The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-15
EVENING STORY
ReaIms of the Commonplace.
BY INES MACDONALD

l00uk0lIulIys
well, Winlkie." said Mr.. Bradley.
whats ON your mind?"
You know. Uncle Dad" she said
gravely. Il believe I'll get married."
Whereat Mr.. Bradley's sense VI
humor overcame the gravity Of the
lay back In his chair and roared with
laughter.
Have you decided on the victim -
he asked. finally.
We'll. no." she said thoushtfuliy. II
haven't
right chap comes alons?" he said
practically. You're young yet"
I'm "a" she reminded him, land
I'm lonesome With all the nice
young men in the world why should
be lonesome?"
mo reason at all. Wrinkle. But
you've had plenty of chapces."
grinned Mr.. Bradley. land II you're
so keen on matrimony why didn't
you take one of them?"
TOO commonplace" she comment-
ed. vaulting on her feet.
my DEAR" he laughed. mat
rimony's the most commonplace thing
in the world. It is the one thing that
is done consistently, persistently. and
over and over again until death does
its part"
Cynical old thing." she said, max
ing a dive at him and mussins his hair
as she skipped toward the door.
bet you can't pull it off In
week." he shouted at her as tho door
shut.
She. came back laughing. How
much?" she bargained.
He studied her with = grin. "Bet
you . dowery OF $4,000 against your
staying single for five more years. you
can't get married in a week"
Make 1t a month" she said. after a
moment OF deep thought. land I'll
take you"
Understand" he conditioned. '4t.s
to be a bona fide marriage. No frame
the chap as his wife for al least six
months
out"
''Now. you'd better get busy" he
grinned. after he had written out the
agreement and she had tucked II down
into her blouse. But she only made a
little face at him as she vanished
thru the door.
AS she descended in the elevator.
however. her mind was busily running
over the eligibles of her acquaintance.
Some OF those who had loved and lost
the charming Nell had married else
where: others of them were engaged
or trying to be-also elsewhere. ANY,
way. they all belonged to the common
place. The man who loves and loses
always becomes commonplace to the
one he's lost.
However. If you asked anyone IN
Bellipgton who was the most common
place young man in the otherwise
eligible class. the almost universal an
swer would have been, Marcus
Barnes" But strangely enough the
image Of Marcus Barnes had already
taken shape ia the back of Men Brad
ley's hitherto particular mind. Never
had he happened to be her dinner
partner. nor had she even danced with
him more than once or twice. And
she suddenly remembered that he
never thought Of it before, and she
had known him for years!
In the meantime. Marcus Barnes.
the most commonplace young man in
Bellington. left the bank wherein he
earned his daily bread and stepped
alley way into a court where his road
tier was parked. Two minutes later
he turned down Spring street, and as
he swung around the corner at Ninth.
homeward bound, he noticed Nell
Bradley standing at the corner waiting
| for a car.
Hello, Nell.- he Erinned, as he slid
up to the curb. Hop in and I'll take
She hoped obedientiy. with a little
| laugh. You running a jitney bus.
Mark" she asked.
NO" he chuckled, as he reached
across her lap to draw the door shut.
And then as they started with a Jerk:
| This il a kissney bus-pay as you
leave-kindly have exact fare ready"
why. how funny" she thought. as
she laughed into his eyes. II never
ticed how tastefully he was dressed.
almost fastidiously in a conservative
| sort of way. But after a few moments
of chatter on her part and most sur
prising silence on his, they drew up
| in front of her home.
PAY as you leave" he reminded
her. as she stepped from the car.
| silly" she said. turning away to-
ward the house.
| "Piker." said the commonplace Mar
Gus Barnes.
I'm not" she Eeturned hotly.
| well, told you what the fare was
when you got in" he said firmly.
| "You don't expect me to be kissing
you out here before all the neighbors,
do you ?" she demanded.
| Makes no difference to me where
| 1t happens" he said, shutting off his
| engine and vaultfng out over the door.
It was the most uncommonplace mo-
ment OF the most uncommonpiace
| hour that the commonplace Marcus
Barnes had ever known. as he
| mdTCned INT SCuHCWndt IVIiScu WISE
| Bradley up the steps and into the hall.
She could see that she was ihSfor 1t.
but then, Whist did 1t matter? She
would extend him one of those little
! impersonaI and indefinite kisses which
she reserved for very young Or very
old and feeble male relatives. But she
| hadn't counted on the commonplace
/ Mr.. Barnes. The first thing she knew
she found that she fitted into his arms
/ as snugly and tightly as II she were
made to-be there. She shut her eyes
and waited, but he only held her q
little closer. She flirted open her eyes
a wee BIT to investigate the cause OF
the delay and flushed to find that ne
wxs studying her upturned race Win
] ST never noticed before how lovely
you are, Nell" he murmured. and
then he collected his fare slowly and
deliberately. not once. but seven sep
arate times, which wasn't so bad for
| -. 1nvv1 ~ i'm r,1are MaYcvfS Barnes.