The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-09
EVENING STORY
ASK Mamma"
(By c. B. Lewis. }

sadie in the chorus on the stage,
and looked at the girl in the box with
him.
He was Clarence Devoe, young
man with a rich father. He had been
invited to box party, and Dorothy
Davenport was one of the party.
Clarence had cut a dash, as all rich
mems sons do. He had smashed up
three or four autos, run in debt wher-
ever possible, had been almost ex
PEELED from college and was proud of
his career. 1t had not hurt hum bit
in high society. They talked of the
young mans wild oats and romances,
and they said it was rather clever of
him to present bouquets and diamond
rings to the chorus girls.
! Clarence had simply known that
there was Dorothy Davenport, and
he had scarcely spoken ten words to
her on the way to theater. All of a
sudden. as stated at the opening, he
turned and looked at her. She was
a young girl, Is years old. She was
bashfuL She happened to look at
Clarence as he looked at her. Was
THAT a. CLEAN of love that shot forth
from the eyes of each one? 1t might
have been for that is one of the ways
| of Cupid.
Clarence unused to himself: Say,
| there is some style there while. you
are talking. There are good looks
there and gobs of money behind her.
1 don't know her mother, but 1 guess
she will be willing. Her governor
don't count, of course. He's too busy
making more money. I'll make my
self a little more agreeable"
! That very morning, after paying up
his debts, among which was $3.50 for
bouquets for the greenroom, Clar-
ence Devoe's father had said to him:
boy, you have got to quit this mad
career! You are now man in age.
and I'll soon repudiate your debts.
| Why in the Old Harry don't you find
a nice girl and marry and settle down
There's lots of 'em in this big town.
Marry one of them, and I'll take you
/ into partnership"
The words had made little impress
sion on Clarence at the time, but now
that he came to cast his looks on
= Dorothy Davenport, he recalled them.
! Why not win her? OF course, Sadie"
would lament and weep and almost
break her little heart, but such things
had to be. Clarence called at the
! Davenport mansion. He was received
very gracefully by the girls mother.
He paid little more than a formal call.
Dorothy was brought into the room,
and he had a few words with her in
the presence of the mother. 1t was
her first courtship, and she was a lit
tie abashed. When remark was ad-
dressed to her, she turned to her
mother to secure the privilege OF
answering it. This was a charming
bashfulness of hers She spoke OF him
as Mr.. Devoe. Others girls had been
in the habit of calling him "Devoe" or
"Bub" or "Old Man"
Clarence called again and again. 1t
seemed to please Mrs. Davenport, and
it seemed to please his father.
or not the young man could not be
certain He would have given the
] thing up but for the novelty of it.
He could boast to her and she never
replied with a word of doubt or CEN
| sure other girls had boldly told him
to ''cut that out but such aggressive
expressions never passed Dorothy's
/ lips. After several months, she got as
far as to say it must be awfully nice
to have a house out in the country in
| summer. and one in town in the
winter, but she fingered right there
for some time. Clarence said that he
! had a friend who got married, and
went on his bridal trip to Europe, and
! Dorothy replied that it must be very
! nice to see London and Paris, and all
! the famous cities, but she hadn't
a sparkle in her eyes. If anybody had
asked her if she loved, she would have
answered:
Il don't know whether 1 do or not,
but | will ask mamma and then tell
you
Clarence mended his ways some
what He smashed just as many
autos, and he spent just as much OF
/ his fathers money, but he didn't go
| to the theater quite so much, and,
when he did go, it was to escort Doro-
thy and her mother and sometimes
two or three other ladies besides Yes:
Z Clarence was becoming quite a model
young man. His mother was little
afraid that he was becoming almost
I too good. and his father had some
faint hope that he would yet become
a Sunday school teacher.
1t was one evening when Clarence
and Dorothy were left along in the
parIor together There was no clear
!. ing of the throat to get his voice in
trim: there was no attempt at pathos
! or tenderness Just as carelessly, as
I if he were making bet that he could
speed his auto at seventy miles per
hour, the young man said:
Dorothy, / love you"
Yes" she replied. If she had
: been expecting the declaration at any
! time for the past year
! 81 will love. cherish and protect
you continued Clarence.
And that will be so nice of you,"
Cant you set the day within =
/ couple of months, Dorothy dear2"
( Il think so, Clarence. but / will
ask mamma and tell you the next time
you come"
You love me. don't you. Dorothy ?"
appealed the young man
"Oh, yes was the calm reply.
Mamma says / am old enough to be
in love"
That was all. except that Clarence
| went out and sent four American
Beauty rose bouquets to the theater
They were meant as fond adieus to
four different "Sadies." and as a gen
( tie hint that he would not be seen in
1917. the Mcclure Newspaper Syndf-
cate-)