The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-18
EVENING STORY
Summer Heat.
BY LINCOLN ROTHBLUM.


hood there were some. eight couples
more or less happily married. The
romance of youth was just so mucn
vital food to her existence and evil
large rolls of needless fat hung upon
her spacious sides, while the droop-
ing double chin cavorted cheek by
jowl with the ample bosom beloY, But
true to the saw. chunky Mrs. Potter
was good-natured and, strange as it
may seem, thoroly understood young
men and women, especially at spring !!
time when it is said their fancy lightly |
turns to thoughts Of love.
1t was Clara Mrs. Potter's pretty |
niece, who crowned that lady's repu-
! tation as Cupid's assistant. Even Miss |
Bertha Splinter, who had some years
before given eup ali matrimonial in
tentions, was obliged to admit that in
Clara's engagement to Hal Doran, Mrs. |
Potter had outdone herself. Miss
| Splinter, it must be understood, bore
| the conductor of this diplomatic mar
riage bureau little good will, since the
| occasion on which she had been re-
| fused assistance in securing. as Mrs.
Potter afterwards bluntly put it, any
| thing in a pair of trousers. Unfor-
| tunately, Miss Splinter did not know
at the time that Mrs. Potter based her
| operations on the principle that to
accomplish anything, one must have
| fair material to work with" And the
spinster herself knew she was far from
! being fair material"
| well, nv dear niece" Mrs. Potter
was saying this perfect May afternoon,
| as she rocked her hundred and ninety
pounds to the rockers accompanying
complaint. 'it certainly is gratifying to
| read the announcement of your en-
gagement to Hal in this mornings pa
per. You'll make the prettiest June
| couple this town has ever seen"
That's, just what displeases me-"
responded the young girl as she
I Ri HOY cc11 @f,n to hHr-
| aunt's vexation, mo one seems to
question whether Hal and I are suited
| to one another-they all say he's
mighty handsome fellow and I'm not
money-it's a mighty fine match for
both of u.s." And Clara Topped her
| self down on the rug, knees cooked
up, with dire results to the flimsy
summer dress of white wolfe with its
| tier upon tier of lacy ruffles.
Tut, tut, girl, 1 don't like to hear
| you talk that way. Hal Doran is a
pretty fine man, and comes from a
good family. You'll get along well
enough and I can picture how gor-
of Mendelsshon."
Their conversation was interrupted
by the entrance of six-foot-two of
wonderful manhood, cheeks and eyes
| glowing with health, topped by waves
| OF Jet black hair.
| Hello, Hail." was the simultaneous
greeting of the two women, much
more cordially expressed by Mrs. Pot
| ter. Clara received her sweetheart's
| kiss in silence and left the room.
| whats the matter with Princess
Pretty?' he asked in his mellow
voice; "out of humor?"
Not at ALL" Mrs. Potter nervously
| replied, anxious for the successful de-
| nouement of her Vaccinations, its
| Just the summer heat"
/ Summer heat was one of Mrs. Pot
4 ters favorite reasons for any indispo-
sition. With the first peep OF a blade
| of grass above the ground still hard
from the winters snow, she began to
imbibe great quantities of iced lemon
| ade.
'Just the summer heat" she re-
| peated mechanically, land suppose"
she added by way of introducing the
little nervous about your approaching
| wedding. My, but you'll make a
i handsome coupled"
The man sat down and stretched his
long legs to their full length. YES"
he drawled, that's just what most
folks are saying. Because Clara is a
i little beauty, and I'm not a physical
wreck, people take it for granted we're
suited"
Mrs. Potter famed herself vigorous
1y as the familiar words smote her
ear. She felt the same answer would
suffice.
Tut, tut, Hal, don't talk like that
! Clara's a mighty fine girl, even If I
say SO who should not. And you'll get
along well enough. Find her and take
walk"
And. indeed, It would be a most
critical judge who could not praise
Mrs. Potters ingenuity in bringing this
man and maid together. Perhaps it
J was because they were both conscious
, Of the many glances directed at them
that they could never afterwards tell
: just how and when the automobile
knocked them down. and before either
regained consciousness. they were
whisked into an ambulance, driven to
the nearest hospital, and awoke to
find themselves nightgowned and pa
jarna-ed respectively. Halls broken
arms put him tie bed with irksome
| splinters. while Clara lay white and
, weak with a displaced rib.
} 1t was well along the tenth day be-
, fore either became sufficiently con-
scious that something else than pain
existed in their spotless rooms. For
, Halls attention was diverted from an
: effort to stretch his legs beyond the
confines of the bed to Nurse Stewart,
Just entering the room. He made a
lightning quick inventory.
Pug nose. freckled. b1ue-green
eyes, short lashes, brick-red hair. no
. figure Ensemb1e-not much"
Better. I see,'' said this white
gowned creature.
; Hal Topped his head over. So won
: derful a voice did not belong to such
features. And he had not dreamed
: hands could be so gentle as his splin-
: ters were adjusted without pain and
? the food placed within his mouth
J without accident And how she could
smilei
Nor was Clara less puzzled over the
law of consistency as her eyes wan
dered from the concave joining of
! ceiling and wall to the equally bland
appearance of Doctor Blount. so pro-
fessionally attentive, with his kindly
encouraging ways oddly at variance
l with his bald head and large ears.
Some two months later Mrs. Potter
$ squatting in her rocker. greeted her
niece and Hal Doran effusively as she
! noted their arms linked together