The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-28
EVENING STORY
A Short-Lired Romance.
BY DWIGHT TINGLE SCOTT.

I every DAY ana VINO 1allS narO TOT tndL
weIl-I-c -it-you- don't-look-
a-day- over-forty- stuff; wife who is
matronly and jolly plump and growing
J frankly gray; and a stenogfapher with
| a very tall blonde pomp, very high
heels and a passion for Robert w.
Chambers's novels and ten dollars an
ounce perfume.
Put the man and the stenographer
into a small office with the scent of
the perfume; and have the days work
consist of writing about a half-dozen
business letters, answering a few
| phone calls and going down to the
bank frequently to deposit a fat COM
| mission check upon a cargo of crude
rubber; and you have a situation
where the devil is to pay-usually.
and he had the incest eyes and
hair and when he smiled it just made
you sort of like him, yknow."
Where did you get to know him.
Kitty"
We'll" said Kitty Tulane. taking off
her hat and patting her hair as she
+ left the elevator, Il hardly got to know
him at all. Yesterday Mr.. Sterling
sent me over with some papers to his
| father-in-laws office in the Imperial
building. When got back down that
shower came up, and had to wait in
! the lobby. He came along and took
me out under his umbrella and helped
me on the Brightonville car. We had
to run to catch it. I wouldn't even
! have known his name but it was writ
ten in white ink inside his umbrella.
1t was a pretty name, too, Thomas c.
Slater, but, pshaw, 1 suppose he is just
| a little nobody"
kitty Tulane, you make me tired
| A little nobody! You think you can
| get 'em with nice eyes and hair and
at the same time have limousines and
country homes like your boss? I'll say
you can't. 1 believe you're in love
with your boss anyhow, the way
you go on about him.
why Gertie, aren't you ashamed to
say that to me?" And Kitty Tulane's
pretty face went red with a mixture of
confusion and anger.
In the hall of the great building, the
two girls parted, and went to their
respective offices
Kitty Tulane put up her hat, raised
the windows, opened the typewriter
desk and then sat in her chair quite
still, her hands resting in her lap.
1t would be a half hour before he
got in. She yet colored as she thought
Of Gertie.s remark. Never had she
consciously thought of Mr.. Sterling ex-
cept as a thoughtful employer and "a.
good friend. Besides, he worshiped
his wife--everybody loved Mrs. Sterl-
ing-she was that kind. Still, wives
did die, sometimes, and men married
again. very young women, too. Kitty
wondered vaguely =. such girls were
really ever happy. At this point her
dreams became strangely confused,
for she began to picture a young man
with nice hair and eyes and a wonder
full smile, riding III Mr.. Sterling's
Limousine and talking over the phone
in Mr.. Sterling's clear, confident man.
ner. Dreamily, she took up her note
book and began to write: Katherine
Tulane Slater" then katherine
Tulane Sterling"
With her head set prettily to one
side. she studied these two lines crit
ically. Finally, she erased the first
line.
| 1t was, this occupation which Mr..
Sterling's arrival interrupted.
His brisk, CHEEKY Good morning,
Miss Katherine" startled her She
stammered and blushed guilty and
hurriedly hid the note book in her
drawer.
That will be all this morning Miss
Tulane: Just read that last letter back
to me-"
II have your favor of the sixteenth.
The cargo referred to should be at the
dock in Baltimore She had ever so
slight lisp; he noticed it quite sud-
denly. She had made that chiffon
white And those high-heeled shoes
| they were just a. bit shabby. for all
their neat bright polish. She was
going to get another pair. but she
must wait until pay day after next
because-this much he had overheard
in an exchange of girl condolences in
the hall outside his door. Her hands
, were very shapely-how shiny pink
she always kept her nails. Poor little
thing, pretty hard lines. having to
struggle along on SIS a week. Not
, much in life for her perhaps. He put
.. his hand over the one that rested on
, the note book. For just a moment
! she seemed confused, then she con-
tinued reading. He allowed it to rest
: there for just a moment, and gave a
fatherly little pat as he removed it.
, In a flash. Kitty knew. She had
written those telltale names on the
, reverse of her note book. And as she
read back the last letter, he had seen
it"Katherine Tulane Sterling"
During the day he glanced over at
her. Once he caught her studying
, him and she blushed and went to typ
. ing furiously.
, "a couple of tickets for The Girl
, and the Prince Miss Tulane. Take
: your mother or some girl friend. And
we are not using our car Friday night;
I'll have it come around for you"
- OF course the chauffeur knew. Pres
emily the cook knew. Then the up
shame. Mrs. Sterling bit her lips and
3 blinked hard over an anonymous note
5 no she would not let herself cry.
: Green corn and new potatoes, my
= my"
t Now. Chester, you know the last
time-they always make you bilious.
5 But perhaps there was little twinkle
I in Mrs. Sterling's jolly gray eyes as she
4 literally helped her husband for the
o third time.
/
mo, I don't need the doctor. I Should
y have listened to you last night
s.. same old trouble. A day in bed viii
II make me all right"
/ Here. dear, put on these Lavender
silk pajamas. You know this was th'
" day I was to motor down to Mrs
/ CIem's. OF course now"
: GO right ahead-it'n be all right
well. .Ches. I hate to leave yoI
with just the servants and 1t wouldn'
seem right to get a trained nurse a