The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-26
THE EVENING Story
BrOken-Hearted Betty.
By Harmony Weller.)

daughter and her parents considered
the sand and the sea splendid tonics
for a girl who thought she could never
be happy again. Betty firmly believed
her heart to be broken
Wendell Berger was in Atlantic City
because he was an obedient son AMI his
parents and doctors considered that he
needed few bracing breaths of sea
air Berger himself was rather bored
that is. until Betty came down to
breakfast in the great hotel dining
room.
As soon as Berger realized the eff
feet that Betty was going to have upon
him he sent posthaste for Carl Wat
terson, He could not, he knew, without
masculine support Withstand the bat
teries in Betty's eyes. Berger was
bashful-bashful to such a degree that
he scarcely dared glance in the girls
direction until Watterson had arrived
and was sitting beside him at the din
ing table.
AS for Betty. she liked Wendell Ber-
ger the moment her eyes met his. He
was so like, so dearly like, one whom
she had loved and lost. Perhaps II was
the bit of pain in her wide eyes that
had first attracted Berger to her.
And girl-like. it was to Carl Wat
terson, that she directed most of her
open glances. The surreptitious ones
fell around and about the bashful Bcr-
scious f1attery.
An austere aunt glowered at the two
men who had brought conscious flush
into the girls cheeks. The season was
young and it was not difficult to dis
cover the culpritS-
Betty glanced sideways at her aunt's
uncompromising profile and a sigh
escaped her lips. A second later they
curved in a half smile, and it was
Watterson, and not Berger who unc err
stood the meaning of that smile.
"Auntie. dear" Betty suggested, as
they left the dining room, couldn't we
ask the waiter to put us at that little
table behind those two gentlemen? I
dislike having to face any one SO con-
stantly''
Auntie Dear smiled a rather sups-
rior smile in the direction of Berger
and Watterson. Since they had had so
little effect upon her beautiful niece
that she was DESTROYS of changing her
seat, Mrs. Lee could afford to be
tolerant. After all. perhaps the hurt of
Bettys recent disastrous love affair."
had been deeper than any one sup
posed.
Thus it was that the next meal in
the dining room found Betty and Ber-
ger with their backs to one another. So
utterly detected was Berger at the
change and the supposed reason for it
that he could not eat his breakfast.
Cheer up, old MANI laughed Wat
terson. Keep your ears open and
perhaps you will get a hint or two as
to where your divinity will be when
she leaves Atlantic City"
Berger smiled. The girls maneuver
had sifted through his love blindness.
He went so far as to taste his break
fast.
when we get back to Montreal"
Betty was saying in voice that car
ried distinctly to the two men, I'VE
/ will have to stay there for at least
three months-won't we?"
The men exchanged glances. "She
lives in Montreal" they said, and
! waited for more.
And if I can't come down to New
York for the Old Guard ball my name
is not Betty Lee! If papa doesn't let
me come this year 1 will elope with
Billy
| Berger's heart stood still. Elope
with Billy! He gazed blankly at Wat
| terson, but the latter only laughed.
He realized from the expression that
had been in Betty's eyes when she
had looked at Berger that she would
never carry out her threat and elope
for spite.
Under his breath he said: eff you
can exist until next winter, Berger,
YOU will have to come down from New
There we will meet Betty Lee"
Probably won't know any one who
knows her. put in Berger gloomily.
"I would worry if I were so cheer
full as you are" chided Watterson.
"Do you know, auntie, 1 am begin
ming to feel glad that my engagement
with Billy was broken" Betty's voice
again reached listening ears. II
couldn't really have loved him
| could -"
watterson laughed in sheer delight
at the smile that drifted into Berger's
eyes and finally to his lips. It was
seldom a man fell so heedless1y in
love with a girl as to forget every
thing save the fact that he was priv
iIeged to watch her eat three meals
a day.
| IF only we could meet her while
we are here" sighed Berger, and
thought of the beauty of young
moon and the swish of the waves.
| Wasted he commented inwardly
and permitted himself to be dragged
into a stuffy theater only after he
had seen Betty being led a lonesome
captive to the ascending elevator.
1t was with considerable difficulty
that Carl Watterson persuaded
Berger to pack his traps and turn
| homeward-
| 'As it is, my pocketbook is nothing
more than a wrath. and much as I
admire your Betty I prefer taking a
railway ticket to watching her for
another few days
When they drove off in the station
| bus they were never quite sure
whether it was the wind or a slim
white hand that f1uttered the hand
kerchief in Betty's fingers. Waiter
son, of course. decided it was a vol
untary farewell; Berger tried to be-
lieve it was the wind.
And Berger, too, with his habitual
pessimism, spent days and nights
signing over his lost love. He needed
not the encoura cement of Watterson
when he assured him that his dream
would come true in the cool, crisp
winter days
] Even when. at the Old Guard ball.