The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-15
Creased Lightning

Lightning My address from to-mor-
row is Jerome BIoodsmith. Grand
Royal Hotel. Mount Eagle Let me
hear by wire when you've anything to
tell. I'll do the same
Miss Trixie Mordant felt particularly
dull after the first few days Of her
voluntary exile in tho County Glare.
The passionate appeals of her middle
aged adorer were monotonously dismal
I'm Jiggered II five thousand a year
would pay for this kind OF thing as a
permanence," was Mics Trixies unro-
mantle comment. as she rolled the
eisht-page letter in a ball and hung
1t under the crate. After marriage
we'll see," and she smiled dreanily
reminiscent Of small hour suppers with
male adorers at the Criterion. But in
a moment she grew moro impatient
than ever at the tantalizing thought.
She had coiled up in a big chair in the
drawins-room.a and gazed with dispar-
aging eyes out, over the Atlantic that
stretched blue and broad to the hori-
zon's rim. --
Nothing to do and no ono to talk to-:
That was her trouble There were sew
eraI clergymen staying at the hotel.
and a. middle-aged British tourist, with
a prim wife and three prim daughters.
The festive Trfxie. with her smart
clothes and chic ways. longed for
someone to take her motoring.
IF only had somebody to laugh
with me at these natives, could en-
dure it." she muttered disconsolately.
Then her eyes wandered from the sea
IN front to tho tennis ground on the
left, and at a glance she knew that
Fate had been kind and her prayer an
swered.
A young man dressed in the ex-
treme Of the fashion lounged across
the ground. carelessly swinging a ten
mis- racket His blazer blazed hot
crimson and yellow in the hot sun
shine: a little round straw hat with a
rainbow ribbon was perched on the top
of his faxen head. His straw-colored
mustache dropped heavily over a
heavy mouth. and his round face wore
look Of supercilious inanity. Miss
Trixie's heart warmed to him at once
as to kindred spirit In f1ve minutes
she. too. strolled out on the ground IN
a perfectly. fitting suit of cream color
ed serge. finished of with little tan
shoes and OPEN work silk stockings.
She was quite f1uttered at first when
she found a young man on tho ground,
and glanced at him shyly from under
her long lashes when he dared to speak
to her.
But in two minutes they were IN the
midst of lively single Of tennis: in
two hours they were "Trix" and "Jer. -
as II they had known each other all
their lives; in two days the young
man was head and ears in love with
- 1fvafv Hv NJ Fo11ovraA ~
about everywhere like faithful dog
Hes just my Sort" she wrote to her
special friend. Miss Myrtle Mont
gomery. Of the Liberty Music Hall
''Togs frst-rate, free with his coin
green as they grow them. and gone a
regular cropper on your humble. We
are having a real high old time Of It
You should see how we shock the ma
tives in this place"
So Miss Trixfe led her young man
about or a string.
That lively young lady was plannins
a sea bathing expedition, "a Ia Bou-
logne," as she wrote Miss Myrtle OF
the Liberty
THE bathing boxes are the dimcul-
ty, my dear. The gentlemen don't use
boxes here, or costumes for that mat
ter. It's too awfully shocking. But
VIII pun lily pan OIL, you II zee, even IL
have to lend Jer a pair of my ovr
tights for the occasion. 1t will Just
give the old Tables here fits"
But I say you must" said Miss
Trixie to her companion, who was
feebly demonstrating as they sat close
together all by themselves on the
couch at the hotel drawing room. TT
manage the costume. Oh. bother yo,
| come in"
1t was telegram for Miss Mordant
A -nonosyllable escaped from her ros,
lips as she read it. Then she pettishl,
tore the pink paper into pieces an(
| flung the fragments into the vast,
| basket that stood by the empty fire.
place.
| J Now what have I done?" she criet
| repentantly the next moment and ole
Sharkey especially warned me TO b,
careful. Pick UP the bits for me, Jer
| like a dear love"
| Mr.. Jerome B1oodsmith instantly
| buried himself-head and shoulders
in the basket He quietly slipped Al
| old telegram of his own from hi
| pocket, and under cover of the basket
tore 1t to pieces in his big hands be-
fore he rescued the fragments of Mis-.
Trixie's.
| She took tie bits he gave her light
ed match. and burned them to ashe:
in the empty crate.
| Half an hour afterward Mr.. Jerorn,
| Bloodsmfth. in his bedroom with tn,
| door locked. made pule map of BIT
! of pink paper on his dressing table
and this Is what he read there:
! Just discovered chiId's friends