The Topeka state journal., 1916-12-28

were bought at the big department
store that boasted of giving money
back for unsatisfactory purchases. At
least he could have a square meal on
New Years day, he thought, as he car
ried the studs to the one in authority
over such refunds, and stood sheep
ishly by while the money was secured
"She must be rich. and she must
have cared for me, too, he said as
ten crisp dollars were placed in his
hand. Then he hurried off-hurried,
that is, till he passed the fan counter.
There stood the girl in brown, Hide
garde. He drew near in the crowd.
No, I don't want the money back,
she was answering. Il merely want
credit to spend the money in some
other department. Alonzo watched
as she looked for the last time at the
spangled fan and then signed her
name on the credit slip that the sales
man gave her. Then he followed
mutely as she ascended in an elevator
to the fourth floor of the big depart
ment store. Sporting goods. automo-
biles. baby carriages and groceries,,
called out the elevator man.
Alonzo still followed. Once he had
to seek the protection of a large pillar
as the girl ahead of him cast furtive
giances over her shoulders But he
still followed past the sporting goods.
the automobiles and baby carriages to
the groceries.
There she engaged the services of
one of the smooth-voiced, smooth
coats and began: Il have credit
slip that 1 want to use in this depart
ment Will you take my order?
First 1 want quite a lot of spaghetti
it's so nourishing. You might send
five pounds of that, and them
Alonzo, hiding behind the coffee de-
monstrator's booth, put his hand
spasmodicaHy to his forehead. Great
gods and little fishes!" he said to him
self almost aloud, "spangles for spa
ghetti. How could She?
And the girl in brown went on or
dering-flour, sugar, beans, tea, cof-
fee, apples potatoes, lard, butter and
chocolate till the bill footed to fifteen
dollars and three cents. She carefully
took out the three pennies from her
brown purse, gave her address. thank
ed the salesman and started on her
way.
A thought had come to him and was
fast gaining credence with him. Per
haps she had no more use for the gay
fan than he had for the studs. He
reached her in the descending eleva-
tor, and when he had made himself
known held her arm in the crowd.
1--WE been wa ~ you for the last
quarter of an hour he told her.
'And you know L exchanged those
lovely spangles for spaghetti and
things?'' She blushed to her little
brown curls as she spoke. I was sor-
ROY to do it. You see, l haven't much
money, and 1 have to support my
mother, and it was a question of ex-
changing the present for groceries or
going hungry on New Years. With
this help mother has been able to buy
a chicken, and SO we shall have quite
a feast You see, I'm just a stenog-
rapher 1 am afraid didn't want you
to know that, because you are so much
better off with your oil wells q
your wide travel
Alonzo interrupted her to pour forth
his own confession, and they Wake
thru the crowd toward the subway just
as usual. When they came to the sub
way entrance the old longing to tell
HiIdegarde came, and somehow that
night he did manage to tell her and
to ask her the important question and
HiIdegarde pressed her little hand
against his and murmured little yes
| that made him the happiest man In
| all that New Years throng.-(Copy
right, 1916, by the Mcclure Newspaper
| Syndicate.)