The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-08
EVENING STORY
s.AlI's Well That Ends Well.
BY LILLIAN HALL CROWLEY.

Come girls, called Mrs. Stevens
from the next room. we shall be late
for the train
In minute!'' MAY has to put in
another hairpin!" answered two joy
Gus. young voices. The girls then
hurried in to, join their waiting chap
eron.
A taxi was standing at the entrance
to the hotel into which they piled and
were furiously driven to the station
where they were to take the train,
They had finished a three days sight
seeing visit in the national capital and
were on their way to Annapolis to at
tend the January hop at the Naval
Academy.
May Withers, who was engaged to
Midshipman Roy Boomer, had per-
suaded Jean st vens and her
mother to go with her. Both girls
holiday time. May intended finish
ing her college course the following
June and Roy would graduate the
same month. Then they were to be
married.
you'll like Roy's chum. Philip Car
son, Jean, y Roy says he's a shark for
study-iike yourself-bones up
literature and writes verse. You two
ought to get on pleasantly. I'll let
him know that you're the hight brow
of our class.
II wanted to meet him because he
is Roy's friend. but now 1 want to
meet-him for myself" said Jean. 4
Il don't see how he and Roy be-
came roommates. because old Roy
never reads a book unless he has to.
We're alike, there
When they arrived at the station in
Annapolis, Mrs. Stevens called a
rickety old carriage that had two list
less horses and a fat darby driver.
They ambled along Maryland avenue
until they came to their hotel. a large
white building in the center of the
town.
For dinner they had some of the
famous Maryland soft-shelled crabs,
and then went into the parlor to wait
for the boys"
Presently May was introducing Roy
Bioomer and his friend. Philip Car
son. This was the ladies' first visit to
Annapolis.
They soon exhausted all the small
talk, and wise Mrs. Stevens suggested
a walk. She would write letters while
awaiting them. She was repaid for
her thoughtfulness with the joy she
saw in the faces of the lovers.
Later when they all came in Roy
and May were blissfully happy No
one could mistake the fact that they
were genuinely in love. Philip looked
politely bored, while Jean seemed be-
wiidered and wretched.
At retiring time, May said.
on. Jean, l made a mistake about
PhH being student of literature.
He's an athlete and never reads I
have confused his name with that of
another fellow Roy wrote me about"
Well, exclaimed Jean. that's why
we didn't hit it off. 1 preached every
subject I thought he would like-hot
that cared myself. for l would rather
have talked about this quaint. old
town. What must he think of me?'
What did you say to him ?''
II started out on the technic of the
short story of today in comparison
with the long-drawn-out stories of
Richardson, the father of the English
novel;
Heavens" exclaimed May, while
Mrs. Stevens repressed a smile. He
didn't know what you were talking
about. I'm sorry for my mistake.
Jean. What else did you say?''
tc'When he-didn't respond, I thought:
He doesn't care to be serious tonight
so told him joke and he didn't even
smile"
What joke did you tell him."
That extremely funny one about
the. New York publisher. who.-on his
first visit to England. asked Herbert
Spencer to give him the sole right to
the 'Faerie Queene.'"
How could he laugh at thatf
There's nothing funny about it, is
there? ,"
Perhaps not" Jean answered
YEARLY.
Never mind. dear" said her
mother at often happens that two
| admira BILE persons cannot he con-.
genial. Remember, there Is the dance
tomorrow night"
Phil Carson has missed a lott ex-
claimed May, because you're the
| dearest and sweetest thing that ever
lived, Present company not eXcepted.
Next evening the two midshipmen
~ .
where the balls are held. when the
girls arrived with Mrs. Steven. Their
programs had been filed by their es-
corts before. as was the custom.
Roy said: "Phil and I are sorry
about Billy westerman. We wanted
l'you to know him. but he's SO popular
that all of his dances were taken be-
| fore we knew you wsrs coming"
who is he?" asked May.
Hes the fellow I wrote you about
the shark of the class-writes verse"
Hes the one I meant" May whis-
pered to Jean.
Jean and her gallant. having started
ciaiiy after Jean, to show her interest
in the best baseball pitcher in the
academy, asked:
why do some of the players wear
gray suits and the rest blue?"
The look on his face decided her
| that no subject was SAFE so she be-
came icilv polite: he caught the in
lection. and so the evening passed.
Many times Roy tried to corral
| Billy. but did not succeed. However,
| as Phh had seen that jeans program
was full. she enjoyed all the dances
/ except the six with him.
At last the beautiful ball was over
and Mrs. Stevens gathered her charges
| into the carriage
sfThern ia thing -
said May. when they were again III
Mrs. Ste .ens's room; IT wish You had
met Billy instead of Phil-a1tho Phil
| Is in love-
I Never mind. dears' said Mrs. Stew
ems, I'VE all had delightful time. Re-
member. we take the early train
| Next morning the same old rickety