The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
EVENING STORY
Which One Would You Marry /?

not at all the steady going man that
Walter Brewer is
There's nothing wrong with Jim,
mother; he hasn't settled down, that's
ALL
We'll it's high time he did settle
down. My opinion is that he never
will be serious. When he was little
| boy he PLAYED truant from school,
| going fishing and wandering around
| in the woods when he ought to be
studying. Remember the time when
| he and the kettering boy almost
| killed Bud Martins COW? ?"
| Yes, mother, but don't you under
| stand? The boys were playing that
| wild animal was pursuing them In the
dense forest and Jim meant to shoot
shot anyway, and altho the COW was
| terribly frightened. she only suffered
a skinned knee. Bud exaggerated that
story"
| heard of Walter Brewer doing things
| like that. He always went back and
| forth to school as good as could be,
never fighting or getting into mischief
His mother never had bit of trou-
BILE with him and he is just as good
| man and he was a boy"
| people oughtn't to keep on remem-
bering boys pranks," said Jane.
| II wish, dear, you'd take Walter in
stead of jim
| Don't worry, mother, I'm not TAX
| ing either of them just now. / like
them both, but I'm not thinking of
marrying Anything you want at the
| store?" asked Jane, putting on her
hat.
Nothing, dear" The mother
sighed as her gaze followed her beau
tiful young daughter as she went out
the door.
Mrs. Seymour had lost her husband
ten years before, when Jane, was
eleven years old. She had had to be
both father and mother to her only
/ child and she felt the weight of her
responsibility.
What if her daughter should marry
the wrong man? How could she guide
| her so as to avoid heartaches for the
| present as well the future? She
liked Jim Higgins well enough If he
| only would not come to see Jane so
often. He was so Hght-hearted and
care-free that Mrs. Seymour feared he
was thoughtless and selfish. He was
| never serious.
Jane was easily the prettiest and
| sweetest girl in town, and as such had
her choice of Randolph's eligibles, but
she was in the full enjoyment of her
| youth and freedom and had not looked
/ very far into the future.
AS she walked gracefully and vigor-
| ously down the street many an eye
rested on her with pleasure and ad-
miration.
When she neared the business part
of Main street she noticed a group of
excited men in front of the office of
the weekly STAR She hurried on to
| discover the cause of the excitement.
In the window was hung the presi-
dents declaration of war against Ger
many.
Jane was thrilled to the very soul.
Her country at war! Here was work
for her to do-something better than
want nurses for the Red Cross" she
Thought Il must find out at once
T when 1 can begin work"
| Every one she met was full of the
spirit of the war The president was
right. Every man and woman must
uphold him by helping in every pos
sib1e way.
When she arrived home. expecting
her mother to oppose her plan of
work, she was overjoyed to find her
beloved parent filled with the same
spirit of patriotism.
you'd just have to help, Jane,
dear; it's in the blood. Both of your
grandfathers fought in the Civil war
and your father was in the Spanish
war. All the women of our family
helped, too
Several days went by with Jane
making plans for her work of nurs-
ing, while her mother was organizing
the first local Red Cross workroom.
Everything else was <subordinated in
every way to their work. Mrs. Sey-
mour spent the largest part of the day
| III lIIS @OEkIOOIIi, Willle Jane IdH cI-
rands and routed out the workers.
Jane had been very busy with her
plans-then one evening Walter Brew
er called. Mrs. Seymour, after greet
ing him most graciously, left the two
young people together while she went
on an errand.
Jane said Walter, when they were
seated in the cozy living room, I've
been going to ask you something
} for long time, but 1 hesitated until
m 10
firm. 1 have been with them three
years and this is my third promotion
and 1 see my way clearly now to rapid
t advancement. L love you, Jane and
want you to marry me-
| "But-but-aren't you going to en-
NO, I'm not, Jane. 1 shall let the
fire eaters enlist if they want to. You
: with the firm. The chances are that
they might not keep my job for me-
But our country" gasped Jane.
Il figure it this way" Walter went
on. a little surprised at James atti-
L tude: ours is a meat packing bust
ness. and will need lots of timed stuff
, for our army. l can do just as much
for my country working hard in the
office as l can by enlisting. There's
a lot to be done here as well as in
France"
Il see." said Jane; "and If you stay
here while the other boys are gone
you may have better chance of ad-
E yancement"
That's it, eagerly replied Walter.
Il knew you'd see it the way 1 do.
Now will you marry me, Jane?''
NO Walter. see it all very plain
ly. and my answer is that 1 can never
< marry a Stacker" Walter started.
Yes, a Stacker" said Jane, the bright
s color hot in her cheeks, for you are
only fooling yourself about helping
e your country in the packing plant.
Men over age can take your place
or married men with families to sup
= port. I'm isappointed, Walter. ex-
1 pected more of you
= Jane marched out of the room. and
:. / Walter stunned by the unexpected
e blow, dazedly left the house The
e happy evening he had looked forward