The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-28
EVENING STORY
The Happiest Moment.

journey never end? He wondered
whether he really wanted it to end.
he asked himself. Could he face his |
friends after his failure? The more
he thought of it the worse it appear
ed art he almost worked himself into |
frenzy as he thought of the ordeal |
he had before him. They would not
understand that he had tried his best
ar that the odds were so great
against him. If they had not given |
him such a rousing send-off it would |
be easier to face them. Instead of |
cheers there would be sneers. The |
world had no use for failures.
But would they not have a little |
sympathy for him? Didn't friendship |
count for something after all? Surely |
they would see it wasn't his fault. He |
had tried SO hard and been so con- |
fident all along. They had encour-
aged him ard were as sure as he was |
+! that he would make good. Would
| they think he had flunked? Oh, if
some of them had only gone with
| him to see what little chance he had!
Perhaps they would realize how
things had been, after all. That
and he sat back in his chair, trying
to forget his troubles, but they would
| not entirely leave him. His mind
travelled back over the past months.
| Four months before Chester had
| beer an energetic young druggist, as
sistant in the leading drug store of the
| town of Wingtown, without thought
of care. His life had been an easy
one and tie salary he was earning
and partly saving, gave every indica-
comfortable one. When he had grad
uated as druggist he felt he could
not have a happier moment than
wher ne received his diploma, but a
yerr later when Hazel Ludnum had
| promised TO be his wife, he realized
that thai YVES by far a happier mo-
ment. Up to this time he had only
| known two ambitions, to be a drug
gfst and to marry Hazel, and when
the frs. was reached another ambi-
| ton developed-to be q moving pic
| ture actor.
Chester had always taken an inter-
| est in amateur theatricals and, when
a moving picture contest was con-
Quoted by a leading magazine and a
chance was offered to limited num-
Der of young men and women to be
| tried out by a leading picture-produc-
ing corporation, he sent in his picture
| with a little life history of himself,
more in a spirit of fun than anything
else. But the time for judging the
contest drew near he began to wonder
if by any chance he would be one of
the lucky ones. The more he thought
of it the more he longed for the op-
winners. What wonderful things he
could do with a salary such as he had
heard that some of the picture actors
received! He could make so many of
his friends happy. Hazel could have
gowns such as she had never even
dreamed Of He could send little lame
Charley Wilson to the specialist in
New York and have the operation per-
formed that would make him strong
again. He would be able to advertise
in every in the country for
old Widow McNicofs son and make
the dear old lady's heart glad once
more by bringing the prodigaI back
to her. There were scores of things
he could do to make others happy
and at the same time make himself
the happiest man on earth.
Altho Chester often dreamed of these
things, the possibility of winning the
contest never stayed in his mind long
so when he received a telegram from
the magazine proclaimfng him one of
the winners the surprise was the
greatest he had ever experienced
Wingtown had never produced a
celebrity of any kind and when the
news was-scattered broadcast that
. Chester was one of the three young
men. judged as the most handsome
three in the country, it nearly went
, wild with excitement The Wingtown
: Echo used a three-column cut of
Chester and the first page for a week
! was filled with wri,e-ups about him.
The reporters dug up things in his
. life that he had forgotten years be-
, fore, and searched around until they
/. discovered that he was a descendant of
; a long line of famous actors. That
: he would make good in pictures, there
i was no doubt. The things they wrote
, even convinced Chester that he would
, make an impression and would likely
; be offered contract that would COM
, mand a large salary from the first
The try-out was to be made in New
j York. and he could hardly wait for the
time to come. When the day for his
f departure arrived he was given a
send-off such Wingtown had never
9 given anyone before. Flags were
i waved. the band played. the bells rang
q and the town folk flocked to the sta
, ton to see him off. AS he stood on the
platform of the last coach of the re-
ceding train, waving his hands to his
: many friends. Chester decided that
that was the happiest moment of his
! life. 1t would be impossible to have
happier one. Hazel was the last
person he saw. She was holding a
! handkerchief to her eyes and waving
, her hand. He had not been with her
, much since the result of the contest
had been announced and their good
by had beer hurried one but he
would make up for it when she Joined
him in New York.
Alas for his ambitions and dreams!
He did not camera right. His nose
I There were many other defects. and
he realized most of them himself when
he saw his first attempt screened. He
. | felt sure a contract would not be
offered him and it was not.
AS Chester sat in the train. going
over this in his mind. he thought how
: much happier he would have been II
| he stayed out of the contest and re-
!. manned satisfied in Wingtown. Hazel
and he could have been married
quietly and the little cottage on the
> hill would have made them as happy
as the grandest bungalow in Cali
- fornia or the most fashionable apart
!, nnent in New York. Perhaps his fail
ure would be means of losing Hazel
ls.<a hi hut hot