The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-16
The EUening Story
Explaining to Agnes
{ By Hope A1nsIee.

Put you can't deny that Louis
Acton is the most desirable of the
eligible men in town." demonstrated
Mrs. Davis.
Money and good looks and a fam
lily mansion are perfectly good accom-
paniments for eligibility" said Agnes
indifferently, but what man has
doesn't make him eligible; its what he
is. I'd rather help man build
home where we could live together in
real companionship than to walk into
fine house whose owner would re-
gard me merely as an additional piece
of property"
'iAenes," began her mother severely,
as she shifted her embroidery frame
nervously, when girl has reached
the age of twenty-five she ought to be
through with silly, romantic ideas and
willing to settle down i'll y good home
with a god provide5
"A good provider," repeated Agnes
disgustedly. "Oh, mother. That sug-
gests just food and clothes and shell
ter" A moment later she added: 81
may as well tell you before Mr.. Acton
arrives to take me to that concert this
evening that I could never marry him,
and that 1 have already promised to
marry Henry Barton"
What" exclaimed her father in
credulously. as he flung his evening
paper to one side. Turn down the
president of a firm for one of his
business head?"
yes, father: too much of one to
sell myself for worldly goods when
there is some one who'll pay in the
coin of true love"
Nonsense and rubbish" grunted
John Davis. Louis Acton likes you
well enough and 1 don't see why you
can't like him as well as that big,
broadbacked fellow whose grand
father was blacksmith"
7 AofD hat
ter than he does anybody else, and
he'll like him more and more as he
grows older" Agnes was still cool in
manner, although her voice slightly
trembled. And that Henry's grand
father was a blacksmith doesn't shock
me any more than that Louis Actions
grandfather was a clever land buyer
whose close trades were barely within
legal bounds"
While Agnes and her parents sat in
uncomfortable silence a ring at the
doorbell heralded a boy bringing
hurried note from Henry telling her
that he was leaving that night for
Chicago. from which city she would
hear from him in a day or two. You II
be surprised. and pleasantly I hope"
the letter ended, when my story is
ready to tell"
For several months Louis Acton had
not been satisfied with his progress in
securing the favor of Agnes nor with
=
at the Davis home. But during the
month just passed he felt that he had
gained some ground by having put
Henry out of the running, temporar-
lily. He had bought the towns larg
est general store. where Henry was
employed. and had enforced so many
unreasonable rules upon certain clerks
that Henry had resigned on a days
notice, as Acton had intended to force
him to do.
Agnes turned slightly pale as she
read Henry's note, but she offered no
explanation of its contents. A little
later, Louis Acton arrived to escort
her to the concert. AS they left the
house Mrs. Davis sadly shook her
head, but as she contemplated Actons
faultIess evening attire and the fault
lessly appointed limousine awaiting
him at the gate, she set her thin lips
in a determined line and resumed her
embroidery.
AS they returned from the concert
Acton told Agnes very softly that III
all he did he considered her happiness
and that in taking over the business
where Henry had been practically
manager things had come to light
which made it desirable for the latte.