The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-23
EVENING STORY
What a Uniform Will Do.
BY KITTY PARSONS.
Copyright, 1918, by Mcclure Newspapt


t, anyone, Russell. It's ever so much
nicer to be good friends and play
around, together. If we were married
you wouldn't be half so nice to me,
I'm sure. And you wouldn't let me
go around with other men or anything
else, either!"
You bet 1 wouldn't"
well, 1 like to see other men-it
keeps you from growing bored with
me- too. Don't let's talk about mar
riage any more-I don't want to think
about it,
Then, I guess you don't care any
thing about me anyway. I've been pro-
posing to you steadily for over year,
and if you did. you would have found
it out by this time
I'm awfuliy fond of you, Russ. but
guess 1 just don't want to get mar
ried at ALL have such a nice time
being single that l don't want to
change. I'm cory, but l can't help 1t.
NO. 1 suppose you can't. / have
half a mind to go south on that bust
ness trip, instead of sending smith
1 would have gone in the first place if
it hadn't been for YOU.
"Oh, don't go, Russ. There are lots
of other engineers who can go way
down to that horrid place who aren't
needed here at all. I'll miss you lot
MoIlie Dean showed signs of real
feeling in her voice for the first time.
but Russell did not notice 1t.
along now, too. I'm dining at the club
with ogden See you tomorrow.
Goodbye"
Russell Sealey was not in a cheerful
frame of mind that night. -,
Whats the matter, old man =!
asked ogden. HAS Mollie refused
YES she has. She simply doesn't
care anything about me-thats all.
Look here, Russ, do you want me
to give you piece OF ADVICE ~
II don't want you to, but you can
fire ahead if you want to-.
well, then, you are all wrong in
this matter. The whole trouble is that
Mollie's too sure of you-youve never
kept her guessing at all. Now, what
you want to do is to go away Tor
while and leave her alone. Iheh
you'll find out whether or not she
cares anything about you-lts the
only way you ever will, either.
II suppose 1 might go off for
while-do you believe there's any
chance of my getting a job in the
army? I'm over the draft age. but
I've wanted to enlist with the engi-
neers for a long time. I'd go in min
ute now, but don't thing it would do
any good as far as Mollie is con-
cerned."
You leave Mollie to me. I'm going
| to be the doctor in this case and my
prescription is not to see Mollie at all
| for the PRESENT. may be hard, but
think it win pay in the end. What do
you say?''
That I'll try it at least. I'll call
off my date for tomorrow to begin
with"
The next afternoon Mollie received
note from Russell which caused her
| to frown slightly.
Dear Mollie:-Awfully sorry L
have to break our engagement for to-
night, but something quite unexpect-
| ed has come up and I'll have to attend
| to it. Hope to see you soon Take
good care of yourself. Russell"
This was the shortest and decidedly
| the coolest note that Mollie had ever
received from Russell, and she did not
| like it at all. He had not even told her
| what the important thing was and she
| really wanted very much to know. She
| would probably hear the next day.
But she heard nothing at all from
| Russell for three weeks, and she began
to feel very low in her mind about
! things in general. She had not known
that the absence of any one could
make such a hopeless gap in her life.
And then she received note from
Mrs. ogden asking her to come to a
| farewell dinner for Russell. This was
the fina1 straw.
.'I won't go to any farewell dinner"
stormed Mollfe. He never even told
me he was going away, and I won't
go!"
| But in the end she changed her
mind and went. And what was more,
she wore her prettiest dress and took
the greatest pains with her toilet.
! you never looked so lovely in your
life.'' exclaimed her younger sister ad-
miringly, when she was dressed. Even
| Mo1lie felt that she was telling the
| truth, too.
Russell and Ogden came in together
and Mollie's eyes nearly jumped out of
her head when she saw that Russell
was in uniform.
Doesn't he look well. dear?" said
Mrs. Ogden. Were all so proud of
him: too. 1 only hate to have him go
so far away"
| At dinner Mollie sat between Ed
Ogden and young naval officer, and
she never looked SO brilliant. Neither
she nor Russell had exchanged more
both conscious of the others slightest
move. Afterwards. in the drawing
room they asked Mollie to sing, and
Russell went to the piano to play her
Accomplishments.
| Sing this one he urged, picking
up an old love song they had often
sung together. Mollie choked when
! she saw it, but she managed to answer
indifferently that she'd rather not, and
selected a light frivolous thing that he
frankly hated Then she sang a lull-
ably at the request of her hostess and
ended with a sad little melody that
| brought tears to the eyes of every one
present-herself included
| 1t was not an easy evening for Mol
lie, and she was glad when at last she
could excuse herself and go home
| Russell is going with YOU" Mrs.
Ogden announced
oh. it isn't at all necessary-the
car is here,''
Il know, but he insisted-here he is.
himself
I'D really rather you didn't come
Russell-it's only a little way"
know, but as long as it's my last
night before I go to camp, 1 thought
you might humor me-shau we
| walk 2"
Yes, I'd prefer it. When did Won
decide to enlist -
The day saw you Iast-Td
thought about it for a long time and