The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-30
EVENING STORY
The Old, Old Story.
(By Earl Reed Silvers.)

Dennis straightway conceived sud-
den longing for the companionship Of
Lettie Kellogg. There was nothing
especially attractive about Lettie;
solidity, rather than beauty, was her
chief characteristic. Her hair was
neutral, her eyes Irish, and her round
face and broad outh decidedly pro-
German. But her cheeks were red and
her skin was soft. Moreover, it was
spring, and Lettie was the only girl
Dennis McCarty knew. And so Dennis
ran a rough-toothed comb thru a
shock of curly blond hair, and betook
himself in the direction of Lettie's
home.
The Kelloggs had never been ac-
cused of being the most exclusive peo-
pie in Glenwood; in fact, they would
have deeply resented Such an accusa-
ton. Neither Gustave Kellogg, born
in Hamburg, nor Mrs. Gustave kellogg.
nee O'Sullivan, saw anything wrong in
eating peas with ones knife. or in re-
naming seated ir the presence of a
Colonial Dame or Daughter of the
American Revolution. To be perfectly
frank, Percival Gordon, president of
1.-THE Glepwood Town and Country club,
would have 'Inqualifiedly designated
them as ''rougnnecks.'' And the KEEL
loggs, on their part, would have stuck
up their democratic and rather cosmo-
-
with the single appellation, high
brow
1t takes all kinds of people to make
l. up a world including the patriot who
gets married in order to escape mill
tary duty, and 50 the Kelloggs and the
Gordons lived in happy ignorance or
one another. They trod different paths
upon the highway of life But spring
plays strange pranks up on the heart
of youth; and at the very moment
Ixx-6c
Kellogg tenement, Percival Gordon
I1eaped into his high-powered Limousine
and directed his car toward the man
sion of Lorraine Pennington.
Dennis noticed him as he turned
into the exclusive Parkway drive and
promptly forgot all about him. Plod-
ding his way down California street,
on the far end of which Lettie lived,
Dennis had other things to thlnk
about. 1t was a moon1ess night, but
countless stars twinkled ana gum
mered, and reminded him somehow
of the light in Lettie's eyes. He
fastened his steps; the thought of
walking beside Lettie down Parkway
drive, with perhaps an arm around
her waist, urged him to cover as soon
as possible the distance to the last
stark tenement. He thought that it
was Lettie who was calling him, but
it was in reality two things-the heart
of eternal youth, and the murmuring
breath of spring.
Mira culously, Lettie was sitting on
the small front porch when Dennis
reached her home. AS she smiled her
unaffected welcome, it seemed to Den
mis- as if the shining of her eyes out
rivaled the light of the stars. She
wore a white dress, and the sight of
it caused Dennis's heart to miss beat.
He had always liked Lettie in white;
it reminded him of the time he had
L, -
he had found her crying in one cor
ner of the excursion boat because
Jimmy Lutz had considered her too
slow for any fun"
You're looking fine tonight" Dem
mis- remarked. How'd you like to
take a walk up the driver
Lettie assured him that she would
like it very much. Arm in arm they
strolled down the dimly lighted street,
turned into Parkway drive and made
their slow way in the direction of the
lake. 1t was a silent walk for the
most part. Having found Lettie, Den
mis- didn't know exactly what to say
to her. Strange dreams encompassed
him; dreams which had to do with
buying furniture on the installment
plan, with giving Lettie his weekly
pay envelope, and with returning
home from work at night to find Lettie
in the kitchen, her face flushed and
her lips framing a welcome.
He experienced a sudden desire to
tell Lettie something about it, but
somehow his tongue Glove to the roof
of his mouth whenever he attempted
it. And so he walked along silently,
content to hold Lettie's arm as tightly
as he dared and to venture an occa-
sional glance at the smooth roundness
of her face. They came finally to the
end of the drive. a single path
wended its way among the shadows
along the shore of the lake. They
both stopped.
Shall we go on?" Dennis asked
Yes. let's
| They went on. The path was hard
ly broad enough for two, and so it
was necessary for Dennis to hold his
ever. But Lettie smiled at him when
he helped her over a particularly diff
cult spot, and, taking courage, Dennis
slipped his own muscled arm around
the girls slim waist. Then he held
his breath.
Nothing happened. Lettie's head
dropped ever so slightly toward Den
mis- shoulder, and the silence con-
tinued. From somewhere upon the
lake came the sound of merry laugh
ter, and Dennis snatched his arm
away as if it had been stung by a bee
The laughter died away, and Lettie
glanced happily at Denniss flushed
face. And the man, suddenly bold
again, replaced him arm where it had
been but a moment before. Spring
was indeed in the air.
They came to a bench which was
nestled among some bushes at the
very edge of the water. Actuated by
the same purpose, they both stopped
Shall we sit down?'' Dennis asked
Yes, let's
They sat down. Dennis permitted
his arm to hang gracefully over the
back of the bench, and Lettie sat de-
murely at his side, her hands in her
lap, her eyes gazing out into the
blacknesS of the water. Nonchalantly
Dennis picked up one of Lettie's
chubby hands and examined it criti-
cally.
"Gee!" he remarked You've got
pretty hands,
| They amt any different from any
other hands, are they?"
Yes; they're nice and soft"