The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-03
The Euening Story
The Needed Spur.
(By Morris Graham.


his abstrA elton at the office. Where |
upon Ted sat up and took notice for |
Uncle Chris was absolute judge and |
arLiter temporarily over his actions. |
He heard from Sigma Lawrence that |
Amy was back. Sigma corresponded |
with ner regularly and was we'll aware
that Ted paid far moro attention to |
her conings and gCings than he did |
to the sun, moon and stars all put |
together.
shell be here for at least a month,
you'd better be making hay, Ted |
dy,'' Sigma had advised. Make hay |
when he only had sure thing of |
eighteen per. What difference did it |
make that If he only could hold on |
and make good at the said eighteen |
per there was a golden chance Of q !
junior partnership being held out to |
him? That might be next year or the |
year after. He wanted a good whack- |
ing salary now, big enough so he
could go to old ]. c. Burnham and |
tell him he wanted to marry Amy |
and could take care of her.
Deep in his own musings, Ted |
stared before him on his desk stool |
behind one of the bank windows and |
failed to notice Puney until he had
spoken twice. Putney. just at that
minute, looked to Ted's troubled vi
sion like. the perfect pattern Of the
sort of 4 man he wanted to be him
self. Putney va S a partner in the
best automobile concern in town. He
had invented a new spark plug and
was pulling out royalties on it besides
his salary. He was locked upon as q
rising young man in Brookhaven- Sew
eral times Uncle Chris had mentioned
has name TO Ted in a generously APP
prCciated fashion.
That boys got good stuff in him.
he'd say. Delivers the goods every
time. Wish you'd pick UP bit like
him, Ted"
It seemed as if even fate was in
league with his uncle to impress fully
on his mind the eligibility of Putney
at that special moment.
Hello, Ted!" ne called genially,
laying down his bank book, deposit
backs. Just slip those away for me.
will you? Going to the Dorrance
dance tonight?''
Maybe he was. Ted said rather
gloomily. He wasn't sure. Then all
the morning he meditated, finally de-
Gliding to take the plunge and go.
When he went out to lunch, he took
the five he had decided to squander,
went over to the best florists in town
and ordered roses.
of warmest, deepest brown and skin
like jasmine flower. So he chose
the little close, dark red Jacks for
her, and had them sent with his card.
Ana Just as ne WdlCneQ lneIn b0lllS
placed in the box he heard Putneys
voice behind him order orchids
twenty-five dollars worth of lavender
orchids, with wonderful ruby hearts
and flecks of gold on their petals. Ted
had seen them and had priced them.
1t was seven dollars more than his
whole weeks salary, and he went out,
after saying hello to Put, with a feel
ing of hollow wretchedness. He didn't
stand the ghost of a chance with Put.
How could he?
Yet that night he went to the Dorr-
ances' dance. Polly Dorrance was spe-
cially nice to him, but he watched for
Amy. She would wear orchids, and
he would want to die on the spot, yet
some deadly spell held him. And all
at once he saw her. Some way she
han entered without his seeing her,
and Put was dancing with her. Just
as they passed where he sat with
Polly, she looked at him and smiled,
staring after her.
Polly he said hurriedly, was she
wearing red roses or orchids, did you
see?''
Jacks" said Polly placidly
Why"
But Ted had excused himself and
was moving away in a dream. He
found himself inexplicably beaming
on people and getting ecstatically in
everybody's way until he found her.
Putney stood talking to her, and
she asked him to go and dance with
poor Polly, left all alone.
You wore them" Ted said under
his breath. Amy, you darling
| '-Somebody'H hear you-hush! OF
course 1 wore them. why I'm very
fond of Jack roses, you know
He sent you Orchids"
They were beautiful" she flushed
/ ever so slightly-'but / like roses
/ best
| Ted drew her away from the ball
room. He knew the Dorrance house,
! knew there was window seat under
| the big stained-glass window in the
side hail. and he led her there out of
sight.
/ you know and I know" he told
her in his funny, frank, boyish way,
that I'm up against it with Uncle
Chris. I've got to make good or 1
| don't get a sou out of him But I'm
making good, he says, and 1 just want
/ to say this much: I've loved you ever
since we went to High together, and
it's the biggest hope of my life that
/ some day maybe I'll be making enough
/ to ask you to marry me- I can't now,
| Amy. | can't buy you orchids, dear,
and 1 know Puts after you, too. But
/ just ask you to give me a chance,
just a running chance. I'll make good
for you yet
Amy's lashes hid her eyes. She
fingered the close dusky petals of the
little red roses. He looked at her
adoringly, almost as if he were. seeing
her for the first time, at the close, soft
waves of her dark hair, gathered low
! in her neck, and the turn of her chin,
sweet and yet mighty resolute.
I'm not asking you to promise even
to wait for me-" he began. Its Put
ney's race so far
fsPutney's race is over" Amy inter-
/ posed gently. II never did prefer
| orchids. He knows it now. Ted, you'll
laugh, but who do you suppose came
to see father today? Your uncle, and
after he had gone father sent for me.
What do you think they managed to
fix up between them?''
Pass" said Ted. ''What2''
| He told father that every man
1 needed feminine influence in his life in
order to be a real success and he didn't