The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-30
EVENING STORY
A Horse and Buggy.
BY R. RAY BAKER.

street. The frown deepened when he
saw Harold BriggSworth step out dis
gracefully and jauntiiy mosnt the
steps of the Harmon residence, slap
ping a driving glove gently against
his leg. Kenneth's frown remained
for ten rihnutes, then it changed TO
savage scowl and he bit the rubber
off the pencil he had been grinding
between his teeth. The scowl was ac-
counted for by the fact that Miss Ma
tilda Harmon came tripping down the
steps with Mr.. Briggsworth and both
of them got into the car and drove
away.
Kenneth was seated in. his office,
which was nothing more nor less than
a room in his paternal domicile. From
the window he had a good view of
Matilda's home and he told himself it
gave him Inspiration.
The young man was called a dream
er by many of the citizens of Cedar
Springs, who had an idea of what he
concerning his ability to do it.. BY a
larger percentage of the population
he was dubbed "shiftless."
His real friends. owever-and
among them he numbered Matilda
Harmon, altho he WINGED at applying
the word friend" to >her-expressed
sympathy with his purpose, and altho
they did not always have faith in his
future they professed to and gave
him what encouragement they could.
Mostly this encouragement consisted
of praising his poems. More often
than not the magazine editors did not
concur in the friends verdict, for
most of the manuscripts came back,
accompanied by little printed slips
which expressed regrets and Informed
the poet that rejection does not i'm
ply lack of merit" Occasionally, how
ever, this send-out and get-back ma
chinery got jammed and check
would be Forthcoming instead of the
poem and printed slip.
Kenneth WINGED at calling Matilda
friend" because he had ambitions
which called for more intimate and
endearing terms. In fact, that ambf-
ton was linked inseparably with his
poetic aspirations. That was why he
chose the window overlooking her
home at which to do his-writing.
However, the disadvantages of
working at that window were more
plentiful than the advantages. 1t
seemed that every time he looked
got instead a view of some big auto
mobile taking one of Mati1das num-
erous suitors to her abode.
y II haven't a chance in the world
he said repeatedly during periods of
sad soliloquy. "And those fellows are
kind of a show haYe my horse and
buggy against such odds?
but I'll own a big machine. too.
some day." he would add savagely,
and then his typewriter would rattle
steadily for an hour or SO, and soon
Kenneth would dash out of the house
with long envelope in his hand.
Matilda and Kenneth were born on
opposite sides of the same street.
Kenneth Still lived in the house where
he first opened his eyes on the world,
while Matilda's parents had torn down
their old residence and erected in its
place a modern dwelling that could
lay claim to being a veritable man
sion. This happened three years ago.
when Mr.. Harmon reaped a harvest
of several hundred thousand dollars
from an investment in the automobile
industry
This, of course, projected the Har-
mons into new social plane, and Ma
tilda, who possessed exceedingly mo-
ticeable physical and personality
charms, became the target of a never
ceasing bombardment, of matrimonial
candidates.
Still, Kenneth was not left entirely
in the cold. The childhood romance
continued, in so far as outward APP
pearances were concerned, and Ma
/ tflda did not seem in the least
changed.
she accepted his attentions the same
as she always had: whenever he asked
her for an evening with her she ac-
, quiesced; nevertheless, Kenneth felt
, that they were separated by wide
gulf-the gulf of wealth and social
prestige.
She used to go riding with him In
his buggy. but of late he had not been
able to summon the courage to suggest
such an excursion-not with all those
big automobiles lying in wait for Ma
tilda.
''I'n work my head off and get a car
! larger than any of Them he would
mutter frequently to himself as he
worked into the late hours of the
| night to make good this threat.
/ A big rift was made in the cloud
when a reputablel publishing concern
wrote Kenneth letter suggesting that
! he submit some poems with a view to
/ publication in book form. Kenneth al
Honce put his nose to the grlndstone
and worked for three weeks with
scarcely any intermission.
During that time he did not see Ma
| tilda except when he g1impsed hei
| leaving with some young hopeful IN q
car. At last. one Saturday night, Ken
meth completed his task and went Out
! to mail a huge envelope containing the
manuscripts for the prospective book
Sunday morning Kenneth was sur
prised to receive a telephone call from
across the street.
Whats the trouble? Are you sick
/ Why don't you ever show yourself? p
she inquired in one breath.
Kenneth felt like telling her that she
seemed to be kept, busy enough, with
| the various kinds of expensive car:
| that called for her, but instead he in
formed her that he had been hard a.
| work.
"You're OVERRIDING this work idea.
she said. why don't you harness uT
old Jack and take me for ride thi,
afternoon? Things have come to q
pretty pass when a girl has to ask q
gentleman friend for an enga cement
Kenheth's mouth opened SO wide il
| seemed to have designs on the mouth
piece of the phone. He stammered
| and gurgled but finally managed tt
ask:
r'why-you-you're fooling. aren'i
you, Mil?'
no. indeed" she responded. I'D
! honestly like a ride behind old Jack
| I'm fed up on automobiles
Won Carfa ffa1u- 6a have IL