The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-26
TIE EVENING STORY
Jimmy,s Point of Vantage.
(By Louise OIney.j

| He didn't care what the other man
| thought of him. 1t was Grace VINO
&C united and who had come perilonsly
close to counting him cut" tn Il
was why Jimmy Bartlett, in his incon-
| sequent, troubled youthfulness SHINE
/ w the nearest tree when he saw ner
approaching with that Fellow Martli'-
! Gale. Other avenues OF escape We're
cut off. and pride wished to hide the
truth namely, that Jimmy had been
deliberately proving about for
chance glimpse of her.
There was small dignity in conceal
ing his long person in the LEAKAGE until
they got to the lake, whi"h was evil
IDENTIFY the idea since M9rtindale swung
a paddle and Grace wore the white flan-
mel blue-trimmed thing she always at
| fected for outings. He wished fellows
! like Martindale would spe d their va
| cations elsewhere than at Bird LaSe,
where he and Grace had always lived.
| She had a fatal facility for summer
firtations. and the new man was older
/ than Jimmy and more sophisticated.
| His destinations were invisible to the
prejudiced Jimmy, but evidently pa
| tent to Grace, who s+re ightway had
set the trap of her sweetness for this
| brilliant new insect. jimmy looked
down from his perch and saw her hair
flaming in the sun. her 1.-THE walk, and
heard her inconsequent chatter. Mar
tindaIe was neatly delivering a corn
pliment about every four steps.
Oh the IduUS he IIdI
scratched badly in his basty climb, jim
my wretchedly reviewed the past three
weeks during which snc had hardly
spoken to him. Of course lie had been
jealous and angry and had made
scene about her going out with Mar
tindale She reminded him that tkey
were not engaged. and with anguish he
admitted it. Al 1.-The same she had just
promised to think about marrying him
some day 1t had taken him the three
! Il
school to get her to that point. Now it
was all spoiled. Jimmy ground Lis
good, white teeth and suffered. Also
h. chung carefully to his perch and held
his breath. for instead of making to-
ward the lake. they were zigzagging
and came straight to the shade of his
particular tree. They sat down on the
grass and talked.
What a donkey another fellow can
look when he stretches himself at a
girls pretty tan oxfords and tells her
how he adores auburn hair arb
frecklesi Jimmy was utterly Disguised
but less so about this than because
Grace was actually going on the lake
with the chap. He (Jimmyl had warned
her that Martindale was a dub with a
canoe, and quite likely to drown her,
stree he could not swim. Since Grace |
was a fish of the first water, so to |
speak, she had laughed outrageously at
Jimmy's fears. Nevertheless. should |
she be tipped out, shoes. skirts and all, !
it might not be such a joke.
He determined to get Into his own |
little craft and follow them, If they
even went away and let him come |
down.. Meantime he almost prayed that |
something would happen so that he |
could rescue Grace
Up to this point it had not occurred /
to Jimmy that he was eaves1roppinr
He was simply wrathy that Grace could |
stand being told so fulSOn1elv how var
iously charming she was, and he was
concerned not to stir from his cramped |
position lest the duffer below lift his
adoring eyes higher than the lady's |
freckled and saucy face and nercaive
that his wooing had an observer.
Also, be 1t said, that up to now Jim
my had not dreamed that this inter-
lcper could even think Ct marrying
Grace, who was barely twenty to his
twenty-one seemed actual senflftvi
Now, peering shamelessly down from
his hidden perch. he perceived that
Martindale was in earnest. It came to
Jimmy all at once with horror that
sent chills along his spine. To lose
Grace, his little playmate from child
hood! Could she mean actually to en-
courage the fellow?
Grace sat demurely. her little brown
fingers plucking up the harmless grass
her eyes downcast. Jimmy could see
her long, dark 1ashes against ',er
1reckled cheeks. She vas an utterly
new Grace to him-she had always been
a sort of Saucy, frank. unembarra ese5 |
boyish self to him. Sentiment set her
OF laughing, and as for epoonins. she
would never let Jimmy have even her
myers two seconds without some
SINGING Httle sarcasm that would make
MN drop her hand like a hot cake.
Jimmy stared shameIessly down.
ana saw that Martindale was taking
her hand, that he held it, and thet
with the other hand Grace, the little
n. a int Frx,-<
she did not look up. and before Jifr-
my knew it Martindaie was pouring
out string of words about never
having loved anybody before in b;s
whole life, and being crazy about her.
and would she marry him? and did
she care for him? and if she didn't ne
would make ner, and what a lovely
nome he had to give her and a new
motor, and then kissing her handI
There was a whole lot of it, Even
Jimmy began to wonder why Grace
did not nove-why didn't she laugh,
and pull away her hand, and jump
up and leave the donkey there grove;-
ing on the grass. Jimmy's wrath
rose. Then his heart sank Did she ,
actually care? II
Martindale pressed her for an an
swer, but she turned her head away
and shook it The other man began
his plea over again, and after a mo
ment took another tack.
Surely" he said, you don't care
for that Bartlett child? He's q mere
cub, just out of college, well enough
in his way, but you surely want a
man, who knows what love is and
can really look after you" Was Grace
going to stand this about him, Jimmy !
His head whirled and his heart boiled /
Well, if she was not a loyal sort he
had best know it soon as last. He sat
and waited. He waited
fully two seconds.
Then Grace jumped up, freed even ,
her skirt from touching Martindnle. {
6A 1or. l.