The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-10
EVENING STORY
Summering in Texas.
BY LINCOLN RoTHBLUM.

When Betty Wilson heard of Ger
man atrocities and the appalling cas-
ualties, she was shocked in very
perfunctory manner She felt as l.
such things ought to horrify her. ana
accordingly would raise her hands,
palms outward, in an attitude of dis
may. and with a pretty shudder beg
YOU to desist. 1t was awful, just aw-
full 1t took her mothers unexpected
message. "Bobbys enlisted" to make
the war a vital thing to her. For,
altho Bobby himself never knew what
place he held in his sweetheert's aft
fections, Betty had no doubts that
Bobby ranked ace high.
"Bobby's enlisted?" repeated Betty,
increduiousIy. fin. what brancn?"
Mrs. Wilson advanced toward her
daughter. Betty had not taken her
own brothers enlistment so to heart.
In the cavalry" she answered. rs 1t
not wonderful that he was sccepted?,'
There was a moments silence and
then Betty was crying. But, my
dear" Mrs. Wilson comforted gently,
whatever is the matter? Are you
not proud to hear it?"
"Oh, yes. yes" came in a choked
voice. muff1ed in the folds of hand
kerchief hiding eyes already sadly red,
but the cavalry is the most danger
Gus thing in the world. He can get
killed most any time"
A ring at the bell interrupted the
fearful grievance. AS Mrs. Wilson
opened the door she whispered a hasty
word to the broad-shouldered visitor.
Where's Betty?'' he called out in a
husky voice as he entered the living
room and pretended not to see her.
Perhaps 1t was because of the whis-
pered warning that Bobby was not
totally unprepared for the onslaught,
for with cry of "Oh, Bobby. oh.
Bobby!" Betty flung the tiny dainti-
ness of her person into his arms.
1t required but a short conference
between the two, consummated by the
approval of Mrs. Wilson, to decide the
trip to the leading jeweler in town.
| And a slightly longer conference,
placed upon the rosy-tipped finger of
Betty's left hand the warning solitaire.
And Betty sent him away smiling.
| She had always felt that if her mother
had not been SO foolishly prejudiced
she would have made an illustrious
| actress. Here her heart was crying
and breaking, but her eyes were dry
and there was smile on her lips. And
| a happy. jolly letter, full of good
cheer, but she hoped he could see
where the tears had fallen on the
pages.
At the camp postoffice it was not
| long before the soldier detailed to sort
the mail, knew to what troop "Rober,
| Denton" belonged without further ref
| erence to the address, for letters and
parcels, penned in a very feminine
script, came with such regularity and
quantity that he often was compelled
to remark to the fortunate lad, 81
wished you had to sort your own mail
| You get mOre'n the whole regiment
put together" AT which Bobby would
smile and, tucking box of candy un.
der one arm and a box of smokes" un.
1 % af6 f,id ir,n
"a whopper of a letter." as he loved
to dub the .voluminous manuscript.
which Betty spent numberless hour.
| to compose.
1t was the middle of July-a very
hot and dry July. Formerly Betty hat
been the first to suggest vacation, and
early June as a rule found her at the
seaside. Mrs. Wilson was nonplussed
Where are you planning to go thi,
season ?" she asked. IT thought Of
cool there"
Betty shook her head with a decided
negative. Perhaps you may be goin,
to Nanton Hook, Me- But 1 am goinl
to Ell Paso, Tex
Mrs; Wilson stared. Texas for a va
cation! Texas in the summeri Wa.
her daughter in sober earnest? Ant
then she remembered-and remem
bering, she smiled. For close to e
Paso was Fort Bliss. And at For
| BLss-weH, at Fort Bliss was Bobby
As the hours flew by when the trail
crossed the boundary line into Texas
Betty kept wondering if there wer,
any end to the Lone Star state Within
short periods the scenery changed
with unbelievable rapidly. At earl.
morning she was travelling thru
mountainous region-huge, stated,
hills rising maiestically from tn
ground. Noon saw vast stretches O
arid desert and dusk brought acres o
cultivated land with its network o
irrigation canals and bitches Now i
was a plateau unrelieved save for tn
SUPPLIES OF cactus plants and then
deep ravine from which the water ha.
vanished aeons ago. Night of tn
third day brought the travellers to tn
city OF Ell Paso. picturesque becaus
OF It's constant competition in archi
lecture language and population TO
American or Mexican supremacy.
J Hotel Paso del Norte," Betty di
rected the taxi driver, and was YER
proud that he understood her. Per
maps she would have hesitated befor
complimenting herself upon her skill
full use of the Spanish tongue had sh
known the chauffeur was quite accus
TONED to understanding the languag
incorrectly enunciated.
The following morning found Bett
urgently hurrying her mother for earl
departure for the camp. But lon
after Mrs. Wilson pronounced he
toilet completed. Betty still primpe
before the mirror. She must look he
very best, she thought, and later stoli
Ell Pasoans found a second turn of tn
head well worth while as the fair
i skinned noFtherner rnotored by.
II At the fort Betty wondered why tn
soldier on guard assumed such an ae
gressive position as she smiled he
J prettiest and asked to be directed
J the proper location. "It seemed" sh
,, afterward told her mother. las if
. was afraid 1 wanted to snatch his riff
from him. Bobby's tent necessitate
long climb on foot thru a sandy, VI
hill stretch, and it was rattle
breathless Betty who stopped befor
$ the tent to which she had been d
l reeted. AS she saw no one, she me