The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-30
TEE EVENING STORY
An Awkward Young Man.


(By Lawrence Alfred Clay.)
In the world of today a young
man who has been about is credited
with full share of self-confidence,
and If he had any rough points to
begin with to have had them pol
ished down by contact with society.
| Franklin Graham was an excep-
ton. Nature had given him a hand
isome face, as it had many Grahams
before him. His figure was good,
too, but he went about in a continual
Estate of embarrassment and awk-
lwardness. Mischievous young women
and the jokers at his clubs kept him
on edge all the time. He realized
his drawbacks. A man may realize
| that he has a backache, but that
doesn't cure the ache. He would
brace up now and then and try to be
lassertive, but the effort only made
things worse When a man is en-
barrassed and awkward and has
Istammering added to it and he steps
on a girls train and sits down on a
fifty dollar fan and refers to Renfew
as Jones, what's the use of struggling
| further?
that way" said middle-aged club
man who liked the boy and felt pity
for him.
He lied when he said he was just
that way, but he lied with good in
tent. If all liars had good intentions
there would be no evil in tipping
chairs back on their hind legs and
lying for half day at a time.
Did you see a doctor about it ?"
asked young Graham.
the measles. but he's got no remedy
for your case"
"Then wh-what shall I d-do?"
"Cut out the town OR awhile and
and begin on the ground floor. Rub
elbows with Tom, Dick and Harry.
Mingle with the people. Talk, fish,
4 loaf around. You've seen Europe,
but there are villages twenty miles
away you haven't seen. You've at
tended functions and nigh teas, but
you've never taken a straw ride.
You've seen grand DANES and angel
girls in evening attire, but you've not
lflirted with the village belle. Go to,
young mani"
And a week later young Graham
went to Harpersville. Nice little town.
nice river, nice people. good fishing,
nice airl He was surprised at find
ing such place IN America. Some
what embarrassed and somewhat
awkward, but not so much as he ex-
lpected to be, he found the old fash
toned inn, but had stopped at
worse in Europe and felt the romance
of it. There was Uncle Hiram Buzz
every stranger for the last fifteen
years.
well. my son, come to stay a
while?" he began.
tt hope so.''
Glad to hear it. Wen treat you
right. Cost of living has gone way
up, but we are not robbers here. Come
from the city, I s'pose?"
Yes, sir
Folks there all well when you
left?"
II think so.'
Glad to hear it, Some one has
predicted that the cholera would be
along this summer, but we amt a bit
skeered of it up here. Dye like the
looks of the town."
Yes, sir
Glad to hear that, because know
we shall all like you. You jest pitch
right in and be one of us. There's
dog fights every day or two-picnics,
after berrfes-Oh, wen take keer of
you"
And there were three or four young
men that wore very large cuffs and
very high collars who called and in
vited the stranger to have game of
pool on the dusty old table, and the
landlords daughter introduced him
to several girls, and within a week
the young man was surprising him
self 1t seemed that he had never
moved among real people before.
There was no polish--no formality.
The boys laughed loudly, and the
girls chewed gum. Franklin Graham
was learning something new every
day, and he was rather glad of it.
He had been in IIarpersville ten
days when he went fishing. A freckle
faced boy guided him to a spot be-
hind the old sawmill, and before
running away whispered to him that
the girl sitting there with the pole
and line was Miss Greenleaf. Mr..
| Graham's bashfulness returned with
/ a rush. He realized that the girl was
superior to any one he had yet seen
or met in the village. Sne didn't call
out to him that fishing was good. In
fact, she didn't even appear to notice
etiquette about fishing? What was
| it? Was a young man supposed to
advance, hat in hand, and ask a girl
| If please might he fish III that river?
He had been standing undecided for
two or three minutes when the girl
looked up and queried:
Come to fish?''
Yes"
well, why don't you fish, then?'
Thereupon. in his excitement, Mr.
Graham stepped on his own feet and
fell down and rolled over on the
pIanks-
''Queer way to fish" said the girl
as she hauled up her hook to rebait
Mr.. Graham got up and straighten-
and threw it in He wasn't fishing.
He was thinking what an idiot he was
not to have gone for a long walk.
Suddenly the girl felt a bite and
rapidly hauled in her line, There was
fish on the hook. but Mr.. Grahams
line had foated down and became
entangled with the other.
You are a very thoughtless young
man, SIR said the girl, as the nsh
Hoped around and finally fell back