The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-03
Eoening Story
Darby and Joan.

By MARY 1MORISON.
Jimmie picked out the top of a bus
on which to propose to Ellen on
day when the sky was a deep, deep
| blue and the sun made the whole city
look brilliant and gay.
1T didn't choose moonlight, or a
conservatory between dances on pur-.
pose he explained, his voice little
husky with carefully suppressed emo
ton. Sunlight seemed so much more
like you.''
Ellen gave little laugh that made
his eyes look unutterable things at
her. There was something about FL
lens laugh that reminded one of all
the pleasant things of life. Thank
you, Jimmie" she said, that was very
pretty of you" Then more seriously.
But I'm afraid I am not the marry
ing sort. Why, man alive, just look
at the WORLD we live in. We're both
of us busy. modern young souls. with
out a shred of romance in us. What
on earth would we do with a love
affair? We're entirely too practical
for such out of date stuff, Jimmie, my
dear"
I'm afraid I can't agree with you"
muttered Jimmie you see, 1 am
rather badly hit. And as for being
young and busy and modern-well,
the day will come when we'll be sew
toned. If you can't marry me for the
romance of 1t, Ellen, marry me against
old age"
what horrible idea.' cried Ellen.
Don't be & scoffer, my child.
haven't you ever heard of Darby and
Joan?"
"Oh, them!" exclaimed Ellen I'M
dramatically and scornfully, they're
fiction. There's no such animal as
Darby and Joan nowadays
he hue CT
violently to take on some passengers.
Jimmie and Ellen. engrossed in their
thoughts; didn't notice who got on I'M
til right in the seat ahead of them
climbed an elaErly. white-haired
couple. They were very much out of
breath from their ascent up the mar
row, rocking stairs, their old cheeks
pink with the exertion of it.
''Whew. Polly!" painted the old gen.
tleman, that's quite a pull"
The old lady laughed softly. 81 tell
you, Peter, there's many a young per-
son half our age who could not do
that. I've lost my breath for week
to come and my poor old legs feel like
a few aches and pains. This sunlight
makes me forget that we're seventy
years old, my dear"
Seventy years young, Polly, guess
you mean"
Polly laughed deiightedly as the bus
that. They were such a bright-eyed
old couple-everything interested
them-the hurrying crowd in the
street, the shop windows. the endless
stream of traffic that swept up and
down the avenue.
The bus stopped at the command of
a traffic policeman. and something on
the sidewalk caught the old lady's spe-
cia1 attention. She pulled at her hus-
bands sleeve. oh, look, Peter;
ing violets. How wish had sonnet"
Peter. apparently. couldn't stand the
idea of his Polly wanting those violets
and not having them. He leaned over
the side of the bus, waving his cane
in the direction OF the. flower vendef
and yelling, his voice cracking with
"Hay. there, violets. Hey! A
bunch of those violets-the best you
have" he called, holding out nice
The flower man was neither blind
nor deaf. and up came a beautiful
fra grant bunch, falling right into Pol
ly's lap. There, my DEAR" said Peter,
Smiling with all the joy of youth into
her ra diant old face. "I declare, Pol.
True blue, my dear; true blue"
"Silly!" smiled the old lady.
"Silly nothing" answered he with
spirit. After being married to you
nigh unto fifty years 1 guess I ought
to know" And somehow or other his
hand found hers under the bunch OF
violets.
swouldn't the children scold us for
this?" giggled Polly. They'd call US
romantic old idiots!"
What do they know about life.
those children" exclaimed Peter.
..rhey. talk of romance as If it were
a dead language. They put up false
god named independence and think
they're having a. good time. Ridicu-
lous modern nonsense, that Wont last
twenty years or help them weather
storm, that's what 1 call it. A little
idiotic romance would do them
world of good-eh, my dear?"
Were we romantic when we were
their age, 1 wonder2" said the sold
lady. 81 remember refusing you three
times because I didn't like the ruffles
you wore on your shirts"
Peter chuclled at that. YES, sir.
1t took me five times to turn the
trick he exclaimed.
But I wouldn't change you now
for sll the independence in the world.
my dear" said Polly softly.
Their hands were still together un-
der the violets, and they were utterly
oblivious of the rest of the universe.
Polly was the only person in New
York so far as Peter was concerned
and Peter the only one that Polly
was aware of.
Seventy street,. called the
conductor. With a start Ellen and
Jimmy, silent in their back seat. rea-
lized that this was their corner. With
out a word they climbed down the
narrow stairway and turned up the
street.
Jimmie stole a look at Ellen. Her
eyes were suspicieusly bright and her
cheeks unusually pink. There was
Observation-Disclosures
GT~CA A