The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-28
EVENING STORY
The Name of Smith.
BY GERALD ST. sTIENNE

as II 1t might have been turned out
by the whole staff of reporters, in
with a sigh of relief. Thank good
ness she had corrected it as she went
along and wouldn't have to read it
| over, she thought.
I've got my page ready for Satur-
day." she called out to the city editor.
I've got an assignment for you''
the city editor said as he rummaged
thru the papers on his desk. Here
it is. Get the mans name and adj
dress from the business Office I un-
derstand he has received number of
replies to this advertisement" He
handed her q sheet of copy paper on
which was pasted cutting from the
classified advertising columns.
Wife wanted-Between twenty-five
and thirty: advertiser will give his
bride a wedding present of $1,000.
Box 136, this Office" Mona read it
aloud.
DO you mean to tell me that any
girl has been foolish enough to answer
an ad like this?" she asked.
There have been dozens of replies
and the advertisement has only been
running two days to date" the city
editor replied. What girl wouldn't
fall for a wedding present like that ?'
Il wouldn't" Mona flashed. "A real
woman never considers money, but
unhappfly all women are judged by
the tickle money-grabbing members
of their sex. There is something be-
sides money in life. You want a story
about the replies and the girl that is
accepted, / suppose
That's it exactly" he city editor
answered as he kept right on with his
work.
Extra assignments never bothered
Mona. No matter how arduous her
days work had been she never grum-
bled or asked to have the extra work
turned over to some one else. If the
men could work night and day, so
could she. she had told herself often
and she rather gloried in her stick
to-itiveness."
A few minutes before she had been
ready to go home for rest and she
had felt the need of it, but now the
prospect of working on a story that
might develop into something good
made her feel as fresh as if the day
were just beginning.
She was in too great a hurry to wait
for the elevator to take her down the
four stories that separated the repor-
torial rooms from the business office,
but started down the stairs tackline
them as brisk1y as sh had seen the
city editor take them time and again.
When she arrived at the bottom she
uldn 1eel quite SO spry, but she
wouldn't acknowledge it to herself
The girl in the business office
handed her the usual filled-in card
with the address of the man who ad
vertised as Box 1876. Mona looked at
the name and gasped. She could feel
her cheeks redden and her hair
seemed to be rising frcm her scalp.
The name written on the card was
ALBERT Smith," the name of her
fiance. 1t couldn't be her Albert, she
thought, wildly, but the name of the
hotel that was given as his address
told her it was
Albert had just taken a suite at that
hotel because the rest of his family
had gone south and their home had
been closed up for the winter She
did not stop 4, look at the number of
the suite. for she could feel that the
girl was stating at her; but she knew
it without looking.
She was On her way to the hotel be-
fore she realized it, but stopped when
she recollected where she was going
and what she was going for. How
would she have nerve to interview
Albert on such a subject? She was
sure he had just inserted the adver-
tisem mt because they had quarreled
and she had broken off their engage
ment. Albert had said she would be
sorry and this was the way he was
going to make her sorry.
But she wouldn't be sorry and she
would tell him she wouldn't She had
as much right to her opinions and her
independence as he had to his. At
this point of her inward rage she dis
covered that che was standing still in
the middle of a very busy business
block She started to walk again, but
her indignation kept Up, in a cooler
form, however. Her thoughts went
back over their quarrel of a week be-
fore.
1t had all come about because she
had stood up for the independence of
women to earn their own living. AL
bert had been so stubborn in his dis
agreement with her views that she had
given him back his ring by way of
proclaiming her independence for life
Il can support myself and be happy
without any man to bother over" she
had told him.
Mona sat in the sitting room of the
MOTEL for a long time before she could
gain courage to call on Albert. She
mapped out the speech that she would
make to him in the most professional
tone possible. II have come, Mr.
Smith, to interview you and to learn
of your bride-the one you secured
from your advertisement in Or paper
THE whole city is waiting eagerly
to hear of your success. How many
daughters sent imploring letters to
you? And will you give me a picture
of the lucky young lady you have
chosen; also picture of yourself to
use in our Saturday special edition Pr
There Mona stopped. She had not
thought of that before. Of course she
would have to use Albert's picture and
his name to make the story worth
while Nobody knows better than a
journalist how that kind of publicity
cheapens a person. 1t would ruin AL
bert's business career and~cause his
family annoyance and unhappiness. 1t
would even cause her to be ridiculed-
Why hadn't Albert thought of these
things? Perhaps he had lost his
senses over her treatment of him. oh,
he must havei 1t was all her fault
She had been selfish, and was rs bad
as the type of women she had con-
oemned that afternoon. 1t wasn't
woInan's place to be independent or
wealthy if she wasn't first of all a
woman. That is what Albert had
meant. and now she realized it She
dashed for the elevator. too exhausted
t. attempt the stairs.
sit down and calm yourself. my