The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-29
EVENING STORY
His First Offering.
BY DORA NOLAN

mer'-nor does one velvet hat make
fall. However, the particular one
purchased by Marietta Jones on her
July trip to the city-"Charge 1t.
please, and send the bill to Mr.. J.
johnson 'Jones"-was un1ucky from
; the start.
1t delighted Marietta because it
added at least two years to her age.
1t displeased Marietta's mother for
the same reason. Marietta could
stand it. She was young-very
young. as Mrs. Jones often asserted.
Mrs. Jones had married young-very
young, she was fond. of repeating.
What added two years to Marietta's
age must perforce have like effect
upon her mother's-reason enough
for her disliking the hat.
J. johnson Jones dealt in ice. MI
merous wagons bearing his name pea
died the chill commodity from house
to house in the very same city where
the velvet hat was purchased. July
is the height of the ice season. Jones.
pere didn't like to be reminded OF
leaner days to come. Then the Din.
Outrageous! Just for bit OF puck
cred up black velvet!
Billy Jones didn't like the hat just
because he was thirteen and never
liked anything his sister had or ola
anyway.
Amy Lowell didn't like 1T either. But
Marietta Jones didn't know that, anu
wouldn't have cared in the least IL
she had. Amy and her mother were
occupying the small cottage at the ex-
IRENE end of the river road that sum-
mer. Every time Marietta drove oy
wearing the hat Amy would sputter:
Goodness knows, we'll probably new
err have such a glorious vacation as
this again. mummie; people aren't go
ing to offer us a cottage for nothing
every year. And it's tough to have 10
be reminded that fall is coming, even
if it is two months OH! "nen II
SHOWS she'll buy straw one sup
Billv Jones had peddled vegetables
around the neighborhood during the
summer of 1918, the product OF his
own garden. The profits had netleo
Billy a $50 Liberty bond. HIS enter
prise had been encouraged py the
Even Marietta had conceded it to
he "the thing to do" But in the sum-
mer of 1919. for some reason winch
was entirely beyond Billy's unoer7
standing, it was not at all the tnlns
to do" Only Mr.. Jones approved.
"Rilly is all business" he would boast
So when the scion of the house OF
Jones carrying large basket OF crisp
vegetables, knocked at the side door
of the Lowell cottage one morning
simultaneously with the passing OF
Marietta and the hat, something on
the opposite side of the road seemed 20
have engrossed Marietta's attention.
This maneuver didn't get by Billy
nothing did, far. He added it to the
long score he already cherished against
his sister and answered the summons,
Come in,' as one well used to tbs
promises.
Billy took the chair offered him by
Mrs. Lowell Business was good here;
the LovelIs being one of the few fam
lilies Whereabouts who had no gar1en
of their own. Also there was Amy,
two years older than Billy, and pretty.
Girls of his own age bored Billy; he
had many years to go to reach the
maturity where they like 'em younger.
isn't that your sister, the girl IN
the black velvet hat who just drove
by" questioned Amy.
"Um," grunted Billy; "she won't
speak to me when I'm out selling
things Says 1T isn't the thing to do
this year." Billy's mimicry was per-
feet.
well I wish you would tell yorr
sister it isn't the thing to wear vel
vet hats in July either, and remind
one of disagree cable things to come,
like the end of vacation"
And school," added Billy gloomily.
Billy mulled over Amy's words as he
trudged home with empty basket and
a jingling in his pocket. Serves her
right" was the. conclusion he had
reached when he carefully counted the
mornings gains and slowed them
away in a bullying canvas bag under
sundry clothing in the lower drawer.
The her" referred to was Marietta,
not Amy, as TRANSFERRED that afternoon
11o hn 1n ~ h. for fIxr
had departed to a tea at the coun-
try club. Mrs Jones had somehow
managed that a pink crepe CONNECTION
should adorn her daughters head. The
maids were giving tea in the kitchen
with the new gardener next door as
the guest of honor. The coast Vas
clear.
Only a lonely fisherman, patiently
watching his cork bob up and down
on the ripples. saw Billy as he lifted
the heavy rock. then the wooden cover
from the unused well close to the
Jones's beach. Watched him choose
a stone and place it inside a black
object which he carried under one
arm, tie string around the object
and drop it into the well, replace the
cover and rock and walk whistling
away.
The lonely fisherman, knowing
Billy, was consumed with curiosity
The next morning while listening to
an excited tale of the mysterious dis
appearance of her new velvet hat re-
lated by Marietta to his younger sis
ter, he made a shrewd guess that the
curiosity had been gratified. But he
wasn't the tattling sort
On the same morning Billy an
swered the usual summons and walk
ing into LovelPs kitchen, placed a
large basket of crisp vegetables on the
table.
Got string beans this morning." he
Observation-Disclosures
-atthew Adams e