The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-08
Euening Story
Getting Rid of a Rival.

| rival ndQ the INSIDE TRACK Win OldTlSc
Scott, and there was no use trying to
delude himself on that score.
There was only one thing that kept
Edmund from marrying Clarise-the
matter of finances. In a year he
would be in a position to take the
final plunge, but he felt that If some
thing were not done in the meantime
to remove the rival from his path the
plunge might never develop.
Edmund would not have objected TO
the rival if the latter had not tried TO
monopolize Clarise's time. He was
willing that rival should live in the
same house with her and enjoy her
mpanionship six days and three
nights a week. Sunday and the other
nights Edmund felt belonged to him.
The rival held the balance of power
| because Charlse lived in the rivals
home and had a right to demand a
! large share of her attentions. The
rival. you see, was the girls mother.
Charlse was an only child and her
, father was dead. The mother was
/ only twenty years the senior of the
J two had been close companions since
/ Mr.. SCOTS demise four years ago.
They attended theaters and various
social functions together, they went
shopping together, and frequently Mrs.
Scott came downtown to eat lunch
(
er in a department store.
Itseemed that Mrs Scott took par
ticular delight in interfering with Ed
munds plans. Often when he would
call his fiancee on the telephone and
ask, How about lunch with me this
noon?" she would reply, I'D love to,
but mother is coming down." When
| he would tell her, I'm coming up this
evening" there would be an objection
in the form of I'm sorry, Ed, but you
can't; mother and 1 are going to the
| Jeffersons' party.
| If he said How would you like to
| go to the show at the Majestic to-
night ?" as like as not the answer would
| be: Mother has asked me to go with
J her" If he called up a week in ad-
| vance to arrange for an evening at the
| theater he would be told that 81 can't
say now. Mother is considering go
| ing
! Now Charlse was anxious to divide
| her time more equally between her
! mother and her sweetheart, but the
| former would have none of it. The
mother was not exactly jealous; it was
simply that she was so used to her
| daughters companionship that she
could not conceive of getting along
/ without it.
Moreover, while she did not have
| any particular objections to Edmund,
! she could not bear to look forward
/ to day when she would be separated
! from Charlse and left alone in the little
house on the hill.
| When Edmund did succeed in get
! ting with Charlse, which was about
once n week, Mrs. Scott was gracious
| in her treatment of him. Hers was a
| fascinating personality and her physi-
cal attra ctions, considering the differ
| ence in their ages, were nearly the
! equal of her daughters; but none OF her
/ attraction or her graciousness made
an impression with Edmund. who told
| himself that he would like to depors
her as an undesirable
= Thus matters stood when Edmund
came home one night after a visit al
1 the Scott home. He had received the
usual courteous treatment from
mother and daughter. but he was fun
ing when he entered the library and
removed his oVercoat.
His uncle, ensconced in a big leather
| chair before glowing open CRATE
| smoking and reading the evening
paper, looked up and allowed broad
smile to adorn his face. The uncle
was fifty, but looked ten years youner
in spite of vivid streaks of gray in
| his hair and beard.
Rather late to be getting home,
isn't 1t, Ed?'' he inquired. What's
the matter? Has something gone
wrong at the office? You look wor-
| ried."
! Edmund flung himself in a chair.
| Yes. Dick, it's all of IL o'clock"
| he said with good natured sarcasm.
"Oh, L haven't been with Charlse all
this time. I've been walking, ROUND
and round the block, trying to com
! pose myself-and getting worse all the
| time. And there's no trouble at the
office, ad you know IT.
! The office was where Dick" as the
uncle was affectionately called. by his
nephew, conducted a prospecting in
surance business, assisted by Edmund,
who had a half interest, presented to
him as gift Edmund's only rela-
tive was Dick. and Dicks only relative
was Edmund; so they kept batch
| together
Dick smiled broadly and resumed
reading the paper, remarking:
Better call it off, Eddie. A bache-
lor's life is the only life. Look at me
hale and hearty at fifty, with no
troubles. I've never married and
haven't any chance to, and don't want
to-"
'It listens all right" returned Ed
mund moodily. but you've never been
in love. while I've been head over
heels in love with Charlse since the
first time saw her"
Dick threw back his head and
laughed aloud. "Bosh!. I repeat it.
Love at first sight is a joke"
He went at his paper again while
| Edmund brooded in silence. OF
sudden Dick felt his arm shaken and
found Edmund standing over him, his
eyes bright
! 1--WE got it, Dick" the younger man
exclaimed. I've found a way to get
Charlse all to myself for one evening"
! THE uncle arched his eyebrows and
drew heavily on his pipe.
ITS just this" Edmund went on
/ enthusiastically. you've got to go
up to Scots with me and keep the
mother busy with some of those travel
stories of yours while 1 entertain
Charlse"
| Dick laughed, scornfully.
ow~youre going too far he pro-
tested. II haven't any use for women.
so why try to get me mixed up with
/ a couple of them? Nothing doing.
Ed: you'll have to find SOMEBODY else
! for the goat"
! But Edmund pleaded persistently,
! n nd dtd Iai,a.- h1,t dnr..r, On,