The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-03
EVENING STORY
The Wants of Airline
BY INES MACDONALD.

It seems to be human nature to feel
that the other fellows life or occupa-
ton is happier than your own. The
stenographer trips into her office and
sits down to her typewriter with a
sigh--she has a friend who is married
and has nothing to do but take care of
darling little apartment'-while
that friend sits dejectedly at the lit
tered breakfast table after husband
has gone to the office and wishes she
could cast off the drudgery of her
homework and once more enjoy the
privilege of independence and a job.
The pretty little shop girl struggles
YEARLY out Of the employees en-
trance of the great store with hun
dreds of others on the way to the
crowded car which is to take her to
her drab and uninteresting home, cast
ing envious glances at the girl in the
magnificent limousine which has just
slid up to the curb on the far side of
the street. While. at the very same
time. the girl In the limousine
watches the chattering shop girls who
romp along in gay groups-such
bright, dancing-eyed. light-footedl
thingsi a@ 4 re
Such is the resiliancy of youth that
in spite of the long, tiresome hours of
toll behind them, they troop out and
along the street with joyous aban-
DON 49, sl
Airline Granger, sitting there in her
car of splendor, envied girls like this.
Hastily she slipped out of the mag
nificent furs which would have made
her conspicuous, stepped to the side
walk, and walked quickly up the street
and across toward the entrance of the
great store where she Joined the
throng of shining-eyed workers.
Just then George Bart turned the
corner below and bravely breasted the
wave of femininity which poured to-
ward him. The talented George wrot..
advertising copy for the Addington
Co. and was that very week the proud
possessor of a raise in salary Per-
haps that's why he smiled, but 1T was
not the reason why SO many of the
bright-eyed girls whom he met smiled
back at him. They neither knew nor
cared about his talent or his pay
check-never even hoped to see him
again, but George was good to look
upon and SO they smiled. And so did
Airline family when she saw him COM
ing, for she also found him good to
look upon. George caught Arline's
expression and at that same identical
moment he realized that she was diff
ferent. OF course, the girls one loves
are always different-but George
didn't worry about that. he i1st smiled
right straight down into her heart and
when she would have turned away
from him, Geonee barred the way.
Please" he said gently but firmly,
please don't be offended-but you
shouldn't have smiled. you know"
She inspected him for an instant
curiously. He really did look WELL
bred. and Airline had a sudden desire.
for adventure. ''Did-did 1 smile p"
she laughed. little confusedly.
You did," said George emphatical-
ly. And how could 1 ever expect to
see you again if let you pass with
out word? This is an awful big
town to find anybody you don't know
in
And is it so entirely necessary to
your happiness that you see me
asain?" said Airline with certain
dignity that was more daring than
dignified.
George looked at her earnestly. She
was different. He. was sure of it now.
Don't tease me-" he said, walking
along beside her. And the reckless
Miss Granger could never explain lust
now it happened, but it was probably
because George was SO persistent and
talented persuader-but anyway she
found herself seated opposite him in
certain well known restaurant some
two hours earlier than her regular
dinner hour.
George accepted her culture as a
matter of course-he took her entire-
ly at her face value-and Arline's face
value was exceedingly high. But she
wouldn't tell him her name nor where
sne lived nor her telephone number
ana after dinner was over he ODE
dlently took her to the subway and
sald good-bye-at the same time slip
ping into her hand his business "a I'd
mat bore the phone number of the
In case you want to see me again. ;.
ne said-and she slipped thru the gate
ana entered the train and was gone.
A week later she did phone him.
she had put 1t off as long as she pos
slbly could, but George didn't know
that. All he knew was that late that
afternoon she again sat opposite him
at small table and smiled upon him
| in that delightfully."- cool manner of
hers-and that was enough.
Several times these little dinner
meetings occurred during the next
1.-TWO months, but George found~out no
tmore about Airline than he had known
in the beginning. Airline was wise
enough to wear her p1ainest. simplest