The Topeka state journal., 1919-10-27
EVENING STORY
Picnics and Patriots.
BY CONSTANCE SCUDDER.

the tWatchman' column today. That
man hits the nail straight on the head
every time. And, Carl, that shindig
of yours for Memorial day will have
to be called off. Seems there's been a
notice in the papers that the commit
tee of arrangements for the parade
wants the loan of cars to carry the
old vets. They need twenty. Memorial
day is two days off and exactly four
people have volunteered. Any one
who owns a car and can get by with
out offering it after reading that arti-
Gle belongs in the Stacker column"
Carl waited dutifully until his father
had finished, but not an instant longer
But 1 don't get you, Dad, asked
you a month ago for the car on that
day and I've invited Grace Garfield
to go with me and I'm to take four
others. It's too late for me to back
out now"
Not another word, Carl his father
interrupted sternly; you are to drive
that car in the parade Thursday. The
men in the factory have volunteered to
work on the holiday to get out that
rush war order and I can't do less.
I'm late now but III phone our name
in before leave"
The family kept quiet while Mr..
Fairfield's voice sounded at the phone
and until the front door shut behind
him.. Then Carl broke forth in that
heart-breaking tone which only sew
enteen can assume: Mother, SIM
ply won't stand for it. We made all
the arrangements month ago for
that picnic and father promised then
I could have the car. 1t isn't fair.
There are plenty of other people VINO
can lend their cars for the parade
And after 1 was lucky enough to get
Grace Garfield, when four other fel-
lows were after her!'
L. ffp1d
terrupted 'T know Mary Garfield
She told me her sister was going to the
picnic with my brother, because ne
had had such a swell car. She's awful
cross. Always Shoes Mary out of the
room when she has fellow
"Oh. plug up, will you. Jane? You
make me tired. anyway. Mother, can't
you make father see reason, somehow.
I'd look q dud, now. wouldn't l, telling
her l couldn't take her when the other
fellows have gotten some ont!F.
Mrs. Fairfield looked perplexed.
You know your fathers creed, Carl;
every man. woman ana child must De
1O1 per cent patriotic if the war is TO
be ended this year. The 'Watchman
breaches that in his column every
morning, and father swears by him.
Why don't you explain to Miss CAR
field and ask her TO go for ride after
the parade2"
That evening, at the Fairfield dinner
table, Carl ate what was placed before
him in sullen silence, taking no share
in the conversation until Jane re-
marked. aprcpos of nothiLg: "Mary
Garfield says her sisters awful mad at
you, Carl-says you're stick-in- the
mud and haven't got any gumption.
anyway, or YOU wouldn't let your ia
ther boss you around So.
Carl turned wrathful eyes upon his
sister. muttering: Just wait till L
get you alone, smarty."
Mr. Fairfield paused in his recital of
how much work his men had turned
out that day, to reprimand his small
daughters but there was twinkle in
his eye assle addressed his sons Hard
luck, Carl: your mother tells me you
had captured the prettiest girl in the
school forathe picnic. Well, 1 bad an
eye for a Epretty girl myself when l
glance at his wife, who at 40 was still
a handsome woman. plan a picnic
of your own some day soon and you
can have the car"
Thank you, sir, answered the boy.
but with the thought of his treatm ent
at the hands of the fair Grace still
ranking in his mind.
On Memorial day. promptly at half
past we find the Fairti eld family
at that hour. Carl looks very cheerful
as he answers his fathers questions
about the parade and tells the names
of the veterans whom he carrie
Yes" pipes in the irrepressible
Jane, "he wouldn't take me-. said there
wasn't room for any one but veterans.
What war was that girl in that You
had with you, Carl?"
Il was going to tell about that when
1 got to it, you butter-in," replied Carl
in what he meant for a casual tone.
That was Natalie Burrows. old Mr..
Burrows's granddaughter. She came
out of the house with him when I
called there and seemed rather con-
cerncd about his going. Tho old chan
wasn't feeling very well. So I aslSed
her tc go along as there was room fer
one more"
How does she rate-saconl pref
tiest in SCHOOL," teased his father.
Mrs. Fairfield came to Carl's assist
ance: why, you know her. fa;her;
she's that pretty little girl in Mead's
bookstore"
ct should say I do exclaimed Mr..
Fairfield; 1.-The one with the red-gold
hair! Go to it. son; if your father was
a few years younger he'd cut you out"
"She likes you," said Carl, his voice
a trifle patronizing; she told me so.
You said 1 could have the car some
day to make up for missing the picnic;
so I asked her to go for a ride Satur-
day afternoon-that's the only time
she has off,
Here, Jane, who thought she had
been left out of the conversation quite
long enough. broke in: MARY Car
field says that Burrows girl bleaches
her hair; says her sister told her SO
when she saw her in the car with you
this afternoon"
What Carl replied to this we won't
set down here; suffice it to say that
has paternal parent reproved him as
sternly as was consistent with his
laughter.
A year has gone by; a year fruitful
of many great events and changes in
the big outside world AS we look in
on the Fairfield family, on a sunny
morning toward the last of May in the
year 1919. we find that the strained
look has left Mr.. Fairfield's face and