The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-23
EVENING STORY
A Metamorphosis.
BY LILLIAN HALL CROWLEY
James Morgan was thinking.


James Morgan was thinking,
II wonder why the girls never seem
glad to see me? They never act just
plain glad when 1 come along. The
fellows. too-they're all right, only
veil. I'm not really intimate with any
Of them"
James had logged Along in the little
town where his family had been as
comfortably oft as most OF the fami-
lies of their set. He had logged thru
the state university just as unthink-
ingly as he d spent the preceding
years. He drifted into a clerkship in
the bank and mentally wandered thru
his duties as coloriessly as he did
everything CSC.
He went to the parties. never think
ing whether he could dance we'll or
not. 1t had not occurred to MIN 10
think anything about it.
The night before he had heard the
following cow. ,sation between two OF
Haviland's most charming girls:
Il wish James Morgan would stay
from the parties. He is the awkward
est creature ever saw, and the home
liest!'
EVERY time he asks me to dance
wish 1 had stayed at home"
THE trouble Is, Margery, we've been
fairly polite to him, just because we've
known him always. and he doesn't
realize he's herried and uninteresting.
Lets drop him! He has no right
to make US Observation-Disclosures all
over our feet at the Dances
And such clothes! We don't expect
much in little place like Haviland,
but he's a positive fright"
The two girls, Margery Raymond
and Alice Wrightman, had fallen into
&t,yz Tow, MIC o. q RI
James had come around a corner in
tent n asking Margery to dance. He
weulds not have listened Intentionally,
| but the knowledge had staggered him.
| He tiptoed away from his Waterloo
and went out on the veranda to collect
| his scattered wits
st never dreamed of such a thing!
| he told himself. At last - went in
| and babe his hostess goodnight.
This brings US to the day in the
| bank when for the first time in his life
| he was puzzled. After dinner he went
| alone to a moving picture play. 1t
was a w tern play. The hero was a
| big fellow wearing the rough clothes
| of Observation-Disclosures, he was very
polite. He raised his hat to the women
| he knew and jumped to pick up a
| plate dropped on the floor by the
! boarding house keeper.
| That's the kind of man a woman is
proud to have for O. son." he heard a
voice behind him.. What a magnifi-
cent Figured" the voice went on Zone
feels that a strong chest not only in
dicates physical strength; but strength
OF character as well"
| Instantly James Strengthened his
dropping shoulders.
Looking at the hero, James thought:
He is fine-looking fellow-gives one
real pleasure just to look at him. I
wonder if I'd play tennis and things if
1 could develop my chest"
He noticed the mans manner of
taking off his hat to the women he
met; sometimes James only touched
his hat. lazily. with one finger He
knew the girls SO well-why bother
james remembered, too. that he did
ance of people, True, he was glad to
| help any one in trouble. but this was
different ,f
Maybe that'c what Margery and
Alice meant: L don't do those nice
things" He was puzzled, but went on
with his self-analysis.
He went again to the movies. This
time he saw a society play. There was
dancing. James opened hfs eyes wide
to see how the other fellows danced.
Alice had said he tramped on her
feet. He saw the men cleverly and
gracefully guiding their partners thru
the crush.
Why, that's part of it," he thought
you're responsible in a way"
| Then he noticed elothes- He had
never given his toilet much thought
except to be clean, to buy Q suit when
necessary-which was seldom pressed
land a-pale blue tie for Sundays. He
wore it to the bank after 1t had be-
come soiled.
| All the business men in the pic
lures were trim-looking, their clothes
We're pressed and coats buttoned
James walked along the street with
suit coat and overcoat open and his
hands in his pockets. None of these
men did that.
yes" he thought, that's the way
to look. 1t isn't because they're movie
men: lots of other men dress that way
He noticed, too, the bright interested
and alert expression on their faces.
At home he looked in the mirror.
His hair needed trimming. 1t hadn't
been cut right in the first place. He
had parted it SO near one ear that 1t
twas inches too high on the other side.
He brushed II straight back. He was
surprised at the good lines OF his fore
head. something he had not noticed
before.
Next day a successful young man
from one of the large cities of the
state came into the bank. James
looked him over. First of all he saw
| that the man was neatly dressed and
was unconscious Of his clothes. James
was always uncomfortable when
| dressed up" as he called 1t.
"IIl ask him to select me tie from
his place"
Certainly" replied the young man
graciously. do you want a black or
a mixture?"
II like pale blue" James answered
hesitatinslX 81 say-please get the
kind you'd get for yourself"
I'll send one to wear with that
dark suit you have on"
! When the tie came James was
amazed to find a dark one with bits
of dull color in it. He had the utmost
faith in the young mans taste. and he
could not recall ever having seen him
with a pale blue tie.
Before the glass that night he tried
it on and realized that his chin was
in the way of his collar. Should he