The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-17

they just hinder him. That's why
fell for Bella. I suppose I might have
met lots of girls that were prettier and
all, but figured that Bella appreciat-
ed me and that that was what would
help me to success"
Steve grew to manhood apd Bill
and Bella were married and moved
far away to the west, and tho the two
cousins did not see each other for
| many ears. Steve always remembered
| the good advice that Bill had given
to him. He had been his boyish ideal
and somehow, tho he never saw him.
! business ann family life out there in
the west living up to this ideal
There were girls aplenty. There
was Ruth of the Titan hair and the
perpetual bantering laugh, and there
was Matty, blond, with dropping eye
| lashes and imperious manner, and
there were Daisy and Sally and Vivian
and Gertrude-perhaps others. 1t
! may be that Steve was engaged to
some of them, but never once did they
| compare Steve, who was cast in the
same proportions as Cousin Bill, to
the great Napoleon or Hamilton, new
| er did they tell him that he was the
| dearest man in the world, the best and
aged to exact from him numerous pro-
| tesla tions as to their angelic and
seraphic qualities. Steve had just de-
cided that the girls like Bella were
4
generation were not of the doting
| kind
| Still he remembered Bills advice
and Bill was still, in the back of his
mind. his beau ideal"
| Then Steve got little stenographer
who was fresh from the country where
she had taken correspondence
course. And she had nice blue eyes
and hair as straight as Providence
! had made it and-well. Steve had had
her in his employ for month before
| he ever thought of her as a possible
Bella. Then one day, absolutely sans
Icoquetry, sans calculation this little
Flora Graves said: Mr.. Miller, !
business head in my life, and I've seen
a good many men, because I used to
watch the customers in my uncle's
hardware store where 1 kept the
| books. I'm sure you're going to make
/ a great business man..
Bill looked up. He noticed that the
girls eyes were of a pretty blue ana
| that they were round.
But I'm not very good looking he
suggested, and Flora surprised but still
sans coquetry answered: well, you're
not SO very tall, but you're well built.
Napoleon was small and yet he had
ability. You've got a better shaped
head than Napoleon
There was little delay; and on their
wedding trip they went to the western
was to be a surprise-Steve liked sur
prises-and they CHANGED to arrive in
the town on the same train that Bill
and Bella were taking from a little
shopping trip to the nearest town.
They sat behind Bill and Bella
but do you think this hat is be-
coming" asked Bella, who was no
longer quite SO 1.-the as she had been
a dozen years ago.
Perfectly charming. my dear" said
Bill YEARLY. You are charming in
everything. I often say that with a
wife as handsome as you-
/ ) That was rather poor pie we had
for dinner at the hotel" interrupted
Bella. Il noticed you ate yours fast
enough. 1 hope you didn't like it bet
ter than mine
at wasn't a patch on yours was
the tired reply. You are the best
cook in the world. I have often told
tyop that had a great deal more than
fn6st men to be thankful for. 1 hope
you know l appreciate"
Steve and Flora just stayed right on
that train. when Bill and Bella got off,
land when they got off at the next stop
They turned around and went back
!again. steve told Flora he had
Il changed his mind about stopping off
/ there: that he had important business
to attend to, and a week later when
they took thier belated honeymoon
tthey went far from Bill and Bella.
Copyright, 1919 by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.D