The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-10
EVENING STORY
His Battle.
(Ry Lillian Hall Crowley


There may have been a reason for his
delay
What excuse could he have? Mes
senger boys are always late; looking
in the windows somewhere, 1 sup
pose, instead of getting here with my
suit
Dear, you are unreasonable be-
cause you are anxious to be on time
with Elizabeth. You will have to learn
to control your temper or it may get
you into serious trouble. The poor
boy was breathless and tried to ex-
plain but you wouldn't listen. Can't
you see. dear. that the world will not
come to an end because things turn
out little differently than you plan
ned ?"
Mrs. Dangerfield looked at her son
with some misgivings. She realized
more and more that he was giving
way to a hasty temper that was natu-
raj to him and that he had no thought
of curling it.
Harry took the box of clothes up
stairs and after a hasty dressing, hur-
ried out OF the house and down the
street to the home of his fiancee,
Eliza beth Boothby. several blocks
away. There was to be dinner dance
at the Country club and he was to es-
cort her to it.
The boys delay in delivering his suit
from the tailor had put Harry in
bad humor but the beauty Of the eve
ming to which the youth of him re-
sponded, and. the anticipation of see
| ing Elijah beth, almost eradlcated the
anger he had felt
i He thought what a lucky chap ne
was to have won Elizabeth from
among so many splendid fellows tnat
they both knew. She~was to him the
queen among women, beautiful, giitea
and with sweet unseHish nature tna s
was always helping others over the
! hard places Yes, he was a lucky
| chap.
| AS he neared his destination he
I! saw a young man run, down the steps
of the house, jump into his automob1ie
and drive away in the opposite direc-
ton. He recognized him as Harold
Young, one of his own friends ana a
popular young man of their set, ana
| pang of jealous anger sho- thru MN
He mounted the steps with all the
rage of the previous hour returned.
What reason had he for calling
alone on Elizabeth when he knew she
was engaged to Harry? He had al
ways been a little jealous of Harold
he was a fine looking fellow and every
one liked him and he had been mucf
interested in Elizabeth, Harry knew
Now here was Harold interfering
where he had no right.
When Harry entered the living room
he saw Elizabeth bending over 6
basket of pink roses. She looked
beautiful in her dainty white dress the
color in her cheeks matching the hue
of the roses. She looked up at hin
and smiled.
Her beauty only made him angriel
and a wave of fury surged over him
Didn't I see Harold Young jus
leave here?" he demanded.
| Yes said the astonished girl.
And he brought those flowers
didn't he?"
yes" again answered the nov
frightened and bewildered cir
"but-''
.aThen this is what 1 shall do will
them
Harry took the basket. threw all the
lovely roses on the floor, and stamped
their beauty to nothingness- Then
turning on his heel without one looF
at Elizabeth, he left the house ane
went home
Weeks passed and Harry nursed hi:
anger and jealousy with stubbornness
He did not go anywhere that he NIGH
meet Elizabeth. Every one was 81
busy with war and Red Cross worl
that he was not missed as he otherwise
him why he had not been abou
socially so much as usual, his cur
answer, ''Too busy" was accepted
His break with Elizabeth would have
been noticed at other times but passed
unheeded now.
kind.
One day while Harry was sitting III
his office miserably unhappy in his
4 longing for the girl who was to have
been his wife, the door opened anu III
walked Louise Spencer Louise w as
an intimate friend of Elizabeth. Harry
was pleased and surprised as he arose
to receive his visitor
Harry" began Louise at once. 81
came to see if you would help us with
the flowers"
s.The flowers" exclaimed he. What
why Didn't you know that Eliza
beth is the president of the Angela
Flower Mission and 1 am the secre-
tary?" mn a,o,+ - n,a.sa.
81 supposed Elizabeth had told you
all about it. We were elected to office
some time ago. We collect flowers
from our friends and take them to the
sick people on our list Lately we
have been visiting the families of the
soldiers who are in France. oh. we
have been busy and we love the work
Later we may have work among our
returned soldiers. The organization
hasn't money enough to own an auto
mobile so we depend on our friends. ~
Il see" said Harry as he listened
with dawning comprehension.
Harold Young has driven his ma
chine on most of the errands for us
but he sails for France next week and
we need you, Harry
Does Elizabeth know you were GO
ing to ask me?''
mo, she doesn't. I only thought OF
it this morning. / have been SO upset
by Harold's going away-tho I would
not have him do otherwise-that
forgot that we must have some one
to take his place.
Tonight our engagement is to be
announced and I am telling you now
SO that you will understand. Every
one is so good to the mission and
gives us such lovely flowers Eliza
| beth is an angel-thr way she goes
into a sick-room. You will help us,
won't you, Harry?'
with all my heart and soul, I'll