The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-11
Eocning Story
At the Corner.
BY DWIGHT TINGLE SCOT

ne q new man, Ills CAAANCf
vane, but he's got a head on his
shoulders and a smile that never stops
work. Two bad smashups in one day.
There has got to be a change" SO
the captain sent Mulvane to Catas-
trophe Corner.
No mechanical director for him. He
held it in contempt. as he did the in
verted tub platform and the big UNI
brella.
At Catastrophe Corner, where the
rush of the whole city met and clam
ored for right of way, his broad shoul-
ders and alert, happy face bobbed
confidently above the surge-a Triton
of traffic holding the human flood in
check by the blasts of his Ginning
whistle.
since Mulvane has had Catas-
trophe Corner it has quit furnishing
copy." commented one of the papers
a few weeks later. And hundreds or
old ladies and uncertain gated ola
gentlemen had cause to love Terranee
Mulvane. while scarce motor passed
but the driver acknowledged his EN-
cient good nature with a friendly nod
But there was one to whom every
gesture of Torrance Mulvane was per-
lection. one to whom his smile meant
more than happy good nature. Fef
sometimes in hull he would glance up
a
building at the corner and big brown
eyes would laugh back down at him.
How he had done it, even the closest
spectators could not tell. SO swiftly he
had sprung forward and swung the
girl safely from under the very wheels
of the truck.
CRAZY drunk" he growled. GRADY
YOU got his number? Good. Watch
the crossing" His relief had come on.
my! You're all trembly." He looked
down at Rosetta May, who was half
laughing, half crying. Where do you
live? Then 1 am going to go with you
up to your car
Rosetta May really felt very faint
and very glad of his steady hand at
her arm. But the next night and the
next and many an evening thereafter
Torrance Mulvane waited after relief
and walked that single block with
Rosetta May.
Presently he learned that her father
was from County Limerick and from
there had come the sparkling flow of
words that kept him fascinated; and
her mother from sunny Messina had
given her the marvellous hair and eyes
that drove him to distraction.
Rosetta May had studied mathe-
MATES at Central high and then as
secretary to the chief engineer of the
Marvin Construction company, she had
1T comes pretty slow for me-" Ter
rance confided. You see I had to
stop school two years this side of
algebra"
"I'd love to help you. I wonder if I
could ?" So it came about that Ter
rance took his books often out to
Rosetta's home, and the brown head
and the sandy one were bowed close
together under the soft evening lamp.
Then Mrs. Pitcher, joy of the Sunday
editor and bane of traffic officers ex-
istenee, motored into Torrance Mul-
vane's life. She motered in, in a great
lilac-hued car, disregarding all rules of
love and the regulations laid down by
the common council. At first it was:
oh, Mr.. Mulvane, I thought you
meant me to go thru" And then It
was a nod and a little wave of the
hand, and Mrs. Pitcher began to cut
corners and drive thru at will
The change from behind a packing
machine in Pitchers Cigar Factory to
an upholstered seat behind fifty horse
power of luxurious speed had been, in
real. The brazen beauty that had
hypnotized old Pitcher in his dodder-
ing age now turned its full power
against the frailty of youth.
The eyes of love are sharp. And
Rosetta May could look down upon
Catastrophe Corner.
Mr.. Eenton signed a letter. Don't
often do this without seeing for NY
self. Remember, young lady, I'll hold
you responsible. 1 hope he has the
right stuff in him. Friend. did you
say?"
The girl assented.
Rosetta May went and looked out on
the street to hide her confusion But
what she saw on Catastrophe Corner
made her clench the letter tight in
convulsive fist.
Mrs. Pitcher was at it again. Ter
rance had just been relieved and the
woman's car was drawn up to the
curbing. Even at the distance the girl
caught the look in the Pitcher wom-
ans eyes-a look of pleading cajolery.
Torrance was esitating-holding back
but, sick within her, she saw that he
was yielding. Yes, he got into Mrs.
Pitchers car and they drove away.
Eight O'Clock and he had not come.
Tonight of all nights-not coming. In
her own room the hot tears sprang
out-hot to the eyes but cooling to
the heart.
Then it was his laugh. clear and
boyish, in the downstairs hall.
The red eyes and the timid reserve
did not escape him as she came slowly
down to meet him.
why, my little signorina-c colleen,
what in the world %
You were so late. I thought you
were not coming"
Not tonight-and you said you had
a big surprise for me? 1t was that
fool Pitcher woman. She almost ran
down a kid tonight. 1 just had to
take her down to the station and in
troduce her to the sergeant And she
kept US there arguing for half an
hour. Then had to go up home with
her. because she didn't have her purse,
and according to law we can't take a
check"
"oh, Terry, forgive me. 1 saw you
| ride away together, and 1 thought"
''What-that woman? Forget it.
Say, you know all day I have been
mulling over that 'trig' problem we
were working on.
| I'm the car she asked what made