The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-15
Being a Story of How He
"WrOte Up" a Citizen.
And His Trouble in Avoiding
Meeting Him Afterward.
FREOUENTED SIDE STREETS
Avoided Eating at One Restaur-
ant COnsecutiveIy.
Virtue As Usual Proves to Be
Its Own Reward.

1t wasn't his first newspaper assign
ment; not by two or three years, but
the reporter hadn't been at the game
long enough to reach that philosoph-
ical state where neither praise nor
criticism from people about whom he
wrote mattered; where they We're
pigeonholed together, all as a part
of the days work
He was assigned to a story invoIy-
ing the personal eccentricities of "A
| Topekan, who is full of them, and
, the story necessitated an interview.
The reporter secured the Interview
and wrote the story, but every sem
tence he added to it brought visions
with it. He knew it wouldn't appear
until the following Saturday and he
even went so far to count up all
his available cash to see how far !.
would take him from Topeka for a
couple of days until the storm blew
over.
AS stated in the beginning he was
a reporter and it didn't require q trial
balance to convince him that he
couldn't travel and eat at the same
time. He chose to eat and face the
music. The story appeared in the
paper in due time. The reporter had
no appetite but force of habit took
him to the Cremerie at the usual
time. He caught a glimpse of q IA
miliar figurs at the lunch counter and
ducked while there was yet time.
Used the Side Streets.
As the days passed he began using
Quincy and Jackson streets to travel
north and south. He ate at out-of-
the-way places. Now and then he
sighted the subject of his story in the
offing. One day his longing for
meal at the old stand took him to
the Cremerie and at that hour when
that establishment is least frequented
he slipped in and ordered a banquet
The tang had gone from his appetite
and fha choice selections he had made
fell flat. AS a banquet 1T was a frost
Then the worst happened. His old
friend. the subject of the story, slid
in at the front door, stopped and ap-
peared to debate for a moment. then
moved in the general direction of the
reporter.
The latter was in a panic momen-
tarily then his brain began to work
and by the time the unweIcome visi-
tor arrived the reporter was madly
waving at a window where there was
nobody, trying to attract the attention
of nobody. Leaving tho impression
that the man he wanted to see had
! just gone past the reporter left the
restaurant on a lope, leaving the wish
/ tor with his mouth hanging open,
staring over his glasses.
Health Began to Suffer.
That clash almost finished the re-
porter. His work suffered that day
| and the next His health began to
! of all sorts Of new tangled lubricating
oils The finish had to come some day
I and 1t has now come and gone. One
day the reporter was sitting at his desk
Furnishing his typewriter with the hunt
| and peck system with his troubles for
| gotten for the moment.
1 Then those self-same troubles
doomed up large His nemesis ap-
pered, framed in the office door
There was no escape. There was no
friendly window on the second floor
I through which he could see a con-
venient acquaintance. 1t was up TO
! him to take his medicine.
Under the impression that il was
all over except the shouting the re-
I porter put on a front and met his
! pursuer half way. The latter put
out his hand.
II want you to know --" he be-
gan, and the reporter trembled. that
have n sense of appreciation
Then said reporter came near faint
ing
land to show you that 1 appreciate
that story you wrote about me / want
to make you a present of this foun-
tain pen. l have been looking for you
for ten days but seem just to have
missed you everywhere"
Following the application OF
restoratives Abe-er-the reporter
recovered-mentally and physically
Naomi--What do you think? Gwen
doIyn positively refuses to give talk on