The Topeka state journal., 1919-04-12

| time it's quiet, too. Eva. the expert
wrestling with Carrie over the prob
lem of the new spring dress. They
never guessed that the commonplace
man in the frayed old smoking Jacket,
had banished them all from the room
long ago; had banished himself. for
that matter In his place was. a tall,
debonair, and rather dangerously hand
some man to whom six o'clock spelled
evening clothes. The kind of man who
can lean up against a mantel or pro-
pose a, toast, or give an order to
man servant or whisper a gallant
speech in a lady's ear with equal ease.
The shabby old house on Calumet
avenue was transformed into a bro
caded and chandeliered rendezvous for
the brilliance of the city. Beauty was
here. and wit, But none so beautiful
and witty as She. Mrs.-eF-Jo Hertz.
There was wine. of ceursej but no vui-
gar display. There was music; the soft
sheen of satin; laughter. And he the
gracious, tactful host. king Of his own
domain.
20. for heavens sake. If you're go
ing to snore go to bed,"
''Why-did I fall asieep?.
you haven't been doing anything
else all evening. A person would think
you were fifty instead of thirty."
And 10 Hertz was again Just the d duil
grey, commonplace brother of three
weii-meaning sisters.
Which brings us to one Sunday in
May. 10 came home from late Sun
day afternoon walk to find company
for supper. Carrie often had in one of
her school teacher friends. or Babe
one of her frivolous intimates. or even
r. z,l5 VI
| There was always a Sunday night sup
per Of potato salad. and cold meat, and
coffee, and perhaps a fresh cake. 30
rather enjoyed it. being a hospitable
soul. But he regarded the guests with
the undaZleL eye of a man to whom
they We're just so many petticoats,
timid of the night streets and requiring
escort home.
This Sunday night it turned out to
be one of Carries friends.
Emily" said Carrie, this is nay
brother, Jo."
10 had learned what to expect in
| Carries friends. Drab-looking women
in the late thirties whose facial lines
all slanted downward.
Happy to meet you" said 10. and
looked down at a different sort alto
| gether. A most surprisingly different
sort, for one of Carries friends. This
Emily person was very small, ana
fluffy. and blue-eyed. and sort of-well
crinkly looking. You know. The cor
ners of her mouth when she smiled,
and her eyes when she looked up at
you, and her hair, which was brown,
but had the miraculous effect, some
| how, of being golden.
| 10 shook hands with her. Her hand
was incredibly small. and soft, so that
you were afraid of crushing 1t, Hntil
You discovered she had a firm little
! grip all her own, It surprised and
amused you.Sthat grip, as does a baby
unexpected clutch on your patronizing
foreinger. AS 10 felt it in his own big
clasp, the strangest thing happened IN
him. Something inside Jo Hertz
| stopped working for a moment. then
lurched sickeningly. then thumped like
mad. 1t was his heart. He stood star
ing down at her. and she up at him.
until the other laughed. Then their
hands fell apart. lingeringiy.
Are you a school I-teaeher. Emily p
he said.
Kindergarten. It's, my first year.
And don't you call me Emily, please"
why not? It's your name I think
it's the prettiest name in the world >
In fact, he was perfectly aghast to find
himself saying it, But he meant it.
| At supper he passed her things. and
stared, until everybody laughed again,
and Eva said acidly: why don't you
feed her?"
It wasn't that Emily had an air OF
helplessHess. She Just made you feel
you wanted her to be helpless. SO that
you could help her.
i Jo took her home, and from that
| Sunday night he began to strain at the
leash. He took his sisters out. duti-
fully, but he would suggest, with a
careiessness that deceived no one:
Don't you want one of your girl
friends to come along? That little
What's-her- er-name-Emily, or some
4 thing. So longs I've got three of you
I might as well have a full squad"
Il For long time he didn't know what
was the matter with him. He only
knew he was miserable, and vet happy
Sometimes his heart seemed to ache
with an actual physical ache. He real
lied that lie wanted to do things fol
Emily. He wanted to buy things fol
Emily-useless. pretty, and expensive
things that he couldn't. afford He
wanted to buy everything that Emil,
needed, and everything that Emily de-
: sired. He wanted to marry Emily
That was it. He discovered that one
, day. with shock, in the midst of g
transaction in the harness business
: He stared at the man wish whom ht
: was dealing until that startled person
grew uncomfortable.
) ''What'st he matter. Hertz 20
'Matter?'
you look as If you'd seen a ghost o.
found gold mine. I don't know
II which"
Gold mine" said 10. And then. "NC
8 Ghost" For he remembered that high
thin voice and his. promise. And thu
harness business was slithering down
= hill with dreadful rapidity, as the au-
/, tomobile business began its amazing
: climb. 10 tried to stop it But he wa!
e not that kind Of business man. I
: never occurred to him to ilIrnn out a