The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-12
The Euening Story
What Allied Tom?
(By Ward Graham.)

months ever since the closing of the |
summer season, but Tom arrived as
the eastern coast representative of a |
large automobile concern, opened up |
charming quarters in the new bank |
building and had five machines at his |
disposal as exhibits to prospective |
buyers
Not only that, but he was good |
mixer. He had known several of the |
girls brothers at Yale. He had met |
them here and there in business. He
knew Gladys Martins aunt in Chicago |
and Louise Ainsworth's grandfather in |
Louisville. He had seen all the best |
plays on his way through New York, |
and he knew the very latest twist to
the diplomatic situation at Washing
ton.
Yet, after four months, the girls of
Ottawa began to take an inventory of
Toms capabilities, so to speak. He
measured up all right to their parents
standards. but as Louise put it;
There's something about Tom
that's wrong. l think he's too I'M
portant myself
mo, he's just lucky. He seems to
happen along always in the nick OF
time. 1 wonder" Gladys hesitated, her
gray eyes dreamy and musing,. Il
wonder how many times he's been
engaged"
Three times right here in Ottawa
Highlands" Beth Phillips said. Il
was one of them. And 1 don't mind
saying one DIT lndI II only IdSleu lWo
weeks"
There had been a committee meet
ing at Beth's home. A Mi-Careme
bazaar was to be held in the town
hall, and somehow, after all arrange
ments and plans had been settled, the
talk had naturally drifted to Tom
There were four girls present, Beth,
Gladys and Louise were old settlers
at the Highlands, but Nan Rogers was
a newcomer. She was different type
iv-1
startlingly so. Her hair just escaped
being undeniably red. 1t was curly
and thick, and she wore it bobbed,
which gave her the appearance OF an
inquiring kiddie. Her eyes looked
green, rather a moss-agate green, and
her skin was very fair and freclzled.
In her dark green suit and fox furs,
she was mighty attractive
do know him ~ she asked.
90 'You will" sighed Louise. Nobody
who comes here escapes him. But he
won't bother you. He can't bear girls
who have red hair.
You ought to be glad of it, too,
Man." cried Beth. Hes impossible.
He gets on your nerves because ne
always does the right thing, don't YOU
know. You feel he was born fully
equipped for life. What part are you
going to take in the tableaux?
II want to be Queen Elizabeth be-
cause she had red hair, but 1 can't,
believe 1 am to bear the magic sym
boil of a white horse upon my banner,
carry a bouquet of four-leaf cloVers
and jingle some horseshoes, with
swastikas sprinlled right plentifully
over my gown"
when 1 was engaged to Tom" be-
gan Gladys. in a purely offhand man
ner, "he told me he had lot of lucky
charms he'd picked up in his many
rambles over the fair face of Mother
Earth. Maybe he'd loan US some.
don't mind asking him. It's nothing
at all to me. The one bright result of
having been through an engagement
initiation into the United Sisterhood
of ex-fiancess to Tom is that you are
so completely disillusionad that you
haven't even animosity left for him.
You just don't care
I'll ask him for the charms as I
go by tonight" said Nan laughingly.
I'm afraid you'll be cross to him.
The automobile office was well
lighted as she came down Main street.
1t was half past four. Tom glanced
up as the door swung breezily open
and wondered why she walked past
his desk to that of his assistant
"Oh, Roswell, I wonder if you'd
mind introducing me to Mr.. AIMS
she said mischievously. I've got to
borrow something from him for our
| bazaar, and he doesn't know me at
all"
1t was a splendid starter. Tom was
willing, before she left, to pledge all
five machines as we'll as the lucky
vaguely how he could ever have
avoided girls with red hair. But this
was not really red. 1t was of sun
kissed copper, ripe chestnut, anything
but carroty. He leaned on his desk
and remembered that Helen of Troy
had red hair. Probably Cleopatra
and Marie Stuart had also. All the
other girls he had ever admired seem
ed to be only personified attributes
beside her. She combined them all.
Only one she had said disturbed
him.
Il don't believe you owe anything to
Yourself, Mr. Ames. p she had said
teasingly. You're just lucky
That bothered him. Perhaps it did
hit the nail on the head, too. He had
always been lucky. He had taken for
| granted things had to come his way.
And he had succeeded, perhaps be-
cause he made other people think so.
too. He went to the Mi-Carme ba-
zaar with more than interest, and the
other girls looked at Mans conquest
with pity and amusement.
She'll find him out, too" said Beth
comfortably. Hes like a ship with
out a compass
But Nan took another tack. She
refused to flirt. She was frank and
gay with him, brimful of bon cam
araderie, but no sentiment.
you've had too much good luck, -
she told him, with a bit of earnestness
in her tone. You need to find your
self. If you win you ought to win
on your own merits
Does one win good luck finally on
nerits2" he asked in a low tone.
Listen just a minute,V she flashed
back impetuously. You don't have
to make love to me, Mr.. Ames, just to
be popular I don't want to be en-
gagged to you" She laughed at him.
Don't you think you could try and
play a new record with me, say, a
friendship duet2"
Tom looked around the crowded