The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-01
EVENING STORY
Their Fathers Friends.
(By Catherine Cramner. }


Anything startling in the evening
paper, dad?" asked Betty Allen as she
perched on the arm of her fathers
chair and bent her blond head to scan
the headlines of the paper he was
reading.
Nothing exactly startling, but
here's something that ought to inter-
est u.s. He pointed to a paragraph,
and Betty began to read:
Theron NJ. Clay, candidate for
congressional representative from the
Seventh district, will be one of the
speakers at the political mass meeting
at Stanhope hall tomorrow evening.
Mr.. Clay has a brilliant record as an
attorney ard is said to be gifted
orator.
'Whew! That doesn't sound so in
teresting to me- said Betty. Besides
I'm going to Mrs. Andrews dinner
dance with Jerry Davis tomorrow eve
ming"
That's very awkward, daughter,
for was talking to Theron Clay today
by telephone and 1 invited him to
have dinner with US tomorrow eve
ming. Can't you cancel that engage
ment?''
ooh, dad!" protested Betty, with
coaxing little squeeze of her fathers
gray head, would you have me miss
a perfectly jolly evening to sit primly
at home and be bored by listening to
an old politician sing his own
praises?'
You have enough jolly evenings to
spare one occasionally. it seems to
me-" said her father, stroking her
hair. And it oughtn't to bore any
girl to meet a bachelor of thirty five
who has good prospects of becoming
as distinguished as his illustrious kins-
man, Henry Clay"
Daddy, you shock me. You'll be
reminding me first thing 1 know that
this is leap yeari'
mo, dearie, your dad is in no hurry
to give up the little daughter who has
filled her mothers place so admirably,
but he does want you to meet some
STEADY balanced men as well as roll
llicking scatter-brains like Jerry
Davis"
TN tell you, daddy-I'n entertain
your Henry Clay at dinner if you'll let
me motor to Hill Creek Lodge with
Jerry tomorrow to the tennis tourna-
ment. He never drives recklessly
when I'm with him. He's to call at
tic know whether I'll go. There's the
phone nowi'
with her hand on the receiver, looked
back at her father
Shall tell him yes?" she asked
coaxingly, and her father nodded af-
T1rnlallV6ly.
The tennis tournament ended at
o'clock the next afternoon and Betty
found SO many friends to greet and so
many visitors to congratulate that be-
lore she knew it o'clock had come.
Mercy me, jerry" she exclaimed
in dismay. Here 1 am playing
around when 1 ought to be home So
bering up for the ordeal of being
hostess to Henry Clay Let's go at
once or I'll be late for my own din
I DIT
started to leave they met still other
friends, so that It was $50 before
they were really started on the TWEEN
| ty-mile run to town.
Jerrys blue car shot smoothly out
en- the rock roads, and Betty began
to feel relieved. AS they went silently
coasting down a long hill at the base
of which was hairpin curve, Jerry
neglected to obey the s-gnboard warn
| ing to blow his horn, and when he
made the turn ne was compelled to
veer wildly to the roadside to avoid
running into a farmer who sat lazily
on a clumsy horse watching three m IN
replace a tire on large touring car
that stood at the left of the road. In
the tall grass at the roadside. Jerry's
front tire fairly pinioned itself on the
| Jagged neck of a large broken bottle.
and deafening, long-drawn-out hiss
/ followed.
"Confound it," muttered Jerry, as
he brought his disabled car to a stand
still I'm terribly sorry, Betty; but
| somebody is sure to come along soon
who can take you home in time for
your dinner engagement"
But my dear Jerry, it's almost din
ner time now, and 1 always fix the
salad myself" Betty was plainly
dismayed, tho still smiling.
IT beg your pardon said a deep
voice at the side of the ear, but our
machine is now ready to continue its
tourney, and we shall be shappy to
| take the lady into town if she will
honor us by allowing us to do So"
| The speaker, who was a tall digni-
fled man in dark gray tweeds and a
soft black hat, addressed himself to
Jerry, but looked at Betty for reply.
TITS perfectly splendid of you to
ask me- she said impulsively, land
I'll go with pleasure"
The next minute she was waving
| goodby to somewhat disconsolate
Jerry. and the big car moved away.
The man who had invited her to ac-
company them sat on the rear seat
with Betty and a florid, middle-aged
man, and a young chauffeur sat in
| front. Betty unconsciously gave a
sigh of relief as she settled herself in
the roomy seat.
81, too, run the risk of being late
for dinner said her seat mate. 'and
of mountaineering others while en-
barrassiEg myself
thetically The big mans big voice
made her EEL even smaller than she
was IF it wasn't for daddy, I
wouldn't mind. I promised him to be
nice to a friend CT his tonight, and I
don't want him to think I'm playing
off,
That's funny" said the man, for
I'm mountaineering myself TO please
a friend of my father, too
Then we're fellow-sufferers in self
i ell
we?" There was just a trace of a
coquettish smile on Betty's pretty face.
"Just at present my sufferings seem
remote and trivial The man let an