The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-01-14
THE NEEDED SPUR
BY MORRIS GRAHAM.

3
Five dollars looks mighty big when
q fellows only earning eighteen o
week. Ted figured it out after lunch
until even Uncle Chris commented on
his abstraction at the office. Where
upon Ted sat up and took notice, for
Uncle Chris was absolute judge and
arbiter temporarily over his actions.
He heard from sigma Lawrence that
Amy was back. sigma corresponded
with her regularly and was well aware
that Ted paid far more attention to
her comings and goings than he did to
the sun, moon and stars all put to-
gether
She'll be here for at least month.
80 you'd better be making hay. Ted
dy," Sigma had advised. Make hay
when he only had a sure thing of
eighteen per. He wanted good
whacking salary now, big enough SO
he could go to old j. G, 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 Putney until he had spoken
twice. Putney. Just at that minute.
looked to feds troubled vision like
the perfect pattern Of the sort of a
man he wanted to be himself. Putney
was a partner in the best automobile
concern in town.
Hello, Ted!" he called genially,
laying down his bank book, deposit
slip and a nice full pad of yellow
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 medtated. 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 the roses.
Amy was slim and dark, with eyes
III warmest, deepest brown and skin
like a jasmine flower. So he chose
the little, close. dark red Jacks" for
her, and had them sent with his card.
And just as he watched them being
placed in the box he heard Putney's
voice behind him order orchids
twenty-five dollars worth of lavender
orchids.
That night he went to the Dor
RANGES dance. Polly Dorrance was
specially nice 10 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. Put was
dancing with her. Just as they passed
where he sat with Polly she looked at
him and smiled.
Polly" he said hurriedly. was she
wearing red roses or orchids, did you
seer"
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 60 and dance with poor
Polly, left all alone.
you wore them" Ted said under
his breath. Amy. you darlingl"
"Somebody'll hear you-hush Of
course wore them. I-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
hest
Ted drew her away from the hall
room. He knew the Dorrance house
knew there was a window seat undel
the big stained-glass window in thu
side hall. and he led her there out O
sight
'You know and | know" he told he
In his funny, frank, boyish way, 'tha
I'm up against It with Uncle Chris
I've got to make good or don't get I
sou out Of him. But I'm making good
he says. and just want to say thi
much: I've loved you ever since WI
went to High together. and it's the big
gest hope OF my life that some da,
maybe III be making enough to asl
you to marry me-"
| Amy's lashes hid her eyes. She fin
.gered the close dusky petals OF tn
little red roses.
I'm not asking you to promise evel
to wait for me. he began. It's Put
ney's race so far"
'Putney's race is over Amy inter
posed gently. II never did prefe
orchids. He knows il now. Ted, you'l
laugh, but who do you suppose cam
to see father today? Your uncle. an
after he had gone father sent for nt
What do you think they managed t
| fix up between them?"
/ pass" said Ted. 'fWhat?"
"He told father that every mai
needed feminine influence in his lif
in order to be real success and
didn't see why you failed to fall I
love. He thought IL might be Tn
needed spur"
II guess I've found the needle