The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-19
EVENING STORY
The Trouble Listener.
BY r. RAY BAKER


dark haired, fashionably CARRIED man
of slender build, and allowed his cane
to swing repeatedly against the wall
that embraced the terrace. Beneath q
small, dignified mustache his lips
twitched nervously, and his black eyes,
set in a pale, almost emaciated face,
/ roamed restlessly over the throng that
was enjoying a late afternoon siesta.
, From his position at the gate he
could see two old men smoking corn
cob pipes contentedly; chatting aim
| lessly as they rested on a bench,
against which a pair OF crutches
leaned. Nearby was a languid young
| woman with yellor hair shielded by
red parasol, gazing dreamily into space
and now and then calling methodi-
cally, Edward, come here to bare
legged youngster romping, needless of
her emotions, on the lawn in the VI
cinity of a keep OFF, sign.
A grimy laborer, clamping his jaws
| placidly on plug and carrying denied
dinner pail, his shoulders hunched for
ward and his feet dragging after him,
slouched into the park and paused
near the entrance, where the wind
| had separated an abandoned news
paper into its several folios and
scattered them over the grass.
The laborer glanced furtively about
stepped gingerly on the lawn, and a
moment later moved out of sight along
the walk, whistling listlessly no tune
in particular, the newspaper folded
compactly and protruding from a coat
| pocket.
Two girls passed near the observer
with the cane. One was chewing vicious
! ly on gum, punctuating her remarks
with frequent smacks of the lips. The
| other evidently had been weeping, for
there were traces of tears in her eyes
and she carried a wilted handkerchief.
I'D tell i'm where tub get off at"
snapped the gum chewer. Don't let
i'm put anything like that over on
yuh. The idear dockin' yuh a whole
measly iii fifty cent vase. Well.
goo'by, I gotta hurry home m get
fed"
She hurried off thru the park,
while the other girl walked on down
the street, soaking up more salt water
with the tiny -fringed square of
linen. All this ceased abruptly at the
next corner, where she was Joined by
a young man and a ripple of laughter
f1oated back.
The man with the cane smiled
/ somewhat grfmly and adjusted the
stick on his arm.
THE inhabitants of this old world
I certainly do have their troubles" he
sighed, and as he turned he collided
with tall. thin, blond young woman
clad in pink.
Pardon" he murmured. and then
as he recognized her:
"Oh, hello. Evelyn. This is a sur
prise. What are you doing, that you
| can't see where you're going? Study
| ing astronomy"
Evelyn smiled sadly and took him
by the arm.
You're just the man need" she
asserted. I'm in awful trouble-and
it's all on account of my no-good hus-
band. Joe. wish I'd married you
Come in the park and I'll tell you all
about it, and maybe you can advise
me-"
With an air of reconciliation, he al
lowed himself to be piloted along the
park walk. They were just in time
| to see and hear the amiable discussion
of the two old men with corncob
pipes break up in an angry Nsputter-
ing argument over the effect of the
peace treaty on the map of Europe
or the high cost of living, or the bat
ting percentage of the major league
catchers
As the man and the girl passed the
young woman with the yellow hair,
the youngster who had been romping
on the lawn came running up to her.
splitting the air with shrieks.
The young woman, manifesting
great annoyance, stopped gazing at
distant nothings. seized the bare
legged child by the arms and dumped
him unceremoniously on the bench
beside her.
Now. what's the matter?" she de-
manded angrily. Cant have a min
ute's peace? What are you roaring
about?" z
81 bit my finder" he walled, and let
loose another torrent OF tears.
shut up" she commanded, and
gave him a slap across the face. He
became silent Immediately. except for
some half-suppressed sniffles, evident
he
lyn and her escort were passing, and
nodded
oh! How do you do. Mrs Benja-
min," she said. Did you ever see
such kid, I don't have second of
comfort. wish he'd never been born.
He's driving me crazy"
'She thinks she's having troubles"
said Evelyn to her companion. as they
went on down the walk. But her
troubles are nothing compared to
to this bench"
AS they were being seated she re-
marked:
Where have you been the last
three years? I heard you went west.
And you look so pale You must have
He nodded but did not vouchsafe a
reply, simply moisteni1g his dry lips
with his tongue.
81 heard you were engaged to marry
out there" she ratified on. We'll.
got married soon after you left; and
we lived so happily till"
Tears came to her eyes and a chok-
ing sob halted her conversation. She
blew her nose and resumed:
"Ain't it queer. to see people like
Mrs. Haines back there fretting and
worrying about that little boy and
thinking she's in misery: while here
am with something real to worry
about. Oh. Joe. it's awful, that's
hat tel Iorv he
two years ago-Oh. that husband of
mine is brute! Do you know what
he's been doing? Well. he-he's been
going out with another woman. that's
what"
She broke down completely and the
man placed a sympathetic hand on her
shoulder.
.Don't feel so badly" he advised.