The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-02
EVENING STORY
: Cause for Thanks.

"A lot to be thankfu0fOr.' Maurice
Eldridge's expression was one of dis
guest instead of gratitude. He was
disguised with himself for ever NOV
| ing to this big city. where no one knew
anybody else; with his job, because 1t
gave him a holiday with nothing to
do: with the fellow who appropriated
his umbrella; with the weather that
made the umbrella necessary. and with
his lottery ticket for winning the
| turkey he carried under his arm.
He stood under an awning. his
| hands in his trousers pockets, his coat
collar tight about his neck, water drop
ping off the end of his nose. He
glared at a taxicab that pushed thru
| curb. The occupant of the car, girl
with a rather attractive face, caught
his eye, and as she did SO she tilted
her chin upward and turned her head
away.
Maurice hunched his shoulders and
battered down the rain-covered side
walk. unmindful OF the downpour.
THE business woman across the
court" he sneered.' "She can't even
give a fellow a decent look"
Fifteen minutes later found him
entering his room in the Century
apartment house His left shoe ut
tered resentful sQueals with every step,
and he sounded like cripple and felt
like a drowned rat as he threw the
turkey on the table and stood survey
ing it with baleful eye.
The paper wrapping, soaked with
| water. had become disarranged and
the lifeleo bird lay exposed. its head
| dangling below the table edge.
You look like a turkey" Maurice
observed as he sank into a chair. but
in reality you're a white elephant.
What a man like me wants with a
turkey + don't know. No place to
cook it, and nobody to help eat it any
how. i ought to have let the relief
society keep it. even II did get the
| lucky number. What's a turkey din
lot of other good things to go with It
and a congenial companion or two7"
Involuntarily his eyes wandered
across the court to another section Of
the flat building. where the business
woman had apartments along with
two other bachelor girls. AS he looked
she entered the room, approached the
window and looked out dfsconsolately
at the sheets of water that swirled
down. Maurice discarded his sour ex-
preston and a smile flickered across
his countenanee. Here was the girl
he had been trying to get acquainted
with ever since he came to the city
two weeks ago. What better oppor-
tunity than now, he thought. and rose
to his feet. The movement caught her
eyes and she looked toward him
and pulled down the shade Of her
window.
Maurice struggled out of his wet
garments and into dry ones. His
change completed, he recalled that the
mail carrier was about due and that
there might be a letter from home.
He stepped into the hall.
In the apartm ents on both sides OF
the hall dishes were rafting and the
odor of cooking viandS found it's way
to his nostrils, while bursts of merry
laughter reached his ears.
Arriving at the entrance vestibule he
discerned something white thru the
glass of his mail box and it made him
feel a little more cheerful. He opened
the box, took out the letter and was
about to tear it open, when he dtseov-
cred that the name on the envelope
was:
Miss Jacquelin Dietz.
1.-The mail carrier got 1t in my box
by mistake" Maurice unused. 1T says
apartment seven, and mine is nine. The
| business woman occupies seven.
Somebody remembers her all right to-
day, but I'm left out in the cold"
He reached out to place the letter
in box seven, and as he did SO ne
| kicked an oblong package that rested
on the floor. Curiosity prompted him
| to pick it up. and he saw that it bore
| the same address as the letter.
Eyes, she certainly does fare well"
| he muttered, and was about to replace
| the package when footsteps sounded
on the stairs that led up into the other
| section Of the building.
"She's coming for her mail" he de-
| cided, and a daring thought entered
| his brain. With the letter in a pocket
and the package under his arm he re-
| treated hurriedly up the stairs that
led to his own apartments pausing on
the first landing.
| Looking back, he saw the business
| woman" approach her mail box and
\ look around with an expression of dis
appointment. She hesitated a moment
| looked out into the street, where the
rain still was beating down, then walk
ed slowly back UP the stairs she had
| just descended.
Maurice retraced his steps to the
vestibule. He waited for perhaps five
minutes, then reached out and pressed
the bell above mail box seven, his
| mouth and eyes expressing something
akin to desperation.
He clamped his ear to the speaking
tube and presently heard a femlnfne
voice respond with Hello"
Maurice made his tones as sruff as
possible and spoke into the tube:
| 81 have a letter and n package for
you. I'll bring them right up" He
didn't give her a chance to tell him she
would come down.
! In a few moments he was ushered
into her room. When she recognized
him she attempted to assume a
naughty demeanor, but the attempt
failed because her eyes were red.
81 got these by mistake" he said
| lamely.
She smiled a tired little smile and
received the package and letter.
"Pm SO glad to get Them she said.
'I've been miserable today because I'm
all alone. The other girls have gone
home for the holidays. I knew the
package was coming and it was a ray
of hope to look forward to. When
didn't find it downstairs 1 was just
| about heart-broken."
She shifted and dabbed her eyes
with a handkerchief. He stood there
| looking foolish and wanting to stay,
but unable to frame an excuse