The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-04
TIE EVENING STORY


New Shoes.
(By Martha Observation-Disclosures
BUY a story please, sir-a teeny
Weeny story" Josephine Mabin
called to Latimer half in. half out OF
MS door. You don't want to he con-
structfVely guilty of cruel and unusual
punlshments-that l know" she ran
on, coming inside and moving a little
uncertainty toward his desk.
Latlmer sprang up, set a chair for
nerA and made to seat her, out she
shook her head. 'Dassen't-Td never.
never have the courage to rise again, y
she said, then holding out a small foot
in a shoe still smaller, "Johnny-do
believe this isn't wholly vanity-the
girl who sold them was a hypnotist' -
where We're you going to need such
nne foot feathers ?" Latimer inter
rupted almost Savagely.
The offending foot Gathers were
hne, indeed-the latest cry of the
mode as to shape and stuff. At rest,
Joe's foot did look pretty in them
when she walked or tried to, her elias
tic instep became wooden, her pinched
toes were alternately dead or full of
| savage prickings.
sit down." Latimer ordered. land
tell me the whole story. You surely
| gang again?''
| THE shoes contradict you-that's
Just why l suffer from theIn," Joe
1
agony! Isn't that tough?''
Not as tough as the Parish gang"
| Latimer exploded. "See here. Joe, you
| know I'm your big brother by APP
And mean it-down to the ground"
| Il wish I could Joe said, T.alf I'M
der her breath, then more articuIate;
| Johnny must make you under
stand. I promised 1 wouldnt-but
you are my other self
Whats to understand ?" Latimer
interrupted.
Joe reached for his hand. tine
| truth" she said. II don't ike tough
| ways, nor people-but have to make
| a pretense of it-because you see,
| get the story-an my hard times are
| over. Beckwith himself has prom
'But what is the story?" Latimer
| demanded
Joe put her lips almost upon his
ear, as she answered, What's be-
hind the Norowill divorce? Parish
knows, you see-he's the only one
| who does know, except the princi-
| pals. He-he thinks lot of Inc. in
his way. If 1 keep letting him think
so-and more-he'n surely tell me
when he knows what it will mean"
You infant" Latimer interrupted.
Surely you can't think Parish will
give away his patrons secrets. even
for your beautiful eyes? Why, if ne
you can't think I'd sell The story
even if 1 knew it. unless lie was
willing?" Joe cried, trying to rise put
falling back with a grimace'
Iatimer took both her hands.
| THAT shows how fit you are ror
ne[Tsnaner work. You can't and
won't forget that you're lady porn
and dirty pryings generally. GIVE II
UP. child. Let me send you nome. Ieli
me how are you off? Need money!
HOW much?" -. <.,h,,r,
Joe turned away her heao. RUNNING Ii
for her purse. Her eyes were so ann
She could barely see to open 1t. From IL
she took into her palm three coppers, |
dime. a half dollar and nVe-doHar
geld piece. Behold my worldly wealth
She said trying to speak gayly- ana |
7 can't spend the gold-it's my christen-
ing money, you know, kept for luck.
Buff only you'll buy storylet SO
can get some shoes .
Il suppose you can go hungry.
Latimer interrupted CURLY why ;
won't you give up and go nome! 1ou
Know YOU can marry Billy Mason
s.Thank you'll don't want Billy
Mason-I would rather be free lance
in New York town with one square
meal a week than roll round in the
Mason auto all the days of my life"
she cried, rising and shutting her lips
on q groan Uncertainty balancing she
smiled a gallant smile, saying; sorry
we can't do business-must hop along
to some other office"
1--WE can do business-we nave got
to-" Latimer said doggedly, pulling |
some bills from his pocket and trying |
to thrust them upon her. rake It
just an advance, you know-you can
bring stuff when you get round to 1t,
he said, looking carefully over her head.
She smiled at him, but shook her
head, saying as she pushed away the
money: Johnny, don't you know char
ity is demoralizing? Besides you can't
afford it-any more than can AFFORD
to take it. Don't worry-my rent is !
paid to the week end-and I'm going to
dine with Parish-and a chaperone.
Think I'll let him propose to me, then
tell him I can't say Yes unless ne
gives me the story and so makes me in
dependent"
IF I thought you meant that-I'd
shoot him. Latimer growled.
From the door Joe called to him
sauciIy, I'll let you know how 1 speed
in the morning. don't have to pay
cash for my phone calls"
When she was out of hearing he
dropped his head on his desk a minute,
swearing great silent oaths. Looking
down he saw that she had dropped her
pitifuI Wispy scrawl of cheap1
knew it would not do-that was the +
trouble. Her stories never would do,
even for the cheap and uncritica1 mag
azine which claimed his services. Their
very virtues fought against them-Joe
knew good literature, no less good
breeding. The broad splashy effects
that thrilled his public were not for her.
II her people lacked life they were at
the least decently tailored. Yet she was
set as the hills on making her way
here in the moiling town, rather than
go back to the nagging of a step
whose root was the
p1 osperous Billy Mason.
Latimer had known her from her
cradle. Indeed, he had carried her pig
a-back several miles at least. He had
never thought of her as a sweetheart.
Sv eethearting for him, indeed, had al
ways meant Agnes Ware If she had
bot thrown him over for his rich uncle