The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-01
The Euening Story
No Answer Required.
(By Helen Derby.)

drawer of his desk.
Tell Mr.. Nelson that 1 will give him
my opinion later about the plans" he
said to the architects assistant. Il
| have to consult-another person
The assistant winl1ed at his reflec-
ton in the glass-paneled door as he
left Philips office; just as if he didn't
know as well every one else IN
Bradbury that 1.-The other person" to
whom Corning had referred was his
fiancee, Mise RoSamund Delway, and
that the plans in question were those
of the house they were building on
Elm highway.
When he was alone Philip took out
the plans and gloated over them He
and Rosamund had poured over them
all winter, and they had agreed that
the house would be perfect. Nelson,
the architect, had almost lost his pa
thence as the young lovers ordered
first one change and then another in
the plans of the house. He declared
wrathfully that not one feature re-
manned the way he had originally sub
mitted it, and Rosamund then had
artlessly reminded him that the cellar
foundation was still unchanged.
And now the worm had turned. The
temperamental Mr.. Nelson had de-
clared that it was an utter impossi-
bility to build flight of stairs in the
manner directed by the future Mrs.
Corning. He had made one last des
perate protest and threatened to
throw up the contract if the owners
persisted in playing" with the plans
any longer. So Philip reluctantly Q.
K. d the plans as they stood and sent
them back to the irate architect. There
was still a disagreeable job to do-he
must break the news to ROSamund.
Now, ROsamund Delway was tenn
peramental as we'll as Oscar Nelson;
therefore, when Philip broke the
news to her over the telephone and
limited that they must sit tight and ac-
no Mo
further changes, Rosamund prompt
ly informed him that she simply must
insist upon changing the pantry to the
other side of the kitchen because she
had decided that the pantry space
would be larger and, facing the east
end of the house, she could have what
she had always desired-a pantry
window oVerrun with morning s1OrieS.
1T would be so cute to see them
every morning" she purred over the
wire.
1T will be cute to see Nelson's face
when you offer that argument he
chuckled.
II don't intend to see him-you
must tell him, PhiI!'
81? Not on your life, darling" And
he had followed this inelegant re-
mark with such wise reasoning that
Rosamund flew into pretty temper
and told him he could live alone in
his old house.
Thereupon she had hung up the re-
ceiver and Philip had continued to
stare at the space ahead of him with
blank incredulity in his eyes until
centraPs acid voice had twice de-
manded Number
Philip hung up the receiver and
gioomed alone in hts office. Stenog-
brought him letters to sign.
clerks came and went with papers and
books and finally they all put away
their work and went home, wonder
ing at the bosss' unusual taciturn-
ity.
That is how it happened that Philip
brought him small, square. white
package sealed with red wax bearing
ROsamund's monogram.
Wait, boy" ordered Philip, break
ing the seals, but the lad was half |
way down the outer office.
NO answer required, SIR he |
shouted back and presently the outer |
door slammed.
Philip glared al the sight of the |
engagement ring ne had given Rosa |
mond. SO the engagement was broken |
and she wouldn't listen to reason |
She had said, mo answer required" |
He locked the ring in his safe and /
sat down and wrote a note to Oscar |
Nelson, architect.
Dear SIR Philip licked out on |
the typewriter with one finger, upon |
further consideration 1 have decided |
to suspend operations upon my new
house on Elm highway. Please send |
me an accounting to date and L will |
forward check by return mail.
Faithfully yours,
PHILIP CORNING"
And on The outside of the envelope
he wrote a line under the address
mo answer required" At least he |
would be spared Nelson's hotheaded |
protests.
Then he rang. for a messenger boy.
out on Elm highway. where
charming suburb was forming, lit
tie brown shingIed house had its ewes
suffered and it's doors padlocked.
People who knew all about the
builders wondered what had hap
oened to stop operations. No more
was Philip Cornings big car halted |
man helped his fiancee to alight.
Their neigkbors-elect had smiled and
talked about them in u pleasant Cos
sipy way, saying that the wedding
Now hey didn't know what had
happened until the news filtered
various sources that the en-
gagement was broken and the little
This summer. So the neighbors on
Elm highway ceased to watch for the
happy lovers, although Mrs. Bruce
Wade declared she had seen Philip
Coming stalking around the unfin-
shed house in the moonlight.
Like the ghost of a lost nappi
ness she had sighed sentimentalIy.
1t was true that Philip did go there
more than once. He would tramp
around the bare rooms smoking fur
ously and blaming first himself and
hen RosamOnd, and finally Oscar Mel
on for the cataciysm. In the dark
less ne would people the empty roorns
With Rosamond and himself, and
he would cry out In angu.Sh
1t the thought of the long years of
oneHnesS which awaited him. But
o the world he showed merely a grim
smiling face. AS for Rosamond. it was
that she was visiting her