
He wondered to himself if the East
| would spoil her, shy little f1uttering
thing that she was with her vague,
golden dreams of the big world out
side. What joy it would be to take her
/ around, to watch her wonder and be-
wilderment and delight. She must GER
tainly come. He would talk to Miss
barton about it
In his eagerness to strengthen her
desire he launched into vivid de-
scription of the amazing joys and
wonders of the far cities; he told her
of the immense buildings. the crowd
ed streets, the marVels that met one
at every turn.
Indeed. at his sudden enthusiasm.