The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-27
EVENING STORY
The Girl and the Tambourine.
(By Martha Gaiser.1


Harding stepped out of the club and
Joined the moving holiday crowd. For
an hour they had watched it thru the
window as they smoked and talked.
and Tom, while he had been much
amused at Johns cynical comment,
had taken it all as joke, for John
was never pessimistic. Now, as they
conversation was difficult, and John
was unusually silent. Recalling bits
of phrases in their recent conversation,
il suddenly occurred to Tom thacthere
had been an unaecustomed tone, even
a note of bitterness, underlying the
smile and lightly spoken words of MS
oldest and best friend, whom he feit
he knew as he did himself. At the
thought he looked sharply and pierre
ing1y at him, but the strong, resolute
profile bore no trace of the cyn1c1sIn
of the last hour, much less evidence
of its cause. 1t was just 1maslnatlpn'
Tom concluded
AS they stood waiting for cross
town car an observant and clever beg
gar approached. Tom answered the
appeal with a coin.
mot from me-" said John, in dis
aoh' Well. it's Christmas time" said
yes that's just it, and he knows it
and makes capital of it. 1t IS sympa-
thetic or sentimental charltY, anu
don't approve of It
funny this afternoon What IS the
matter with you? First you condemn
women, then you denounce this happy
holiday crowd as passing snow,
and now this poor beggar: It's Wen
YOU are going to be with me Tor
awhile you need the home influence.
andy Jove! you need wife! That
is the antidote for you, old fellow,
he concluded emphasizing ms conVic-
ton with a slap on the pack
mo. thank YOU was the Laughing
reply as they stepped aboard the car
1t was well filled. Across from the
friends sat two good-looking women,
evidently another and daughter Next
to the younger woman sat sweet
faced Salvation Army girl with her
tambourfne in her lap. Her PLAIN
dark blue dress was in marked con-
trast to the fashionable suit ana peau-
tiful furs of the ladies BESIDE ner.
suddenly the younger of the>~>two
turned and spoke to her. She smll-
ingly responded and shook her head,
hut as the other continued to urge a
wistful look came into the Army girPs
face as she glanced about the car
NO. no." they heard her say; the
conductor would not allow. me. the
rules are very strict" she added in
explanation. For a moment or so
there was silence. and over the races
of both showed disappointment
Then suddenly the younger woman,
with the color suffusing her lovely
face, caught up the tambourlne ana,
depositing a coin in it, started down
the car, ignoring the shocked ana ex-
postula ting Nancy" and the detaln-
| ing hand of her astonished companion
Passing from passenger to passenger
! she extended the tambourine, always
with a little smile and It's Christmas,
you know" or some little word, until
each one felt it privilege to con-
| tribute something. AS she turned by
| the door the conductor stepped for
ward with, please, Miss, want 10
! add something to that, too.
Flushing, she exclaimed, ION thank
/ you so much"
| She passed on to her seat and re-
| turned to it's owrer the tambourine,
4 that never before had received contri-
buttons so promptly and so bestowed.
John Hardings hand had gone at
ohce into his pocket when he realized
what the girl was doing, and now ne
w1s watching her with an almost awe
struck, interest-her lovely, sympa-
thetic face. as she talked earnestly to
the little worker in blue, apparently
unconscious that her sudden impulse
had first astounded and then knit to-
Their in kind sympathy an entire
car of strangers.
by Jove! that was a great thing to
do" said Tom enthusiastically, when
1.-The tension of an absorbing interest
had subsidized a little.
| Eyes, I never saw it's equal" replied
John. After a moments hesitation
he added: Il should like to know that
girl Do you suppose we could find
out who she lisp"
1--WE can try" his friend replied;
but why do you want to know?''
We'll, I do" John answered CURLY.
Tom glanced quizzically at him and
H.
phase of John he was just getting &C
quainted with. When the car reached
the railway station where John and
Tom were going to take a train for
Toms suburban home, the two women
also left the car. They went straight
to the ticket window. Tom took out
his communication book and passed it
to John.
You follow them and I will join
i you" he whispered. the spirit of mis-
chief and adventure now possessing
him. Having bought their tickets the
women turned from the window and
hurried to the train There in the
same car Tom found them all
"Well. if this isn't luck" he ex-
claimed, as soon as he was seated
And then, With the air of a boy burst
ing, with news. he said, They are
going to D"
yes. I know it, Harding replied
But as he vouchsafed no information
and did not seem inclined to talk, Ton
took refuge in his paper and promptly
forgot the whole affair. until he wa
abruptly called back by:
TON, I cannot tell you when
thing so impressed me as that did
as if there could be but one that"
THAT p" he questioned, puzzled
Then, ooh, 7 thought you did not be
lieve in that kind of charity-sympa
thetic and sentimental, I think you
called it," he teasingly reminded him
remembering the crisp bill John haC
dropped in the tambourine.s
"Oh, that is altogether different,
John answered, half deffa ntly.
Yes. different because a pretty cir
made this appeal, an old man tn
other" laughed Tom. But, tell me
how do you adjust your acts Il
theories?"
: ~